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Don't Look Up

Don't Look Up

Based on truly possible events.

2021138 minRMidcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Director
Adam McKay
Starring
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett

Two astronomers go on a media tour to warn humankind of a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth. The response from a distracted world: Meh.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Don't Look Up?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Don't Look Up streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Don't Look Up?

Don't Look Up earns 7 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Star-studded.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Don't Look Up worth watching?

Don't Look Up's Midcredits score is the 75th percentile of all films, from 3.3M ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

75th percentile

Better received than 75% of films

83rd percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

66 /100

67th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Comedy67th percentile among 2020s

Critics 49 · Audience 67

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 2020s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 56% · Audience 78%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 4 Oscar noms · 16 wins / 84 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Film Editing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

83rd percentile

3.3M ratings across platforms

81st percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$75M
Worldwide gross$792K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 41st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a blunt satire of how modern society, media, and government might mishandle an extinction-level threat.

Fans praised

  • satirical accuracy about media, politics, and misinformation
  • stellar ensemble cast performances, especially DiCaprio and Lawrence
  • dark humor that matches the absurdity of real-world crises

Detractors panned

  • satire too heavy-handed and smug
  • overlong runtime with flabby pacing
  • comedy falls flat, not funny enough

What stands out

ActingDivisive84

cast universally praised, DiCaprio and Lawrence standouts; some critics found performances broad or annoying

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Don't Look Up like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It is intense and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
AbsurdDreadManic
Heaviest: late
Satirical humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its apocalyptic material at a knowing, mocking distance, satirizing how media, politics and corporations would actually handle an extinction-level threat.
The rideThe film alternates between manic, laugh-out-loud absurdity and mounting dread, with the heaviest emotional weight landing in the final act.
StructureA linear story told in order, from the comet's discovery through the failed warnings to the impact, with a brief epilogue afterward.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.Unsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves an argument running about whether society would handle a real existential threat any differently, along with anger at the greed and indifference it portrays.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1% (this title)
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeTwo astronomers discover a planet-killing comet and spend the film fruitlessly trying to make an indifferent media, political and corporate world act — a satire of social priorities rather than a conventional hero's journey, though it ends in catastrophe.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Community · 14% of filmsTruth · 4% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how collective self-interest and institutional failure disable the shared response needed to face an existential threat, leaving the protagonists voiceless and isolated.
StanceThe film warns that media distraction, political cowardice, and corporate profiteering will prevent humanity from cooperating to avert disaster.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernExperimentalSupportive music · original score · Nicholas Britell
Settingnear-contemporary United States, primarily news studios and the White House
MusicThe score blends traditional orchestration with electronic textures and choral elements, underscoring the film's mix of intimacy and cosmic scale.

Content guide

Is Don't Look Up okay for kids?

R

Don't Look Up is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, graphic nudity and drug content” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (35/100), sexual content at intense (62/100), language at severe (80/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (57/100) and frightening material at moderate (46/100). Overall it is heavier than 45% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 36 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+13
  • BGD
  • Czechia16+
  • Greece16+
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaA
  • Israel16
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-16
  • LU12
  • LV16+
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesR-16
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/14
  • PRR
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • South Africa16
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan6+
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA16+
  • VIR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 67% of all filmsHeavier than 45% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 15%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 72%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 29%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Don't Look Up have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in Don't Look Up, all withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Cast and crew

Who is in Don't Look Up?

Cast

8 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Leonardo DiCaprio
as Dr. Randall Mindy
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or ComedyTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Lawrence
as Kate Dibiasky
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or ComedyTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Meryl Streep
as President Orlean
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Cate Blanchett
as Brie Evantee
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Rob Morgan
as Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Jonah Hill
as Jason Orlean
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Mark Rylance
as Peter Isherwell
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Tyler Perry
as Jack Bremmer
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Timothée Chalamet
as Yule
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Ron Perlman
as Benedict Drask
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Don't Look Up?

The closest match to Don't Look Up is Vice (2018); both are films by Adam McKay.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Don't Look Up?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: scientist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.