'Don't Look Up': Director Adam McKay Talks About 'Intense Anger' Faced By Movie

Director Adam McKay has admitted that though he's fine with the "50-50" review his movie, "Don't Look Up," received, he was quite shocked that some critics had "really intense anger" toward it.

"I think we were all quite shocked," McKay told Variety over the weekend. "The reviews were pretty much 50-50, and that's fine, we've all been through that. But I was shocked by the really intense anger that some critics had."

The 53-year-old director further noted that when they were screening the movie, they didn't get such negative reactions. In fact, the test audiences were laughing.

"So, when reviews came out… That's not to say they're incorrect," he added. "Of course, responses will be complicated and passionate."

Interestingly, the film got good feedback from quite a number of people after it was released on Netflix.

"When it was released on Netflix, I was equally shocked by the passionate, positive responses," the director recalled. "I'd never seen anything like that. People crying, laughing. So across the board, with the critical reception, the audience response, there was no middle ground. And eventually it became 'We're in 2022, of course those will be the reactions.'"

During the interview, McKay also recalled how people reacted when he joked about some reactions to the film, saying some individuals didn't seem aware of what was happening in the world.

"Immediately social media descended on me like a pack of hyenas," the director said. "'He's saying if you don't like the movie then you don't care about the world!' That wasn't what I was saying!"

"Suddenly it all had a crazy momentum and there was a backlash against the critics," he said further.

The experience may have been intense, but according to McKay, it was worth it, considering the fact that some climate scientists felt "seen" after watching the movie.

"To see passionate response, to see climate scientists say 'I feel seen.' It's a reminder of what movies, TV [and] music can do," he explained. "It was a little brutal going through it. Now I treasure the whole experience and I think 'Let's do more!'"

"Don't Look Up" revolves around two low-level astronomers who find out a comet is approaching the Earth. They try to warn people about it, but nobody believes them.

The movie hit theaters on Dec. 10, 2021, and premiered on Netflix on Dec. 24. It has a star-studded cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill and Timothée Chalamet.

McKay will be next directing two miniseries, titled "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" and "Kings of America."