Don’t Look Up director Adam McKay to triple donations to Just Stop Oil

The Hollywood director of Netflix film Don’t Look Up has pledged to triple donations to Just Stop Oil over the weekend, the group has said.

Adam McKay, who made the satire on the climate crisis as well as Step Brothers and The Big Short, said he stands with the protesters, praising them for waking up “sleeping governments”.

He will triple donations sent to Just Stop Oil, known for disrupting traffic and sporting events, pound-for-pound until 10am on Sunday.

McKay said: “The scientific reality is we will hit 1.5C of global heating in the next 18-24 months, which should greatly alarm each and every person on this planet.

“I stand with those taking action to defend the climate, to wake up the world’s sleeping governments to the terrifying scale of the catastrophe we are now living through.”

It comes after the British businessman Dale Vince, a major Labour party donor, vowed to double all money given to the group over a 48-hour period on Wednesday.

On Friday evening he said a total of £340,000 had been raised. He said on Twitter: “This is what we did after the rightwing mud slinging.”

The tweet came amid controversy over the Labour party’s receipt of financial support from Vince, who is also a key donor to Just Stop Oil.

Keir Starmer has previously condemned the activists, describing them as “wrong” and “arrogant” and senior Conservatives, including the party chairman, Greg Hands, have called on the Labour leader to hand back money given by Vince, arguing it legitimises the group’s tactics.

Just Stop Oil protesters were able to disrupt the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham between Saracens and Sale last weekend, and on Thursday the England cricket team’s bus was delayed on its way to Lord’s.