Jesse Armstrong, the creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning drama “Succession,” has officially made his feature directorial debut with the HBO Original film Mountainhead. The film premiered on May 31, 2025, on HBO and Max in the U.S. and has already drawn significant critical and audience acclaim. With a cast led by Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, Jason Schwartzman, and Cory Michael Smith, the film dives into themes of wealth, ego, and technological dread—territory that will feel familiar to Armstrong’s fans.
Filmed in Park City, Utah, Mountainhead centers on a group of billionaire tech magnates who gather for a weekend poker game at a remote mountain estate as a global AI catastrophe unfolds. The claustrophobic setting and real-time storytelling style allow Armstrong to blend biting satire with existential panic, updating the class critique of Succession for the age of artificial intelligence and techno-utopian hubris.
Breakdown Of What We Know
Jesse Armstrong, the acclaimed creator of “Succession,” has indeed launched a new HBO film titled “Mountainhead”, which already premiered on May 31, 2025, on HBO and Max (and June 1st in the UK on Sky and NOW).
Here’s a summary of the latest news about the film:
- Production and Release: “Mountainhead” began production in Park City, Utah, in March 2025, and had a fast turnaround to its late May/early June release.
- Creative Team: Jesse Armstrong wrote and directed the film, making it his feature directorial debut. He also executive produced alongside many “Succession” veterans, including Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, Jon Brown, Tony Roche, Will Tracy, Mark Mylod, and Jill Footlick.
- Plot: The film is a satirical comedy-drama that centers on a group of four billionaire friends who gather at a luxury mountain retreat amidst a rolling international crisis. It continues Armstrong’s exploration of themes like wealth, power, and privilege.
- Cast: “Mountainhead” boasts a stellar cast, including Steve Carell (as Randall), Jason Schwartzman (as Souper/Hugo Van Yalk), Cory Michael Smith (as Venis), and Ramy Youssef (as Jeff). Other cast members include Hadley Robinson, Andy Daly, Ali Kinkade, Daniel Oreskes, David Thompson, Amie MacKenzie, and Ava Kostia.
- Themes: The film delves into the complexities of wealth and privilege during turbulent times, offering a sharp critique of the powerful. The trailer hints that the international crisis might even be linked to one of the billionaires’ generative AI company.
- Reception: Early reviews suggest the film successfully skewers the rich and powerful, with critics praising the acting and dialogue.
Key Updates
- Mountainhead premiered May 31, 2025, on HBO and Max, marking Jesse Armstrong’s film debut as both writer and director.
- The cast includes Steve Carell (Randall), Jason Schwartzman (Hugo Van Yalk), Ramy Youssef (Jeff), and Cory Michael Smith (Venis).
- The plot follows four tech billionaires facing personal unraveling during a weekend retreat amid an emerging AI-driven crisis.
- The film is now HBO’s most-watched original movie since Bad Education, with over 1.3 million viewers across platforms.
Armstrong’s Signature Themes Return in a New Medium
Mountainhead may be Armstrong’s first film, but it plays to his strengths. The story dissects how unchecked wealth warps human behavior—only this time, the villains aren’t media moguls but Silicon Valley visionaries. The four central characters, inspired loosely by real-world figures like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, unravel as the poker game devolves into a psychological war of ideas, secrets, and betrayals.
Carell gives a standout performance as Randall, a once-revered tech guru grappling with his legacy in a world that may no longer need him. The film’s blend of intimate character work and high-concept societal critique mirrors the tone Armstrong established with Succession, though the stakes here feel more global and apocalyptic.
Reception and Critical Praise
Mountainhead received an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Armstrong’s sharp screenplay and controlled direction. The film’s tight runtime and minimal setting earned comparisons to chamber thrillers like Glengarry Glen Ross and The Menu, while its social commentary has been described as “out-Successioning Succession.”
Rolling Stone called it “a cerebral, chilling takedown of tech saviorism,” and The Guardian labeled it “Armstrong’s most personal work yet, cloaked in satire but burning with righteous anger.”
HBO’s Investment Pays Off
HBO fast-tracked production of Mountainhead with an aggressive schedule—filming started in March 2025 and wrapped within five weeks. Despite the rush, the finished product feels meticulously crafted, a testament to the experience of Armstrong and executive producer Mark Mylod, who also helmed many key episodes of Succession.
Other key contributors included writers Lucy Prebble, Tony Roche, and Will Tracy, all Succession veterans. Their collaboration helped ensure the same balance of dark humor, pointed commentary, and intimate tension that fans have come to expect.
What’s Next for Armstrong?
While Armstrong has not announced a follow-up project, HBO executives have reportedly expressed interest in expanding Mountainhead into an anthology or companion series. However, Armstrong has stated in interviews that the film was conceived as a one-off story, calling it “a complete idea that fits in one breath.”
Fans and critics alike are eager to see whether Armstrong will continue in film or return to serialized storytelling. Either way, Mountainhead proves that his ability to skewer the powerful and expose human flaws is not bound to one format.
