How — and Why — Jesse Armstrong Assembled ‘Mountainhead’ So Quickly

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What became Jesse Armstrong’s first script since Succession started with a book review.

In November 2023, the creator of ‘Succession’ penned a critique for the ‘Times Literary Supplement’ on Michael Lewis’ book titled ‘Going Infinite’, which revolves around the fallen cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried. This task sparked a series of readings on topics such as technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and ownership for him, as he shared with ‘The Hollywood Reporter’. Consequently, this exploration led him into the realm of Silicon Valley podcast production.

As I delved deeper into the tech universe, especially Silicon Valley, that distinctive tone began to resonate in my mind,” I recalled, “a tone brimming with unwavering certainty, not just about technology, but expanding into assertions about a multitude of other subjects.” That sound became so insistent, it felt like I wanted to embody it. In a sense, the concept for this movie emerged from that voice first, and its framework followed suit.

On Saturday, I’ll be eagerly tuning in to HBO for the premiere of the intriguing movie titled “Mountainhead“. In this film, comedic powerhouse Steve Carell teams up with Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef to portray a group of tech moguls. The setting is a luxurious mountain retreat owned by Schwartzman’s character, Hugo “Souper” Van Yalk. However, their peaceful weekend getaway is interrupted by a global crisis that originates from a set of advanced AI tools developed by Smith’s company, which can create highly realistic deepfake videos.

Throughout the movie, these tech titans engage in heated debates about how to address the escalating chaos and grapple with the question of whether they should seize control of the world.

In contrast to its grim portrayal, “Mountainhead” contains undertones of dark comedy and even farce, much like how Armstrong structured his work in “Succession.” These humorous elements serve a purpose, as Armstrong explained to THR: “The extreme situations the characters find themselves in mimic the same sense of instability that we sometimes feel when observing current global events.

Remarkably swiftly, given its high-profile status, the movie titled Mountainhead was assembled. HBO revealed the film in January; the principal actors joined between that period and the start of filming in March; and production concluded in April, leaving only a short span for post-production. To add to this whirlwind, Mountainhead marks Armstrong’s debut as a director of a full-length project.

According to Armstrong, the pace of production closely followed the expected schedule. He presented his concept to HBO’s Casey Bloys in December 2024, and by January, he had already penned the script. A significant portion of the cast agreed to join before Armstrong completed the script, and the production process was swiftly carried out.

Armstrong aimed to present Mountainhead to viewers at the earliest convenience for a couple of reasons. Primarily, as he mentioned during the film’s premiere on May 22 to THR, “Viewers will recognize that it mirrors our current world and how rapidly technology evolves. I was eager to write it and have people experience it within the same swift span of time.

Armstrong opted against providing himself ample contemplation time, choosing instead to dive right into his first major directorial project without dwelling excessively (having already directed two short films prior to this).

He explained that the solution to his apprehensions about directing was two-pronged. Firstly, immersing himself in a group of individuals who had worked on Succession, providing him with confidence to ask questions and rely on trusted colleagues. Secondly, he suggested that perhaps there’s no way to fully prepare for all potential mistakes, and the best approach might be to jump in headfirst, learn as you go, and have a supportive team around you who would safeguard him. Essentially, he was enclosed by individuals whom he could trust and seek guidance from. This was his strategy to address that predicament, rather than investing more time in preparation.

Mountainhead premieres at 8 p.m. May 31 on HBO and Max.

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2025-05-30 21:26