Naman Shrestha
Jesse Armstrong’s directorial debut, HBO’s ‘Mountainhead,’ is a satirical comedy-drama movie that follows a group of four tech billionaire friends — Hugo, Randy, Jeff, and Venis — who reunite for a poker weekend at the lavish mountaintop property of the poorest of them, during a global economic crisis. Hugo is the owner of a meditation app, Jeff’s company has a super-efficient AI, and Venis is the owner of a social media app called Traan. As for Randy, he has the power to influence the country’s power grid as well as the military.
Although they appear to be good friends on the surface, they have their personal agendas for the vacation that eventually come out into the open as the story progresses. Also written by the ‘Succession’ creator, the film features some popular and talented names, including Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef, who portray the four billionaire friends. The luxurious house in the mountains highlights the economic status of the friends, while the snow surrounding the mansion hints at their cutthroat and cold behavior towards each other.
Mountainhead Filming Locations
Since the events of ‘Mountainhead’ are roughly set within one region, filming was confined to a single state — Utah. In early March 2025, the principal photography commenced in the western state, specifically in Park City. After spending around five weeks bringing Jesse Armstrong’s vision to life, the shooting concluded sometime in the first week of April of the same year. Though the team was running on a tight deadline, the production progressed smoothly as the cast and crew developed genuine camaraderie and never hesitated to support each other by lending a helping hand when needed.
Since they had only a few shots at perfecting takes, everyone was open to suggestions and feedback, irrespective of their respective departments, to avoid hiccups and make the process quick and efficient. Talking about the swiftness of the shooting and his overall on-set experience, Steve Carell said, “It feels like he called me on a Tuesday, we shot it on a Thursday, and then it’s coming out, like, the next Friday! It’s the most compact production process I’ve ever experienced.”
Deer Valley Ski Resort, Park City, Utah
As the billionaire friends are holed up in the icy mountains for almost the entirety of the movie, it is no surprise ‘Mountainhead’ was shot extensively in the picturesque mountain town of Park City in northern Utah. Apart from a minor portion stretching to Wasatch County, it is located in Summit County and is home to multiple world-class ski resorts. For the purpose of filming, the production team set up camp in Deer Valley, a ski-only resort that served as one of the hosts of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Nestled in the Wasatch Range, it showcases a perfect blend of alpine scenery and old-world charm, and is also renowned for its swanky properties as well as first-rate amenities. The majestic mansion in the film is actually one of the most stunning ski homes in the city — one that has a private ski gondola!
The architectural gem spans 21,378 square feet and is situated on 2.6 acres of prime land in the high-security gated neighborhood of Deer Crest on the eastern side of the resort. Donning a grey-suede color palette, it boasts seven bedrooms and 16 bathrooms and features several amenities such as a semi-circular infinity pool with panoramic views, an NBA-sized basketball court with an LED scoreboard, a two-lane bowling alley, a golf simulator, etc. However, the highlight of the property is the private ski-gondola that has direct access to one of the trails on Bald Eagle Mountain. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows, balconies, and terrace offer breathtaking views of the region, also covering the serene Jordanelle Reservoir as well as the Uinta Mountains.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, writer-director Jesse Armstrong expressed how the city complemented the core theme of the narrative. “Park City delivered the perfect mix of isolation and grandeur for this story,” the seven-time Emmy winner stated. As the core four gradually begin to fight for control within the confines of the mansion while the outside world deals with an international crisis, the icy setting adds the much-needed layer of tension and mystery. The isolation provided by the location further aggravates the internal conflict of the characters.
Cory Michael Smith, who plays Venis in the film, revealed that the main cast had to cut their preparations short as the shooting kicked off just a couple of weeks after they were cast. “The process really was having someone sit with me for an entire week, so for six to eight hours a day I could just go through lines before I got to Utah so I could try to memorize the whole script,” the ‘Gotham’ actor stated. He did add that they managed to squeeze in some downtime to relax and binge on some movies. “We did some very late-night John Wick movies. We watched one and two, Ramy and I. We just wanted to see some really violent films,” he added. In all, the mountain resort became a significant part of the narrative of ‘Mountainhead,’ shaping the atmosphere and heightening the interpersonal drama between the characters.
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