Macall Polay/HBO
“Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong has said he wanted to get his new high-stakes satire, “Mountainhead,” in front of audiences as soon as possible.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s premiere on Thursday, Armstrong said he was keen to write and release the film, which is his directorial debut, in the current political climate.
The turnaround time for post-production can often take months, but “Mountainhead,” which finished production in April, is set to be released in theaters on May 31.
“When people see it, they’ll realize it’s about this world that we live in right now and the tech world changes so quickly,” Armstrong said.
“I was keen to write it and for people to see it in the same sort of bubble of time,” he added.
“Mountainhead” stars Steve Carrell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef as tech billionaires — one of whom is referred to in the teaser trailer as the “richest guy in the world.”
As they reunite for a wintry getaway, their planned downtime quickly turns into a nightmare as news of an international crisis that affects them — and their combined wealth — begins to unfold on their phones and TV screens.
The film is Armstrong’s first release since “Succession” ended in 2023.
As of Sunday, the movie has garnered positive reviews from critics and has an 82% positive rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
Macall Polay/HBO
Many critics have noted the film’s apparent digs at real-life tech-industry giants such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.
In a BBC review, the author wrote that Smith’s character “pointedly and unmistakably” evokes the X and Tesla owner. During one scene, Venis (Smith), the owner of a popular social media app, is seen getting a phone call from the US president.
In an interview with Newsweek, Smith downplayed the idea that he looked to the likes of Musk and Zuckerberg for inspiration in the role.
“I know there are going to be some comparisons, just by nature of the job and this status of power and wealth,” he said. “But, you know, these are unique individuals born of Jesse’s mind.”
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