HBO Max has officially greenlit Adam McKay's climate terror anthology series titled The Uninhabitable Earth. McKay's work, both in the realm of comedy and drama, has been a favorite amongst audiences for years. Not only did he write and direct Oscar-nominated films like The Big Short and Vice, but he's also one of the executive producers for HBO's award-winning series Succession, which is currently in production on season 3. He was also known for his production partnership with Will Ferrell at Gary Sanchez Productions, which was responsible for a number of films including Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, but the company came to an unfortunate end early last year.
McKay's new series is joining a wide variety of other projects on WarnerMedia's new streaming platform, which is set to launch this May. WarnerMedia officially announced HBO Max last summer, promising an exciting array of shows and films from HBO, TBS, and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Not only will the library include award-winning dramas from the former, along with Studio Ghibli's popular catalog, but WarnerMedia also announced that they have exclusive rights to classic sitcoms like Friends. This move proved that the new service was ready to take on the streaming wars, namely Netflix, and their latest project announcements sound even more intriguing.
During WarnerMedia Television Critics Association Day, HBO Max announced McKay's new anthology series, explaining that it's "inspired by David Wallace-Wells' global best-selling book and New York Magazine article of the same name." The show will be "comprised of stand-alone fictional stories covering a wide range of genres" while focusing on "possible futures that could result from the rapid warming of our planet." McKay is set to write and direct the first episode, with the plan being to "enlist top directors and writers to join in creating a provocative and entertaining series." McKay also thanked HBO Max for stepping up and committing to the project which he's been "chomping at the bit" to get off the ground, stating that there's "obviously no subject as vast and daunting."
McKay recently closed a five-year deal with HBO and HBO Max, so this series is sure to be the first of many intriguing ones to hit their new streaming service. Along with this project, McKay also started up his new production company, Hyperobject Industries, late last year. The company landed a first-look feature film deal around the same time with Paramount Pictures, so it's clear that the writer/director/producer has a lot on his plate coming into the new year.
Not only does McKay's new series sound interesting, but it's coming at an important time in this day and age when discussions around climate change should be of the utmost importance. The Uninhabitable Earth will surely be a captivating series, and hopefully, HBO Max finds enough success where the series can reach a big audience. Already, the streaming service boasts an incredible catalog, but this show will add some interesting variety. Clearly, McKay is very passionate about the topic and is prepared to tell a story that's equally entertaining and important.
Source: HBO Max