Adam McKay Reveals ‘Don’t Look Up’ Was ‘Hated’ by Critics but Watched by 400 Million to 500 Million on Netflix

‘Don’t Look Up’ is a 2021 comedy film directed by Adam McKay. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and other big names. The story follows two astronomers trying to warn the world about a comet that will destroy humanity. The comet represents climate change, and the film humorously criticizes how governments, celebrities, and the media ignore the climate crisis.

The movie was notably panned by critics for several reasons. Some found its satire to be too heavy-handed and simplistic, with many feeling the film’s message about political and media indifference to the climate crisis was overly obvious.

Critics also criticized its tone, with some describing it as smug or condescending, especially in its portrayal of political figures and media. The film’s broad target audience and exaggerated humor alienated certain viewers, and some critics felt it lacked the depth and subtlety needed to make its points effectively.

Now in his latest interview with NME, Mckay said that despite being a critical failure the movie has definitely found its audience on Netflix. The director said that the movie resonated with people around the world, ranking number one in 85 countries. McKay found the positive public response energizing and inspiring, especially since comedies often have a limited appeal due to cultural references, whereas his film reached diverse places like Pakistan, Vietnam, the U.S., and Uruguay.

He saw this widespread popularity as a powerful success, even though critics were not supportive.

In the face of these dramatic catastrophes that keep happening, a movie seems really small and ridiculous. But what was inspiring and energizing was the popular response to that movie, not the critics and the cultural gatekeepers who hated it. It ended up being number one in something like 85 countries, as diverse as Pakistan, Vietnam, U.S. and Uruguay. That’s extremely rare for a comedy which is usually confined by cultural regional reference points.

McKay explained that while Netflix never revealed exact numbers, he believes ‘Don’t Look Up’ was seen by 400 million to 500 million people. He found it unsurprising that this shared sense of being misled was a key reason people related to the movie.

The estimates of how many people saw that movie – Netflix will never say exactly – but it’s somewhere between 400 million and half a billion. Viewers all really connected with the idea of being gaslit. Being lied to by their leaders, lied to by their big news media, and being lied to by industries. It was funny – when I realized that was the common connection point, I was like, of course! It’s happening everywhere now with this global neo-liberal economy that we’re all living in. It’s such a cancer and everyone is feeling it.

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