Adam McKay, the director of Netflix’s satirical disaster-comedy, Don't Look Up, has reacted to the film’s success on the streaming platform. Don’t Look Up is McKay’s latest feature film, coming off the back of award-winning political drama Vice in 2018. The film follows two astronomy researchers, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, as they attempt to warn the US Government about an impending extinction-causing comet impact. The film satirises humanity's inability to comprehend and deal with the threat of climate change, and political tribalism supported by misinformation.
Don't Look Up has received a very mixed reception, with some critics being unconvinced by the satire’s heavy-handedness and lack of subtlety. However, the film has been largely embraced by general audiences and has drawn in huge viewing figures. In fact, Don't Look Up became Netflix's third-most viewed movie ever within just 11 days of its release. Despite its mixed critical feedback, Don’t Look Up has been tipped for multiple award nominations and wins as the year’s awards season accelerates. It has already picked up nominations for the year’s Best Picture (in the Musical or Comedy category) for the Golden Globes and Critics Choice awards, and Academy Award nominations for the Don't Look Up cast also appear likely.
Now, McKay has reacted to the success of Don’t Look Up, sharing that he is “flabbergasted” by its viewing figures. The director reacted on Twitter to the news that the film had achieved the highest week of views in Netflix’s history, with over 152 million hours of total streaming. With less than two weeks on the platform, its viewership numbers are only expected to soar further. Check out McKay’s post below:
Click here to view the original post on Twitter
While McKay is clearly surprised that the film has done as well as it has, Don't Look Up's success never seemed in doubt. The film's huge viewing numbers, which Netflix calculates by total hours streamed, has unquestionably been helped along by its all-star cast. The presence of DiCaprio and Lawrence would be enough to build hype for any film and, on top of that, they are joined by a host of A-listers. Oscar-nominated and winning actors Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill and Timothée Chalamet all take on memorable supporting roles, as well as pop star Ariana Grande.
Don't Look Up's success can also be explained by the way it taps into social and economic anxiety around climate change that has been increasingly salient over the last decade. And while the film directly satirizes the lack of political will and action in tackling the climate crisis, it is also reminiscent of the social division caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic and the global political response to it. In his major politically-themed hits like Vice and The Big Short, McKay has always leant into humor and emphasized a satirical edge. Fans of the director will be eager to see how he tackles his next film, and whether or not it will continue his strong run of form. In the meantime, Don’t Look Up will be sticking around on Netflix and will no doubt continue to increase its already staggering ratings figures.
Source: Adam McKay