Select frames in the director's first foray into Netflix filmmaking caught the attention of some eagle-eyed fans, who noticed one key detail that didn't belong in the film.
ADVERTISEMENTDirector Adam McKay has insisted the presence of his film crew in a scene in 'Don't Look Up' was a deliberate choice and not an editing mistake.
The satirical disaster comedy dropped on Netflix worldwide on December 10 and has driven online conversations about climate change indifference.
But around one-and-a-half hours into the film, the crew are seen in the background of a shot, prompting fans to claim McKay and his editing team had made a glaring error while putting the movie together.
Fellow filmmaker Ben Kohler posted a video on TikTok showing the frames in question, which he titled "oopsy". His post was picked up by 2.7 million viewers and soon shared across social media.
Responding to an article by US outlet E! News, McKay insisted it was a deliberate choice to leave the crew in the movie.
"Good eye!" he wrote on Twitter. "We left that blip of the crew in on purpose to commemorate the strange filming experience."
The director, also responsible for producing and directing 'The Big Short' and 'Vice', did not say anything else on the matter.
Mixed reviews for McKay's dip into culture wars
McKay previously revealed the difficulties he had in making Don't Look Up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cast – which include Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, and Jennifer Lawrence – were all quarantined and the set was divided into specific zones alongside the film's crew, with designated COVID-19 monitors.
Lawrence and DiCaprio play two astronomers who warn that humanity will be wiped out by an incoming asteroid, only to see their prediction spark a culture war and political dogfights.
"The big key was that Netflix was willing to guarantee the safety of filming because none of us were going to show up unless we were safe," explained McKay.
Although it has received mixed reviews, fans of the film have pointed to its poignancy amid the pandemic.
Don't Look Up is streaming on Netflix and available in limited cinemas now.
Watch the full interview with film critic Kaleem Aftab in the video player, above.
