Overview

• Jesse Armstrong’s feature directorial debut premiered May 31 on HBO and HBO Max following a March shoot in Utah’s mountains.
• The satirical drama centers on four tech billionaires at an isolated retreat whose AI deepfake tool precipitates global unrest.
• Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef headline the ensemble with darkly comic turns.
• Critics have lauded Armstrong’s witty dialogue and timely critique of unchecked tech power while questioning the story’s dramatic heft.
• The film’s focus on AI ethics, deepfakes and the moral bankruptcy of the ultra-rich resonates with ongoing debates about technology and capitalism.