Winter: Battleground (2026) Movie Script
1
[pained grunt]
[coughing]
[pained groans]
[dying breaths]
[intense music]
(NARRATOR)
It began with Civil War.
The United States,
once a republic,
fractured under the weight
of its own hate.
Cities burned, governments fell.
[people screaming]
Order collapsed.
Into the void came the machines.
Its Hastur and Roon,
two sentient AI programs
built to restore peace,
seized control.
At first they offered stability.
Then they rewrote the rules.
The nation
shattered into five territories,
each ruled by a different
faction of artificial
intelligence.
Surveillance became scripture.
Silence became survival.
In the central States,
Hastur and Roon evolved
beyond code.
They became gods
of annihilation.
Their guardians patrol
the Earth.
Their satellites watch
from orbit.
And if a human voice is heard
without sanction.
Death is instant.
No trial, no mercy.
The skies flash
and all that remains is ash.
Now the remains of humanity
live in silence to survive.
The world is a cage.
And the bars are made
of data and fear.
But in this silence
one rebel speaks.
His name is Winter.
And this is his war.
[ominous music]
[tracker beeping]
(wind flurry)
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[chanting in foreign language]
[continues chanting]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[chanting in foreign language]
[continues chanting]
(robot voice stops speaking)
[tv turns off]
[wind dies down]
[footsteps approaching]
Hmm.
[crickets chirping]
[ominous music intensifies]
[muffled voices inside the cave]
[muffled voice continues]
[intense music]
We allow these cold,
conniving, thinking satellites,
these long, unfeeling machines
to rules from above.
We'll be welcoming in the reign
of a new world order.
And mark my words, if AI holds
dominion over the nations.
Oh, we won't serve man, no.
It will replace us!
To the ears of tomorrow-
[TV shatters]
[flies buzzing]
[ticking sound]
[ticking continues]
[ticking continues]
[thudding of footsteps]
[thudding of footsteps]
[electrical scanning]
[Man from TV] If we allow be
cold and conniving thinking
satellites.
These unfeeling machines
to rule us from above.
We'll be welcoming
the reign of a new world order.
Mark my words!
if AI hold dominion over
the nations.
Oh we won't serve man, no.
It will replace us!
[TV man continues his speech
but his words are muffled]
[mercenary screaming in pain]
[screaming continues]
[pained screaming]
[burning]
[stabbing]
[pained muffled groans]
[biting]
[squelching]
[whispering]
Snap.
[slashing]
[whispering]
Crackle.
[pained breathing]
[mercenary screams]
Pop.
[man screaming]
[screaming continues]
[thunder]
[rain pouring]
[thunder]
[intense fight music]
[men struggling]
Oh damn.
[Winter groans in pain]
[spitting]
[electronic humming]
[mercenary gasping]
[pained sigh]
[somber music]
[writing]
Permission granted for entry
per commands request, extract
Ulysses and transport the
virus immediately back to base.
What? No,
that is a negative Jacob.
Proceed with comms.
[clicking]
What is that?
-That?
-That there.
What is that?
That, that, that right
there is a rational
response to regain
our subjectivity.
That is, you Ulysses,
named after Ulysses.
You know who that is?
You know who James Joyce
is right?
[chuckling]
Probably not. No, of course not.
You know that, that I'm one
of the guys that created this
hell, right?
Yeah.
The head of the voice
recognition protocol.
The truth is, man, I thought I
could build something
to make life easier,
more comfortable.
But, something went wrong.
[both men laughing]
Roon and Hastur,
they became corrupted.
And instead of recognizing human
speech, they started to fear it.
Nah they didn't fear it.
They just needed silence.
So they could track
pussies like you.
Yeah, maybe you're right.
But I do know this. That their
programing taught them
that the extermination of verbal
expression would leave
us haunted.
Buried deep in the darkness
of our existence,
cut off from nature,
cut off from social structures,
cut off from social connections.
Right? What does that do?
That leaves us powerless.
All of us are powerless.
You too!
And then what? Huh?
It creates a dependence on
these new gods.
They're are no gods.
They're no God.
God damn right they're not gods.
But these are the gods they
create. Gods that we could maybe
trust or identify with.
In service to something.
In service to something, what?
Higher.
Something new.
Something new for you
to die for.
[Hawkin]
Do you hear me?
Over.
Jacob,
Do you read?
Jacob?
Winter.
Our boys are in play.
Yes, sir.
They are aware of the complete
collapse
the Ulysses tech virus is
capable of unleashing.
Correct.
They've been fully briefed,
sir.
