The trailer for Netflix’s ‘Don’t Look Up’ is here, and seriously, what is this cast?
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, Tyler Perry, Cate Blanchett, Himesh Patel, Kid Cudi, Jonah Hill and Meryl Streep.
No, the Emmys, Oscars and Grammys have not joined forces to create a super awards show. That’s just the absurdly stacked cast of Netflix’s new movie “Don’t Look Up,” in select theaters Dec. 10 and streaming on Christmas Eve.
Netflix released the star-studded trailer Wednesday for the dark comedy about a grad student studying astronomy (Lawrence) and her professor (DiCaprio) on a mission to warn humankind of their latest discovery: a comet heading directly toward Earth.
“This will affect the entire planet,” DiCaprio’s Dr. Randall Mindy desperately informs the president of the United States (Streep, naturally) and her chief of staff (Hill) in the preview.
“Your breathing is stressing me out,” Hill’s character says. “It’s, like, so stressful.”
Directed by and written for the screen by Oscar winner Adam McKay (“The Big Short”), “Don’t Look Up” also stars Blanchett and Perry as co-anchors of “The Daily Rip,” a perky morning show that plays a key role in the scholarly protagonists’ press tour of doom.
Character descriptions for the remainder of the A-list ensemble have yet to be revealed. But judging from the Netflix media site and Wednesday’s teaser, it appears no one but the film’s leading scientists gives two flying comets about their apocalyptic fate.
(Also, Chalamet is sporting a backward hat and shaggy mullet, and Grande has ditched her signature ponytail for space buns. So, there’s that.)
Netflix reported earnings for the second quarter that were worse than expected.
“Do you know how many ‘The world is ending’ meetings we’ve had over the last two years?” Streep’s President Orlean dismissively asks her panicked guests.
“Drought, famine, hole in the ozone,” Hill’s character adds. “It’s so boring.”
As soon as the trailer and stills from the movie dropped on social media, Twitter users couldn’t help but comment on Netflix’s transparent stunt-casting approach. (All according to the streaming giant‘s highly calculated plan, to be sure.)
“This looks like one of those fake movies they advertise in real movies,” wrote one person.
“[C]asting director clicked the randomize button,” tweeted another.
Anyway, here are some more images from what has got to be one of the most expensive — if not the most expensive — Netflix projects of all time. Enjoy.
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
