Jesse Armstrong, the mind behind the acclaimed series Succession, sharpens his critique of the elite in the newly released trailer for his upcoming HBO film, Mountainhead. The trailer clearly illustrates why the protagonists may not be the heroes audiences should support.
Taking place in an isolated cabin atop a mountain, Mountainhead introduces viewers to a group of four tech entrepreneurs who have amassed vast fortunes through their companies. Each character—Randall (played by Steve Carell), Hugo Van Yalk (Jason Schwartzman), Venis (Cory Michael Smith), and Jeff (Ramy Youssef)—possesses a different level of wealth but is united by an elitist perspective that accompanies their billions. They indulge in leisure, overlooking the complexities their wealth has created for those managing their businesses back home.
The charmed lives of these CEOs face a reality check when Traam, a generative AI-driven social media platform created by Venis, is implicated in a surge of violence. Despite initial assurances among the men that their innovations bear no responsibility for societal decay, they begin to confront the uncomfortable truths about their impact on the world.
The film’s themes resonate closely with current events, particularly in light of recent controversies surrounding tech platforms. Mountainhead employs humor, yet the casual remarks its characters make about world domination echo the alarming rhetoric often associated with real-life tech CEOs. With its unique blend of satire and serious commentary, audiences may find Mountainhead takes on a documentary-like tone when it premieres on HBO on May 31st.
