Don't Look Up

* Promotional Poster
* Alternative Poster

***Don't Look Up*** is a 2021 American satirical science fiction comedy film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two low-level astronomers attempting to warn mankind, via a media tour, about an approaching comet that will destroy Earth. Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Ron Perlman, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep round out the ensemble cast. The film is a satirical allegory of media, government, and cultural indifference to the crisis of anthropogenic climate change. Grande and Mescudi also collaborated on the song "*Just Look Up*" as part of the film's soundtrack.

Produced by Hyperobject Industries and Bluegrass Films, the film was announced in November 2019, and sold by Paramount Pictures to Netflix several months later. Lawrence became the first member of the cast to join, with DiCaprio signing on after rewriting McKay's script; the rest of the cast was added through the rest of 2020. Filming was originally set to begin in April 2020 around Massachusetts, but was delayed until November due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and then lasted through February 2021.

*Don't Look Up* began a limited theatrical release on December 10, 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on December 24, 2021. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the cast but found McKay's approach to the subject heavy-handed. Despite the reviews, it was named one of the top 10 films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and American Film Institute, and received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture - Musical or Comedy, and six at the 27th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

## Plot

Astronomy student Kate Dibiasky discovers the existence of an unidentified comet. Her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy, calculates that the trajectory of the asteroid crosses that of the Earth and that an impact will take place in about six months, killing all life in the process.

Accompanied by scholar Teddy Oglethorpe, they immediately go to the White House but President Janie Orlean does not seem inclined to do something about the asteroid. The attempt to inform the population through a television program also fails: Kate becomes the laughing stock of the web because of the colorful language with which she expresses herself. President Janie then gets involved in a sex scandal, and decides to deal with the danger announced by the three astronomers to divert the attention.

The news is finally spread by the media and the launch of a spaceship that can hit and divert the comet, saving the planet, is announced. However, the operation is canceled mid-flight when the investor Peter Isherwell, a large funder of President Janie, discovers that the asteroid is composed of precious minerals. The White House plans to commercially exploit the asteroid by crushing it to reduce its size and recover the fragments after their sinking in the ocean.

Kate and Teddy immediately abandon the operation, followed by Randall after a period of passive submission to the President. The world is now divided between those who demand the total destruction of the comet, those who scream at unjustified alarmism, and those who deny that a comet even exists. The plan to recover minerals finally fails so Janie, Peter, and the wealthiest Americans flee into space in a spaceship. Randall and Kate spend their last moments with serenity, in the company of Randall's family, a boy in love with Kate, and Teddy. The asteroid finally hits the planet.

Twenty-two thousand years later, the presidential rocket lands on a lush alien planet. Its passengers wake up from cryogenic sleep and take a look at the surrounding environment only to be attacked and killed by wild animals.

## Cast & Characters

* Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy
* Jennifer Lawrence as Kate Dibiasky
* Meryl Streep as President Janie Orlean
* Cate Blanchett as Brie Evantee
* Rob Morgan as Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe
* Jonah Hill as Jason Orlean
* Mark Rylance as Peter Isherwell
* Tyler Perry as Jack Bremmer
* Timothée Chalamet as Quentin
* Ron Perlman as Benedict Drask
* Ariana Grande as Riley Bina
* Scott Mescudi as DJ Chello
* Himesh Patel as Phillip
* Melanie Lynskey as June Mindy
* Michael Chiklis as Dan Pawketty
* Tomer Sisley as Adul Grelio
* Paul Guilfoyle as General Themes
* Robert Joy as Congressman Tenant
* Robert Radochia as Evan Mindy
* Conor Sweeney as Marshall Mindy
* Ross Partridge as Keith Ollens
* Liev Schreiber as Bash Narrator
* Sarah Silverman as Sarah Benterman
* Jon Glaser as Meow Man
* Chris Evans as Devin Peters

## Production

### Development

On November 8, 2019, it was announced that Paramount Pictures would distribute the film, with Adam McKay writing, directing and producing under his Hyperobject Industries banner. On February 19, 2020, Netflix acquired the film from Paramount.

