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

Randall drives Kate and Yule toward Michigan as they listen to a song about longing for home; Yule asks Kate to marry him and she smiles.

Scene 166 of 205 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act three

Yule
Randall
Kate

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:49 into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 166

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.
Scenes 123–164
The mission turns back; BASH substitutes mining for deflection, Kate is silenced, Randall’s family breaks apart, and a rival mission fails.
Just before
Scene 163
Kate and Yule spray-paint “JUST LOOK UP” on a bank window.
Scene 164
Oglethorpe learns that Russia, India, and China’s separate deflection attempt exploded and failed, leaving only BASH’s mission.
Scene 165
Tenant and Pawketty lead a “Don’t Look Up” rally until a supporter sees the approaching comet and the crowd turns on Jason.
Scene 166
This scene

166EXT. HIGHWAY - TWO DAYS LATER

Randall, Kate and Yule drive back to the Midwest. The highway is completely empty. A pack of deer sprint across.

YULE

Man, there hasn’t been a car in

like, an hour.

RANDALL

Everyone’s watching the BASH

launch.

KATE

And what are we doing again?

RANDALL

I already told you. We are going to

go buy some groceries.

MUSIC: TILL THEN by the Mills Brothers plays on the radio.

Randall turns it up.

RANDALL (CONT'D)

The Mills Brothers. Great band. You

know, Duke Ellington found this

band. I think they were originally

called the Four Kings of Harmony.

The song continues as they listen silently.

RANDALL (CONT'D)

“Till Then,” this is the song. It’s

about soldiers going off to World

War II and thinking about home.

Listen to this part.

The song plays as Randall recites the lyrics.

RANDALL (CONT'D)

Although there are oceans we must

cross and mountains that we must

climb, I know every gain must have

a loss. So pray that our loss is

nothing but time.

YULE

Kate, I gotta ask you something.

KATE

What?

YULE

Dr. Mindy, can I be vulnerable in

your car?

RANDALL

Yeah, go ahead.

YULE

I’ve met a lot of people, and I’ve

never met anyone like you. And I

feel a connection to you on a level

that... I don’t know. I haven’t

felt with anyone else. And going

out on a limb, but would you want