Adam McKay’s Netflix political satire Average Height, Average Build starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Pattinson, and Amy Adams is no longer moving forward as the director chose another work to focus on. He will be helming a climate change-themed project instead.
The film is described as a mix of serial killer thriller and comedy that would also cast Forest Whitaker and Danielle Deadwyler. The budget was reportedly around $150 million, which made several studios balk at the idea of producing it.
Adam McKay Cancels Thriller Movie With Netflix To Work On Climate Change Project
A spokesperson for Adam McKay confirmed that the director has officially dropped Average Height, Average Build, stating (via The Hollywood Reporter):
“With the climate emergency having escalated a great deal, Adam McKay has decided to make his next directorial project a climate-related one, so he will not be directing Average Height, Average Build.”
The filmmaker wrote the script and presented it to Netflix, but since he’s leaving it, the studio has also dropped it altogether. The streaming giant picked up the project last April.
The story follows Robert Pattinson’s character, a serial killer who enlists a lobbyist (Amy Adams) to manipulate the laws and allow him to get away with murder easily. Robert Downey Jr. was supposed to play a retired cop who would not stop until he catches Pattinson’s character.
McKay’s previous work with Netflix, 2021’s Don’t Look Up, was a massive success. It starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to inform people of an incoming comet that will hit the Earth. The movie became the second most popular title on Netflix of all time.
The director’s untitled project, which would focus on climate change, is still in its early stage of development. No cast has been announced yet. After McKay’s work as a producer on The Menu and Succession, he is ready to get behind the camera again to tackle one of the most pressing issues of humanity.
Adam McKay Talks About Climate Crisis
Despite the star-studded cast of Average Height, Average Build, it had a difficult time finding a home. Sources claimed that the budget was too high for a small-screen film while others noted the dark theme of the project. Adam McKay first approached Apple about the deal, but the studio was not very enticed to pick up the film.
Apart from filmmaking, McKay is also passionate about climate change. He has donated over $4 million to the Climate Emergency Fund which would help climate activist organizations around the world. He also established Yellow Dot Studios, a company that creates short films and commercials tackling the effects of global warming.
In a post by CBS News, McKay shared his thoughts on climate change:
“Heat events, flooding, fires, storms, blackouts, food shortages, and mega-droughts are coming more and more, and after this week – whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or whatever – the time for tolerating inaction on climate should be over.”
McKay’s decision to drop his Netflix thriller movie and work on a project that would help raise awareness among people only shows his passion for humanity and the environment.