### Casting

On February 19, 2020, Jennifer Lawrence was cast in the film. On May 12, 2020, it was announced that Cate Blanchett had joined the film. In September 2020, Rob Morgan joined the cast. In October 2020, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Himesh Patel, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Matthew Perry, and Tomer Sisley were added. McKay wrote the part of Dibiasky specifically for Lawrence, and spent four-to-five months going over ideas with DiCaprio, tweaking the script before the actor ultimately signed on.

In November 2020, Tyler Perry, Melanie Lynskey and Ron Perlman joined the cast. In December 2020, Chris Evans joined the cast. Gina Gershon, Mark Rylance, and Michael Chiklis were revealed as part of the cast in February 2021. Paul Guilfoyle was announced in May.

### Filming

On February 19, 2020, it was announced that principal photography would start in April 2020. However, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming commenced on November 18, 2020, at various locations in Boston, Massachusetts. Part of the film takes place in New York City with Boston standing in as New York. Filming also took place in other Massachusetts cities including Brockton, Framingham, and Westborough. On February 5, 2021, Jennifer Lawrence was mildly injured during filming when a controlled glass explosion went awry. On February 18, 2021, principal photography wrapped.

## Release

On February 19, 2020, it was announced Netflix planned to release the film in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming and release of the film were delayed. It received a limited theatrical release on December 10, 2021, and is set to begin streaming on Netflix on December 24, 2021. The film premiered in New York City on December 5, 2021.

Though Netflix does not publicly release box office grosses, the film made an estimated $260,000 from 500 theaters on its first day, and a total of $700,000 in its opening weekend.

## Reception

### Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 56% of 167 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "*Don't Look Up* aims too high for its scattershot barbs to consistently land, but Adam McKay's star-studded satire hits its target of collective denial square on." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100 based on 39 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Reviewing the film for the *San Francisco Chronicle*, Mick LaSalle praised the film and wrote, "*Don't Look Up* might be the funniest movie of 2021. It's the most depressing too, and that odd combination makes for a one-of-a-kind experience. Writer-director Adam McKay gives you over two hours of laughs while convincing you that the world is coming to an end."

Richard Roeper of the *Chicago Sun-Times* gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars and said: "From Streep and DiCaprio and Lawrence through the supporting players, *Don't Look Up* is filled with greatly talented actors really and truly selling this material — but the volume remains at 11 throughout the story when some changes in tone here and there might have more effectively carried the day." Reviewing the film for the *Los Angeles Times*, Justin Chang wrote, "Nothing about the foolishness and outrageousness of what the movie shows us — no matter how virtuosically sliced and diced by McKay's characteristically jittery editor, Hank Corwin — can really compete with the horrors of our real-world American idiocracy."

In a negative review, David Rooney of *The Hollywood Reporter* called the film "A cynical, insufferably smug satire stuffed to the gills with stars that purports to comment on political and media inattention to the climate crisis but really just trivializes it. *Dr. Strangelove* it ain't." Peter Debruge of *Variety* called the film a "smug, easy-target political satire" and wrote, "*Don't Look Up* plays like the leftie answer to *Armageddon* — which is to say, it ditches the Bruckheimer approach of assembling a bunch of blue-collar heroes to rocket out to space and nuke the approaching comet, opting instead to spotlight the apathy, incompetence and financial self-interest of all involved."

## Notes

* Additional filming locations include Canton, Chicopee, Fall River, Norton, Salisbury, Weymouth, and Worcester.

