New movie has social media scratching heads over 'Texas and California' alliance

OAKLAND, Calif. - "Texas and California? What?" That's a tweet from one user over the supposed partnership of Texas and California in a new movie, "Civil War." The alliance between the red and blue states has several social media users wondering why opposites would join forces.

Many refer to the partnership of the states in a theoretical civil war as "unlikely" and are weighing in the discourse, causing the phrase to trend online. 

"Civil War," being produced by A24, is about a dystopian future of the U.S. with at least 19 states, including Texas and California, seceding from the country and rallying against the federal government. However, it isn't the premise of the film that has people scratching their heads. 

In the film, the two states are called the "Western Forces," uprising against the federal government and military (in addition to the "Florida Alliance.") It's safe to say that many view Texas and California as opposites. In fact, a billboard propped up throughout California in 2022 telling residents not to move to the Lone Star State over the Uvalde School Shooting that killed 19 children and two adults.

So it comes as a surprise to many online seeing Texas and California joining forces to fight together against the U.S. 

To be fair though, it does say "in this land, anything is possible," so with that being said, it is very possible we'll see the two states put their differences aside to work together.

The film stars A-lister Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny, the actress who plays Priscilla Presley in the biopic "Priscilla." Nick Offerman, the actor behind the iconic TV libertarian Ron Swanson in "Parks and Recreation," plays the president in the film. 

Jesse Plemmons, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson also star in the film.

Alongside trending "Texas and California" on social media, "Civil War" trended as well. Despite the occasional movie clip from "Captain America: Civil War," memes of people reacting to the alliance were plentiful; photos of actors awkwardly posing together, gifs of side eyes and exaggerated laughs, and even some pictures of infamous gang rivalries posing together.

"No way Texas & California would be able to team up. They would kill each other the second a cali [sic] person said ‘vince young’s [sic] knee was down," read one tweet, alluding to the memorable 2006 Rose Bowl game between the University of Southern California and the University of Texas at Austin.

However, some said the alliance makes perfect sense considering the "shared history of tech bros, rich centrist liberals, and small-town conservatives."

The film is directed by British filmmaker Alex Garland. Take from that what you will. 

The movie is slated to premiere April 26, 2024. It includes writers from "28 Days Later," Ex Machina," and "Annihilation."

According to A24's website, the film is "an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a near-future fractured America balanced on the razors edge."

This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.