What makes 'Don't Look Up' so popular among audiences worldwide?

The Don't Look Up director, Adam McKay, is boasting that his satirical film has been viewed by somewhere between 400 million and 500 million people. While Netflix does not officially release viewership numbers, McKay's estimate suggests the film's message about climate change and societal indifference struck a chord. Despite criticism from some quarters, McKay sees the popularity as a sign of global frustration: people everywhere feel gaslit by leaders, news outlets, and industries on issues like climate. And with Don't Look Up being the second most-watched film on Netflix, the director feels that the public is increasingly waking up to the reality of being misled. McKay explained that the heart of Don’t Look Up resonates with the sense of being “lied to” about climate change. He pointed out that this is not a uniquely American experience; it’s global. “People everywhere are realizing they’re being lied to by their governments, big media, and powerful corporations,” McKay said. The film’s humor comes from this shared feeling of betrayal. McKay sees this as part of a larger critique of the neoliberal global economy, where profits often come at the cost of people’s wellbeing and the planet’s survival. The satire isn’t just fiction—it’s a reality many are living through right now. In his interview, McKay didn’t hold back in criticizing Hollywood’s role in the climate crisis. He pointed to the financialization of the entertainment industry, where everything is focused on maximizing shareholder value. “The economic model we’re living in now is what’s driving the climate crisis,” he argued. According to McKay, studios and streaming services, like Netflix, have shifted their priorities away from creativity and social responsibility to quarterly profits. This corporate mindset, McKay believes, is directly linked to the environmental disasters we’re facing today, as short-term financial gains continue to outweigh long-term ecological concerns.