## References

1. ↑ "Don't Look Up" *Writers Guild of America West.*
2. ↑ "Don't Look Up - Netflix Official Site" *Netflix.*
3. ↑ "Don't Look Up Cast Has Everyone Convinced Netflix's Budget Limit Does Not Exist" *News18.*
4. ↑ "Adam McKay Is Still Trying to See the Funny Side in All This" *Esquire.*
5. ↑ "Hear a Snippet of Ariana Grande & Kid Cudi’s ‘Just Look Up’ From ‘Don’t Look Up’ Movie" *Billboard.*
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "What Is Don't Look Up Even About?" *W.*
7. ↑ "Adam McKay On New Paramount Film Deal, The Meteor Movie He'll Next Helm & The Superhero As Cinema Argument" *Deadline Hollywood.*
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Netflix Takes Adam McKay Meteor Movie 'Don't Look Up'; Jennifer Lawrence To Star" *Deadline Hollywood.*
9. ↑ "Cate Blanchett joins Jennifer Lawrence's new Netflix movie" *Digital Spy.*
10. ↑ "Rob Morgan Set To Co-Star Opposite Jennifer Lawrence in Adam McKay And Netflix's 'Don't Look Up'" *Deadline Hollywood.*
11. ↑ "Meryl Streep to Play Jonah Hill's Mom — & President — in Adam McKay's "Don't Look Up" *Collider.*
12. ↑ "Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett, Others Join Jennifer Lawrence In Netflix's 'Don't Look Up' For Adam McKay" *Deadline Hollywood.*
13. ↑ "Leonardo DiCaprio spent 5 months tweaking Netflix's "Don't Look Up" script before signing on" *Insider.*
14. ↑ "Tyler Perry, Melanie Lynskey, Ron Perlman Join Adam McKay's 'Don't Look Up' (Exclusive)" *Hollywood Reporter.*
15. ↑ "Chris Evans Joins Adam McKay's Next Movie For Netflix" *Deadline Hollywood.*
16. ↑ "Stewart Talent Signs Gina Gershon, Laila Odom For Representation" *Deadline Hollywood.*
17. ↑ "Mark Rylance And Michael Chiklis Join Adam McKay's 'Don't Look Up' At Netflix" *Deadline Hollywood.*
18. ↑ "'CSI: Vegas' Jamie McShane To Recur In CBS Sequel, Paul Guilfoyle To Reprise Jim Brass Role" *Deadline Hollywood.*
19. ↑ "Every Netflix Production Halted Due to Coronavirus" *What's on Netflix.*
20. ↑ "Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep Join Jennifer Lawrence in Adam McKay's "Don't Look Up"" *The Hollywood Reporter.*
21. ↑ "'Don't Look Up' continues to film all over Massachusetts. Here's the latest on the Netflix blockbuster." *Boston.*
22. ↑ "Downtown Boston is transformed into New York City as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence film "Don't Look Up"" *Boston.*
23. ↑ "Jennifer Lawrence injured on "Don't Look Up" set in Boston" *New York Daily News.*
24. ↑ ""Don't Look Up" wraps filming after 3 months in Massachusetts" *Boston.*
25. ↑ "When is Don't Look Up release date? Netflix cast, plot and latest news" *Radio Times.*
26. ↑ "Netflix Releases Dates for Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence's 'Don't Look Up,' Jane Campion's 'The Power of the Dog' and More" *Variety.*
27. ↑ "Netflix Reveals Premiere Dates for Adam McKay's 'Don't Look Up,' Sandra Bullock Starrer 'The Unforgivable,' More Fall Movies" *The Hollywood Reporter.*
28. ↑ "Events of the Week: ‘And Just Like That,’ ‘Don’t Look Up’ and More" *The Hollywood Reporter.*
29. ↑ "West Side Story Isn't Kicking Up With $10M+ Opening: What That Means Right Now During Another Pandemic Holiday" *Deadline Hollywood.*
30. ↑ "Review: Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star in very funny, very depressing ‘Don’t Look Up’" *San Francisco Chronicle.*
31. ↑ "'Don’t Look Up': Broad humor undermines satire about a country in denial" *Chicago Sun-Times.*
32. ↑ "‘Don't Look Up' review: Scattershot Netflix satire" *Los Angeles Times.*
33. ↑ "Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in Adam McKay’s ‘Don’t Look Up’: Film Review" *The Hollywood Reporter.*
34. ↑ "‘Don’t Look Up’ Review: The Sky Is Falling in Adam McKay’s Crank Comet Comedy" *Variety.*

## External links

* Watch Don't Look Up on Netflix
* @DontLookUpFilm on Twitter