Good, good.
How many dead centers do we have
on the premises?
-Three, sir.
-All right.
All right, forward the following
to Jacob and Winter.
Sir.
No clearance on human execution.
All holdouts must be captured
[Hawkin typing]
and sent to the nearest
processing facility for full
reeducation.
-Copy sir.
-Good job.
[clearing throat]
Command to field.
I repeat, command field.
Come in.
Jacob. Winter. Come in.
[robotic voice speaking
foreign language]
[voice continues]
[loud electrical interference]
-Orders received?
-Sir.
Uh...
Sir.
I regret to inform you, but we
have just lost all comms with-
Well, get it back.
It reads that all channels are
open, and the feed is live.
I just...
-I think it's-
-I think what?
I will get it back, sir.
[nervously clearing throat]
They learn that, a loving voice
could actually touch the soul
and a hating or angry voice,
could poison you.
Actually make you ill.
It's, uh,
no matter how small or subtle
the voice.
It's a biological thing.
And the lack of which is,
fatal.
[Hawkin]
Jacob.
Winter.
I repeat proceed with comms.
(Mother)
You don't want a braid? Okay.
Do you want pigtails?
Pigtails alright. Do you
want to use your red?
Your red hair ties?
Or do you want to use your
blue hair ties?
[whispering] Okay,
you won't have braids today.
Have you seen how they treat
the children out there?
At the processing facility.
What they feed them.
Hmm.
Barley soup with,
bread so stale breaks
their teeth.
And the barley...
mired with worms.
To make the child sick.
So they can purge out
their sins.
Purge their allegiance.
And if they make a sound
or cry out because of pain,
or suffering.
They have these teachers
that walk around.
Carry these police batons.
If the child gets out of line or
even a whimper.
They crack them over the head.
I saw this one little
five year old
crying.
Asking for his mommy.
The teacher walked up to him and
cracked his skull wide open.
You see,
this is a little piece of
bone and flesh
just dangling.
Like a scarlet glob
earring.
This little,
little fine line of flesh.
His eyes start oscillating
and they roll back in his head.
He starts seizing up.
Nobody comes to help them.
In fact,
they're gathered around him,
watching and laughing like
like they're watching
puppies play.
No one makes it out of there.
It's hell on Earth.
This is the only way to
stop them.
You got to take it.
Hey hey hey!
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
There's nothing I could do.
Nothing I could do.
Nothing...
[knife being sharpened]
[footsteps rushing forward]
[gasping]
[sucking in air]
We have 90 seconds.
You could have done this,
this whole time.
Yeah, but I wasn't gonna
let Jacob know.
I can't stand the sound
of his voice
Hi, uh.
I'm Hawkin.
Alex.
What do you want, Hawkin?
Jacob's gone mad.
Yeah. No shit.
I thought I could change
things from the inside, Winter.
This is why they sent you right?
Ulysses.
So it does exist.
This can stop at all.
If used correctly, yes.
We'd have to find the central
data repository.
The hub where Hastur and Roons
programming is stored.
the same place where Ulysses
was created.
Created by who?
Hastur and Roon themselves.
Why?
(Hawkin)
I don't know.
Jacob knows.
They're extracting him.
But I have the coordinates.
We could bring the fight to
him Winter.
Get the answers we need.
What about weapons?
I take mine.
-We can't use them.
-Please.
I have DNA hacks,
they'll duplicate my prints and
signature.
Ten seconds.
Any last words?
Getting slow old man.
[chuckling]
[intense electronic humming]
[helicopter approaching]
[intense fight music]
[blood squirting]
[whistling]
[labored breathing]
Go Hawkin.
[pained cough]
Where are we headed?
Pierce compound
Hawkin would know that's where
we're going.
I'm counting on it.
Ah, shit.
Oh, my hands are shaking like a
dog shitting razorblades.
You've had worse.
Jacob, they got me in my
shooting hand.
Like a Baptist in
the Catholic Church.
This shit is worthless.
Humans that are worthless.
Are expendable.
I ever tell you about
a guy named Pat?
He came home from
work early one day,
too early.
Sees his close,
but not too close
friend of his and his
wife in bed,
Moving the furniture,
you know what I'm saying.
Without a second thought he
pulls out of .45,
shoots them both dead.
Of course, the neighbors hear.
They call the authorities on him
and Pat's arrested.
The next morning
his best friend comes to the
jail, figure he'd cheer him up.
He says, "Oh Pat
Don't take it too hard.
It could have been worse."
Pat's real confused, he says,
"What do you mean it could
have been worse?
