Don't Look Up · written by Adam McKay · 2021

In an earlier cabinet presentation, Isherwell pitches drilling and splitting the comet so its mineral fragments can be harvested.

Scene 130 of 205 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Peter Isherwell
Dr. Inez

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:15 into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 130

After PhD candidate Kate Dibiasky discovers a comet on a direct collision course with Earth, she and Professor Randall Mindy try to persuade a politically distracted President, a media-saturated public, and a powerful technology company to stop it before impact.

Scenes 1–7
Kate and Randall work within the familiar routine of astronomy and university research.
Scenes 8–26
They discover the impact deadline and need the government and public to respond, but Orlean refuses immediate action.
Scenes 27–60
Kate and Oglethorpe take the warning outside official channels, entering the press and television world to reach the public.
Scenes 61–72
The scientists navigate conspiracy claims, arrest, and political reversal as Orlean finally announces a deflection mission.
Scenes 73–122
Their warning appears to win official action and a national launch, though Randall’s celebrity role and BASH’s access undermine the effort.
Scene 123
The shuttles turn back toward Earth, revealing that the administration has halted its announced defense.
Just before
Scene 127
Kate and Oglethorpe wait outside as Randall returns urgently from the meeting.
Scene 128
An exterior night scene at Bojo Mambo’s Shrimp, an hour after the White House meeting; the screenplay gives no action or characters here.
Scene 129
Randall, Kate, and Oglethorpe discuss the aborted mission at a seafood restaurant; Randall still trusts the BASH scientists.
Scene 130
This scene

130INT. CABINET ROOM - EARLIER

Isherwell, DR. INEZ, DR. TALCAMONT and a BASH designer show an impressive animation of featuring dozens of DRONES WITH DRILL TIPS and EXPLOSIVE CHARGES. President Orlean vapes while she listens.

PETER ISHERWELL

Obviously, one giant comet is a

major and existential threat to our

planet... But 30 smaller meteoroids

we can handle. Our BEADS, which

stands for BASH Explore and Acquire

Drones, will attach to the comet

and scan using Nano-technology

developed by Nobel Prize winner Dr.

Gary Talcamont here. And then we

will then deploy Nobel and Polofsky

prize winning scientist Dr. Inez’s

micro targeted quantum fission

explosives deep into the object.

Dr. Inez, would you like to explain-

COMET has been scanned on a 3D grid. IN THE ANIMATION the drones ATTACH USING THEIR DRILL BITS and BLAM!

DR. INEZ

Thank you Peter. We’ve been

developing phase fission reactions

in the CERN particle accelerator

that can splinter the comet into

smaller pieces with breathtaking

accuracy. These segments are then

steered and decelerated by each

BEAD into the Pacific Ocean for

reclamation by waiting US Navy

ships...

The animated drones then individually steer each piece of the comet into the Pacific ocean making a simple splash.

PETER ISHERWELL

And when these treasures from

heaven are claimed, poverty as we

know it, social injustice, lose of

biodiversity, all these multitudes

of problems will become relics of

the past and humanity will stride