The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies (2025): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2025, The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies is a documentary and history film directed by Julia Bracher, running about 52 minutes.

What it’s about. Based on testimony by Ethel’s brother, David Greenglass, the Rosenbergs are arrested by the FBI. The couple is accused of passing secret information about the atomic bomb to the USSR. Though the Rosenbergs maintain their innocence from the start, the media and public opinion seem to have condemned them from day one. The trial does nothing to change this and ends in a death sentence. On Friday June 19, 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed in the electric chair. Julius first, then Ethel. 30 years later, the truth finally comes out. Declassified FBI archives reveal that Ethel was not guilty of being a spy; she was merely married to one. Julius did indeed commit espionage for the Soviet Union, though primarily as a recruiter, nothing at all like the fictional James Bond. This documentary, made entirely of archival footage and animated illustrations, offers a tale of espionage as well as a complex family tragedy.

Who’s in it. The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies stars Ethel Rosenberg as Self (archive footage) and Julius Rosenberg as Self (archive footage).

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Rosenbergs: Atomic Spies tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.