Succession Creator Releases Satirical Film on Billionaire Tech Bros

Mountainhead, a new HBO Max film from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, is a dark comedy centering on four ultra-wealthy tech billionaires who gather for a weekend retreat in a mountain lodge while their actions trigger global chaos. The group includes Venis, a brash social media mogul whose AI-powered platform Traam unleashes deepfake videos sparking violence and political instability worldwide; Jeff, a rival AI innovator who possesses a tool capable of countering these effects but hesitates to intervene; Randall, a Steve Jobs-like patriarchal figure; and Hugo, the least wealthy host of the weekend. The story explores the moral decay and arrogance of tech oligarchs who are physically and psychologically removed from the consequences of their creations, showcasing their obsession with net worth and control even amidst cascading global disasters. The tension between Venis's reckless drive for transhumanist progress and Jeff’s reluctant conscience underlines the film's critique of techno-libertarian hubris and the delusions of tech utopianism. Critics praise the film's sharp, quotable dialogue and performances, particularly Cory Michael Smith’s portrayal of Venis, which embody the toxic competitiveness and ethical failures of the tech elite.