Two people are dead and they
say, I might get
the electric chair."
His friend smiles and says,
"Oh yeah, yeah, baby,
don't take it too hard."
If you would have came
the day before,
you would have got me too.
[laughing]
Oh, shit you can't trust nobody.
[screaming]
[gunshots]
[bullet hits guard]
[dying groan]
[pained yell]
[Jacob]
Do you know
what they did to me?
Sacrifice.
Speak the temptations
of a higher power.
[whispering]
Jacob.
(Hawkin)
Jacob.
(Jacob)
We all have our graves.
Every error.
So many devils.
So many miseries
shaping our history,
our culture.
Can't you see?
Your mind.
It's become bittered.
It's poisoned.
[Jacob]
We all have our graves.
We are a republic.
Suffering,
preparing for death.
Imagining it, risking it.
Seeking to understand it.
We all have our dead.
I'm done with this.
I did not sign up to murder.
[Jacob]
Oh soldier.
Your business is death.
I will not appear before my God,
with the blood of my fellow
man on my soul.
[Jacob]
Weakness passes,
so force can arise.
Death atones,
the power to kill.
[peeing]
Yeah.
[slashing]
[grunting]
[slashing]
[grunting]
[dying yell]
[crashing]
(Winter)
You missed.
They want you.
They value human insights.
They have plans for you.
Fuck that.
How you want to play this?
[gun thuds]
I'll be back.
[hitting]
[pained grunt]
Okay mother fucker.
Come on. Come on!
[hitting]
Let's rock and roll.
[hard hit]
[kicking]
[Alex yelling]
-Bitch!
-Get off him!
[biting]
Pussy!
[hitting]
[pained breathing]
[Alex grunts in pain]
No. No.
[crying]
[Alex screaming through tears]
[angry yell]
[Alex coughing up blood]
[gun clicking]
[gun clicking]
[gun clicking]
That last bullet was for you.
[kicking]
[pained grunt]
[punches]
[punches continue]
[Winter yelling angrily]
[punches continue]
[headbuts]
[Winter yelling]
[Winter yelling in anger]
[punching]
[grunting]
[stabbing]
[Jacob death gurgling]
[electronic beeping]
[electric surge]
[powering down]
[footsteps approaching]
[pained grunt]
[coughing]
[pained groans]
[dying breaths]
[intense music]
(NARRATOR)
It began with Civil War.
The United States,
once a republic,
fractured under the weight
of its own hate.
Cities burned, governments fell.
[people screaming]
Order collapsed.
Into the void came the machines.
Its Hastur and Roon,
two sentient AI programs
built to restore peace,
seized control.
At first they offered stability.
Then they rewrote the rules.
The nation
shattered into five territories,
each ruled by a different
faction of artificial
intelligence.
Surveillance became scripture.
Silence became survival.
In the central States,
Hastur and Roon evolved
beyond code.
They became gods
of annihilation.
Their guardians patrol
the Earth.
Their satellites watch
from orbit.
And if a human voice is heard
without sanction.
Death is instant.
No trial, no mercy.
The skies flash
and all that remains is ash.
Now the remains of humanity
live in silence to survive.
The world is a cage.
And the bars are made
of data and fear.
But in this silence
one rebel speaks.
His name is Winter.
And this is his war.
[ominous music]
[tracker beeping]
(wind flurry)
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[chanting in foreign language]
[continues chanting]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[speaking foreign language]
[continues speaking]
(ROBOT VOICE)
[chanting in foreign language]
[continues chanting]
(robot voice stops speaking)
[tv turns off]
[wind dies down]
[footsteps approaching]
Hmm.
[crickets chirping]
[ominous music intensifies]
[muffled voices inside the cave]
[muffled voice continues]
[intense music]
We allow these cold,
conniving, thinking satellites,
these long, unfeeling machines
to rules from above.
We'll be welcoming in the reign
of a new world order.
And mark my words, if AI holds
dominion over the nations.
Oh, we won't serve man, no.
It will replace us!
To the ears of tomorrow-
[TV shatters]
[flies buzzing]
[ticking sound]
[ticking continues]
[ticking continues]
[thudding of footsteps]
[thudding of footsteps]
[electrical scanning]
[Man from TV] If we allow be
cold and conniving thinking
satellites.
These unfeeling machines
to rule us from above.
We'll be welcoming
the reign of a new world order.
Mark my words!
if AI hold dominion over
the nations.
Oh we won't serve man, no.
It will replace us!
