Jesse Armstrong’sMountainheadarrives on HBO Max at the end of the month, and the movie is sure to make an impact with its biting social commentary and complex characters. The project is Armstrong’s follow-up to his hugely successful work onSuccession, which ran for four seasons and explored the lives of a dysfunctional family running America’s biggest legacy media corporation. Judging byMountainhead’s first trailer, the director’s latest project will feature many of the same themes, from toxic billionaire culture to the world’s growing overreliance on social media and technology.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean thatMountainheadwill just beSuccessionseason five. Instead,Armstrong has recruited a whole ensemble of new faces to bring his complex characters to life,with Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, Jason Schwartzman, and Cory Michael Smith leading the cast. Each of their characters seems perfectly poised to navigate the film’s unique social satire, undoubtedly drawing inspiration from some real-life figures in its depiction of the tech community — as well as other movies and shows.
Much like the high-speed, witty dialogue of Jesse Armstrong’s scripts,Adam McKay’s screenplay forThe Big Shortis one of the snappiest and most engaging entries in this particular genre of corporate dramas.The story follows a group of finance experts in the early 2000s who accurately predict an oncoming economic crash.
WhileThe Big Shortisn’t necessarily the kind of story that everybody can relate to with its business politics and high-risk financial decisions, McKay manages to keep his characters very grounded in reality and allows the audience to connect to the story through them. Steve Carell, in particular, gives a brilliant performance that really toes the line between comedy and drama in a way that very few actors can achieve.
The Wolf of WallStreetis regularly cited amongMartin Scorsese’s best movies, but it’s very unlike the rest of his filmography. In this high-speed social drama, Scorsese ditches the violence and crime of his usual mobster thrillers for a more high-stakes narrative about one man who learned to cheat his way to the top of Wall Street.
The Wolf of WallStreetis often remembered for Leonardo DiCaprio’s career-best performance, as he embodies the spirit of Jordan Belfort and completely disappears into the role. The story is told almost entirely from his perspective, creating a sprawling odyssey through modern-day New York City that gives audiences an inside look at the world of high-risk finance.
AlthoughVeepfocuses on a very different area of politics fromMountainhead, taking the audience inside the Oval Office and exploring the day-to-day life of a high-ranking government official, the two projects have very similar tones thanks to their snarky characters and quippy dialogue. The series follows Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character Selina Meyer, who struggles to balance her private and professional lives as Vice President of the United States of America.
WhileVeepis a comedy that draws much of its humor from the main characters being out of touch with reality,it also has some real-world authenticity in the issues that it explores — just likeMountainheadandSuccession. It pokes fun at the politics of the real world through exaggerated characters and unbelievable storylines, but it also causes audiences to think critically about the social issues it addresses.
Another of Adam McKay’s socially-charged satires,Don’t Look Upfollows a team of scientists who learn that a world-ending asteroid is going to crash into planet Earth but fail to get their message across to the American people who don’t want to hear the truth. It’s a very thinly veiled allegory of misinformation in the age of social media, and McKay does a brilliant job of exploring the countless dangers that come with that.
Although the film was met with mixed reception from general audiences,Don’t Look Upshines thanks to its excellent castand sharp writing, both of which make its topical themes feel more tangible.The film uses a dark sense of humor to explore some of society’s most pressing issues— a method also used by Jesse Armstrong. Both are stories about people who are willingly oblivious to the social collapse happening around them, with some even profiting from it.
David Fincher’sThe Social Networkis commonly referenced among the greatest films ever made,and that remains true 15 years after its release. The movie is such a powerful and reflective insight into Mark Zuckerberg’s creation of Facebook, subtly exploring the figures involved and the ethics behind the defining moment of the social media age.
AlthoughThe Social Networkis based on a true storyand remains very loyal to the facts of the case, it doesn’t require too much real-world application to see that David Fincher’s movie clearly places its subjects under an ethical magnifying glass and touches on themes of corporate greed and personal ambition. It’s one of the rare biopics that feels like it harbors resentment for the story it’s telling, and that’s exactly what makes it such a balanced and memorable film.
Ex Machinais much more horror-focused than projects likeMountainhead, but there’s something to be said about their subtextual commentaries on technology and the way that multi-millionaires profit from the consumers of their products.Ex Machinadepicts a reclusive entrepreneur named Nathan, who invites a talented programmer to his estate for a disturbing examination of his new artificially intelligent robot.
Alex Garland’s movie is much more concerned with the ethics of technology itselfthan those who create and profit from it, which is where it differs fromMountainhead, but the two projects use very similar aesthetics and visual styles to get their messages across. The sleek, modern architecture of the billionaires' retreat inMountainheadis very reminiscent of Nathan’s estate fromEx Machina, with the production design of both movies holding an eerie mirror to this inaccessible corner of society.
Triangle of Sadnesstells the story of a luxurious cruise ship whose clients fall into disarray following the erratic captain’s deranged behavior and the subsequent fight for survival that ensues when the ship comes to a stop.It’s a very chaotic and eccentric story that doesn’t pull its punches with its darkly comedic commentary on wealthand status being a catalyst for selfishness and insincerity.
Theending ofTriangle of Sadnessfully leans into the bizarre atmosphere that precedes it, offering a much less subtle commentary on social inequity thanMountainhead, but coming to many of the same conclusions. It’s a very different kind of comedy, but one that’s disarmingly confident in its storytelling and unafraid to bring audiences face-to-face with a cartoonish depiction of wealth and status.
AlthoughMountainheaddeals with a new set of characters,Jesse Armstrong’s new movie feels like an undeniable follow-up toSuccessionboth thematically and stylistically.Not only does it include much of the sharp, handheld cinematography that gaveSuccessionsuch a unique documentary-like tone, but its commentary on legacy media and billionaire culture also feels very familiar.
Mountainheadwill be released exclusively on HBO Max on 31 May, 2025.
Mountainheadfeels tailor-made for those who enjoyedSuccession, and since there won’t be any further seasons of the acclaimed HBO drama, it is only fitting that Armstrong would want to spend more time in this world of social misinformation and political media. There’s so much opportunity for refined, astute social commentary on these themes, and Armstrong clearly knows exactly what he’s talking about in this domain.
