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

Jason gives a prayer for material comforts during the launch broadcast.

Scene 169 of 205 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act three

President Orlean
Jason

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:52 into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 169

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 166
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 167
At BASH command, Orlean asks Isherwell what the algorithm predicts about her death; he says a Bronteroc will eat her.
Scene 168
Randall, Kate, and Yule shop for groceries before the BASH launch.
Scene 169
This scene

169INT. BASH LAUNCH CENTER - SAME TIME

PRESIDENT ORLEAN

Do you want to say something too?

JASON

Yeah. What up, world? Jason Orlean,

Chief of Staff. United States. I’ve

been noticing a lot of prayers

recently for people during this

time, and I commend that. But I

also wanna give a prayer for stuff.

There’s dope stuff, like material

stuff. Like sick apartments and

cars and clothes and shit.

Cut to a U.S. Soldier watching on a small TV.

Then to a family in a modest kitchen with a TV that is staticy.

JASON (V.O) (CONT'D)

That could all go away, and I don’t

wanna see that stuff go away.

A giant crowd watches a projected screen of the launch in a park.

JASON (V.O.)

So I’m gonna say a prayer for that

stuff. Amen.