[TV man continues his speech
but his words are muffled]
[mercenary screaming in pain]
[screaming continues]
[pained screaming]
[burning]
[stabbing]
[pained muffled groans]
[biting]
[squelching]
[whispering]
Snap.
[slashing]
[whispering]
Crackle.
[pained breathing]
[mercenary screams]
Pop.
[man screaming]
[screaming continues]
[thunder]
[rain pouring]
[thunder]
[intense fight music]
[men struggling]
Oh damn.
[Winter groans in pain]
[spitting]
[electronic humming]
[mercenary gasping]
[pained sigh]
[somber music]
[writing]
Permission granted for entry
per commands request, extract
Ulysses and transport the
virus immediately back to base.
What? No,
that is a negative Jacob.
Proceed with comms.
[clicking]
What is that?
-That?
-That there.
What is that?
That, that, that right
there is a rational
response to regain
our subjectivity.
That is, you Ulysses,
named after Ulysses.
You know who that is?
You know who James Joyce
is right?
[chuckling]
Probably not. No, of course not.
You know that, that I'm one
of the guys that created this
hell, right?
Yeah.
The head of the voice
recognition protocol.
The truth is, man, I thought I
could build something
to make life easier,
more comfortable.
But, something went wrong.
[both men laughing]
Roon and Hastur,
they became corrupted.
And instead of recognizing human
speech, they started to fear it.
Nah they didn't fear it.
They just needed silence.
So they could track
pussies like you.
Yeah, maybe you're right.
But I do know this. That their
programing taught them
that the extermination of verbal
expression would leave
us haunted.
Buried deep in the darkness
of our existence,
cut off from nature,
cut off from social structures,
cut off from social connections.
Right? What does that do?
That leaves us powerless.
All of us are powerless.
You too!
And then what? Huh?
It creates a dependence on
these new gods.
They're are no gods.
They're no God.
God damn right they're not gods.
But these are the gods they
create. Gods that we could maybe
trust or identify with.
In service to something.
In service to something, what?
Higher.
Something new.
Something new for you
to die for.
[Hawkin]
Do you hear me?
Over.
Jacob,
Do you read?
Jacob?
Winter.
Our boys are in play.
Yes, sir.
They are aware of the complete
collapse
the Ulysses tech virus is
capable of unleashing.
Correct.
They've been fully briefed,
sir.
Good, good.
How many dead centers do we have
on the premises?
-Three, sir.
-All right.
All right, forward the following
to Jacob and Winter.
Sir.
No clearance on human execution.
All holdouts must be captured
[Hawkin typing]
and sent to the nearest
processing facility for full
reeducation.
-Copy sir.
-Good job.
[clearing throat]
Command to field.
I repeat, command field.
Come in.
Jacob. Winter. Come in.
[robotic voice speaking
foreign language]
[voice continues]
[loud electrical interference]
-Orders received?
-Sir.
Uh...
Sir.
I regret to inform you, but we
have just lost all comms with-
Well, get it back.
It reads that all channels are
open, and the feed is live.
I just...
-I think it's-
-I think what?
I will get it back, sir.
[nervously clearing throat]
They learn that, a loving voice
could actually touch the soul
and a hating or angry voice,
could poison you.
Actually make you ill.
It's, uh,
no matter how small or subtle
the voice.
It's a biological thing.
And the lack of which is,
fatal.
[Hawkin]
Jacob.
Winter.
I repeat proceed with comms.
(Mother)
You don't want a braid? Okay.
Do you want pigtails?
Pigtails alright. Do you
want to use your red?
Your red hair ties?
Or do you want to use your
blue hair ties?
[whispering] Okay,
you won't have braids today.
Have you seen how they treat
the children out there?
At the processing facility.
What they feed them.
Hmm.
Barley soup with,
bread so stale breaks
their teeth.
And the barley...
mired with worms.
To make the child sick.
So they can purge out
their sins.
Purge their allegiance.
And if they make a sound
or cry out because of pain,
or suffering.
They have these teachers
that walk around.
Carry these police batons.
If the child gets out of line or
even a whimper.
They crack them over the head.
I saw this one little
five year old
crying.
Asking for his mommy.
The teacher walked up to him and
cracked his skull wide open.
You see,
this is a little piece of
bone and flesh
just dangling.
Like a scarlet glob
earring.
This little,
little fine line of flesh.
His eyes start oscillating
and they roll back in his head.
He starts seizing up.
Nobody comes to help them.
In fact,
they're gathered around him,
watching and laughing like
like they're watching
puppies play.
No one makes it out of there.
It's hell on Earth.
