Jesse Armstrong is back at HBO — just not with a “Succession” spinoff. The series creator makes his feature directorial debut with HBO Original film “Mountainhead,” which takes a more head-on approach to satirizing the elite. Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Yousef, and Cory Michael Smith star as four tech moguls whose bro trip gets derailed after a global financial meltdown ensues. Did they cause it? With a combined net worth of nearly $400 billion between the pals, who is really to say…
The film’s official logline reads: “A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.” Armstrong writes, directs, and executive produces the film, which was shot in Park City, Utah.
The project also reunites seven-time Emmy winner and Oscar-nominated Armstrong with his fellow “Succession” producers Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, and producer/director Mark Mylod. Both Rich and Armstrong have overall deals at HBO. Hadley Robinson, Andy Daly, Ali Kinkade, Daniel Oreskes, David Thompson, Amie MacKenzie, and Ava Kostia co-star in the film.
Armstrong previously landed a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination for his 2009 film “In the Loop,” which he co-wrote with “Veep” creator Armando Iannucci, Simon Blackwell, and Tony Roche, who now is an EP on “Mountainhead.” Jon Brown, Tony Roche, Will Tracy, and Jill Footlick also executive produce “Mountainhead.”
Armstrong wrapped “Succession” in 2023 after four seasons. The series accumulated 75 Emmy nominations and 19 wins. The “Succession” finale also set a series viewership record. While Armstrong has not publicly denied a possible “Succession” spinoff, series alum Matthew Macfadyen previously said at the Emmys that it’s “highly unlikely.”
Armstrong previously told Variety that the finale for “Succession” was “inspired” in part by fellow HBO series “Six Feet Under” and “The Sopranos.” “Each show is different. ‘Six Feet Under,’ ‘Sopranos,’ some of the shows I most admire have radically different ways of concluding,” he said. “It’s got to feel right for that story. I’m inspired by those shows, but the ending of ‘Succession’ had to be bespoke, obviously.”
“Mountainhead” premieres Saturday, May 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. Check out the trailer below.
