Don’t Look Up
Don’t Look Up is a 2021 American satirical science fiction film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization. The comet is an analogy for climate change and the film is a satire of government and media indifference to the climate crisis.[5][6] Supporting cast include Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep.[5] Grande and Mescudi also collaborated on the song “Just Look Up” as part of the film’s soundtrack.[7] The film is dedicated to Hal Willner, who died in 2020.
Produced by Hyperobject Industries and Bluegrass Films, the film was announced in November 2019 and sold by Paramount Pictures to Netflix several months later. Filming was initially set to begin in April 2020 around the US state of Massachusetts but was delayed until November due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and then lasted through February 2021. Lawrence became the first member of the cast to join, with DiCaprio signing on after his discussions with McKay on adjustments to the script; the rest of the cast was added through 2020.
Don’t Look Up began a limited theatrical release on December 10, 2021, before streaming on Netflix on December 24, 2021. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the cast but were divided on the merits of McKay’s satire: some found it deft, while others criticized it as smug and heavy-handed. Nonetheless, the film was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and American Film Institute. It 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.
