Don’t Look Up Film Crew Mistake Was Intentional Says Director Adam McKay

Director Adam McKay has debunked rumors of an alleged editing mistake in Don’t Look Up. Inspired by McKay’s own climate change-induced anxiety, Don’t Look Up follows two astronomers (Jennifer Lawrence & Leonardo DiCaprio) who attempt to warn mankind about a deadly incoming comet. Desperate to get anyone to take the comet seriously, the pair meet with the apathetic President (Meryl Streep) and embark on a frenzied media tour. 

In addition to Lawrence, DiCaprio, and Streep, the science-fiction satire boasts an impressive cast that includes Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Tyler Perry, Rob Morgan, and Mark Rylance. There are also cameo appearances from Chris Evans, Sarah Silverman, and Liev Schreiber. Despite lukewarm reviews, Don’t Look Up has racked up millions of hours of viewership and four Golden Globe nominations, including one for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy.

Now, McKay has taken to Twitter to respond to a presumed editing error in Don’t Look Up. At around the one hour and 28 minute mark, the film’s crew can be seen in the background. TikTok user Ben Köhler (@sightpicture) posted the clip on his account with the caption “oopsy,” sparking an online debate as to whether it was an editing error. “They’re like, ‘Oh, they probably won’t notice that,’” says the TikTokker. McKay quickly clarified the blip, noting that the shot of the crew was intentionally left in. Read his response below:

The scene in question takes place as Chalamet’s character’s friends skateboard around an abandoned parking lot, so it is not unreasonable to assume that the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot included fellow burnouts filming some skate tricks. Upon further observation—and a well-timed deployment of Netflix’s pause button—it becomes clear that the shot contains members of the crew, masked up per COVID shooting protocol. Said protocol is a large part of the “strange filming experience” to which McKay is referring. 

Like countless other projects, principal photography for Don’t Look Up was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with limited testing and quarantining providing further challenges. But COVID-related weirdness crept in elsewhere, such as Lawrence requiring a CGI tooth in lieu of breaking protocol and visiting a dentist. Other anecdotes from the set were a less easy fix; Streep commented that the isolation of lockdown caused her to temporarily forget how to act. For a film as surreally apocalyptic as Don’t Look Up, it stands to reason that McKay might want to inject some real-life surreality into his film, even if only for a fraction of a second. 

Source: Adam McKay