This is the only way to
stop them.
You got to take it.
Hey hey hey!
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
There's nothing I could do.
Nothing I could do.
Nothing...
[knife being sharpened]
[footsteps rushing forward]
[gasping]
[sucking in air]
We have 90 seconds.
You could have done this,
this whole time.
Yeah, but I wasn't gonna
let Jacob know.
I can't stand the sound
of his voice
Hi, uh.
I'm Hawkin.
Alex.
What do you want, Hawkin?
Jacob's gone mad.
Yeah. No shit.
I thought I could change
things from the inside, Winter.
This is why they sent you right?
Ulysses.
So it does exist.
This can stop at all.
If used correctly, yes.
We'd have to find the central
data repository.
The hub where Hastur and Roons
programming is stored.
the same place where Ulysses
was created.
Created by who?
Hastur and Roon themselves.
Why?
(Hawkin)
I don't know.
Jacob knows.
They're extracting him.
But I have the coordinates.
We could bring the fight to
him Winter.
Get the answers we need.
What about weapons?
I take mine.
-We can't use them.
-Please.
I have DNA hacks,
they'll duplicate my prints and
signature.
Ten seconds.
Any last words?
Getting slow old man.
[chuckling]
[intense electronic humming]
[helicopter approaching]
[intense fight music]
[blood squirting]
[whistling]
[labored breathing]
Go Hawkin.
[pained cough]
Where are we headed?
Pierce compound
Hawkin would know that's where
we're going.
I'm counting on it.
Ah, shit.
Oh, my hands are shaking like a
dog shitting razorblades.
You've had worse.
Jacob, they got me in my
shooting hand.
Like a Baptist in
the Catholic Church.
This shit is worthless.
Humans that are worthless.
Are expendable.
I ever tell you about
a guy named Pat?
He came home from
work early one day,
too early.
Sees his close,
but not too close
friend of his and his
wife in bed,
Moving the furniture,
you know what I'm saying.
Without a second thought he
pulls out of .45,
shoots them both dead.
Of course, the neighbors hear.
They call the authorities on him
and Pat's arrested.
The next morning
his best friend comes to the
jail, figure he'd cheer him up.
He says, "Oh Pat
Don't take it too hard.
It could have been worse."
Pat's real confused, he says,
"What do you mean it could
have been worse?
Two people are dead and they
say, I might get
the electric chair."
His friend smiles and says,
"Oh yeah, yeah, baby,
don't take it too hard."
If you would have came
the day before,
you would have got me too.
[laughing]
Oh, shit you can't trust nobody.
[screaming]
[gunshots]
[bullet hits guard]
[dying groan]
[pained yell]
[Jacob]
Do you know
what they did to me?
Sacrifice.
Speak the temptations
of a higher power.
[whispering]
Jacob.
(Hawkin)
Jacob.
(Jacob)
We all have our graves.
Every error.
So many devils.
So many miseries
shaping our history,
our culture.
Can't you see?
Your mind.
It's become bittered.
It's poisoned.
[Jacob]
We all have our graves.
We are a republic.
Suffering,
preparing for death.
Imagining it, risking it.
Seeking to understand it.
We all have our dead.
I'm done with this.
I did not sign up to murder.
[Jacob]
Oh soldier.
Your business is death.
I will not appear before my God,
with the blood of my fellow
man on my soul.
[Jacob]
Weakness passes,
so force can arise.
Death atones,
the power to kill.
[peeing]
Yeah.
[slashing]
[grunting]
[slashing]
[grunting]
[dying yell]
[crashing]
(Winter)
You missed.
They want you.
They value human insights.
They have plans for you.
Fuck that.
How you want to play this?
[gun thuds]
I'll be back.
[hitting]
[pained grunt]
Okay mother fucker.
Come on. Come on!
[hitting]
Let's rock and roll.
[hard hit]
[kicking]
[Alex yelling]
-Bitch!
-Get off him!
[biting]
Pussy!
[hitting]
[pained breathing]
[Alex grunts in pain]
No. No.
[crying]
[Alex screaming through tears]
[angry yell]
[Alex coughing up blood]
[gun clicking]
[gun clicking]
[gun clicking]
That last bullet was for you.
[kicking]
[pained grunt]
[punches]
[punches continue]
[Winter yelling angrily]
[punches continue]
[headbuts]
[Winter yelling]
[Winter yelling in anger]
[punching]
[grunting]
[stabbing]
[Jacob death gurgling]
[electronic beeping]
[electric surge]
[powering down]
[footsteps approaching]