The Bubble (2022)

Last updated:
February 13, 2026

The Bubble is a Hollywood satire directed by Judd Apatow that turns the pandemic-era film industry into a chaotic playground. Set inside a COVID lockdown “production bubble,” the movie follows a dysfunctional cast and crew trying to shoot a ridiculous blockbuster sequel while slowly losing their sanity. What starts as a workplace comedy mutates into a sharp, sometimes absurd commentary on fame, ego, streaming culture, and pandemic paranoia.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Arrival at the Hotel: The Production Bubble Begins

A group of actors arrives at a luxury hotel in England to shoot Cliff Beasts 6, a fictional dinosaur action franchise. They must quarantine, follow strict protocols, and live in isolation for the entire shoot. Tension starts immediately as old rivalries, insecurities, and career anxieties resurface.

The cast includes aging action star Carol Cobb (Karen Gillan), erratic method actor Dustin Mulray (David Duchovny), social-media influencer Krystal Kris (Iris Apatow), franchise veteran Lauren Van Chance (Leslie Mann), and others who would rather be anywhere else. The absurdity of filming a loud action movie while stuck in masks, tests, and isolation becomes the core joke.

Egos, Rewrites, and Pandemic Madness

As production starts, the script keeps changing, the director Darren Eigan (Fred Armisen) spirals into artistic delusion, and the studio executives constantly interfere via Zoom calls. Actors rehearse scenes in full CGI suits in front of green screens with no idea what they are fighting.

Carol regrets returning to the franchise after previously quitting for “serious acting.” Dustin takes method acting to unbearable levels. Krystal livestreams everything. The longer the quarantine goes, the more the cast begins to mentally unravel.

Relationships Implode

Romantic entanglements, jealousy, and petty fights explode inside the bubble. Lauren and Dustin rekindle a past affair. Carol bonds awkwardly with Krystal. Everyone starts to resent the studio, the rules, and each other. The film cleverly shows how forced isolation magnifies every personality flaw.

The Breaking Point

Production becomes a disaster. Crew members get sick. Actors attempt to escape the hotel. One failed escape attempt through the countryside becomes one of the movie’s most absurd sequences. The cast realizes they are trapped in a corporate machine that values the movie more than their well-being.

Movie Ending

In the final act, the situation collapses into total chaos. Several cast members try to flee the bubble. Security chases them across fields. The production is on the verge of shutdown.

Despite everything, the studio pushes forward. Against all logic, the movie gets completed. The cast, exhausted and traumatized, attend the premiere of Cliff Beasts 6.

The twist is that we finally see footage from the finished film, and it is unbelievably terrible. Loud, nonsensical CGI action with no coherence. This is the punchline: all the suffering, ego battles, and emotional breakdowns were for a movie that is pure garbage.

Carol watches the premiere realizing how meaningless the entire ordeal was. The satire lands hard here. The industry machine keeps moving, no matter the human cost.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

There are no traditional post-credits scenes. However, parts of the credits include extra comedic bits and fake promotional material related to Cliff Beasts 6, which extend the joke.

Type of Movie

The Bubble is a satirical comedy that blends Hollywood industry parody with pandemic-era absurdity and character-driven humor.

Cast

Karen Gillan as Carol Cobb
Iris Apatow as Krystal Kris
Leslie Mann as Lauren Van Chance
David Duchovny as Dustin Mulray
Pedro Pascal as Dieter Bravo
Fred Armisen as Darren Eigan
Keegan-Michael Key as Sean Knox
Maria Bakalova as Anika
Peter Serafinowicz as Gavin

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Michael Andrews, known for blending light comedic tones with underlying awkwardness that matches the film’s escalating absurdity.

Filming Locations and Their Importance

The film was primarily shot in the United Kingdom during pandemic restrictions, mostly inside hotel and studio environments. This was intentional. The physical confinement of the setting mirrors the emotional and psychological confinement of the characters. The bland hotel corridors, empty countryside, and sterile green-screen sets become part of the storytelling.

Awards and Nominations

While not a major awards contender, The Bubble received attention for its ensemble cast and timely satire, earning nominations in comedy categories at smaller critics’ circles and streaming-focused award groups.

Behind the Scenes Insights

The movie was filmed during real COVID restrictions, and parts of the cast genuinely lived in a production bubble.
Many improvisational moments were kept in the final cut, especially between Duchovny and Mann.
Judd Apatow encouraged actors to exaggerate their worst industry stereotypes.
Several scenes parody real stories from pandemic film productions.

Inspirations and References

The film draws inspiration from real pandemic productions like Jurassic World Dominion and other blockbusters that shot inside strict bubbles. It also references Hollywood franchise culture and streaming-era content pressure.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Some deleted scenes include longer improvisational fights between cast members and extended escape attempts that were trimmed for pacing. No radically different ending was filmed, but early cuts had a longer premiere sequence.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The movie is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay inspired by real industry events.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The failed countryside escape attempt.
Actors rehearsing emotional scenes in ridiculous motion-capture suits.
The chaotic Zoom calls with studio executives.
The premiere showing how awful the movie actually is.

Iconic Quotes

Carol: “I thought this would be good for my career.”
Dustin: “I need to feel like a dinosaur.”
Gavin: “The movie must finish.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The fake Cliff Beasts franchise posters parody real blockbuster marketing.
Background news reports reference real COVID film shutdowns.
Character names resemble stereotypes of real Hollywood personalities.

Trivia

Many actors joined because they had experienced similar lockdown shoots.
The film was shot quickly to capture the relevance of the moment.
Several cameos from Apatow’s frequent collaborators appear in small roles.

Why Watch?

Because it’s a brutally honest, sometimes painfully accurate satire of what Hollywood became during the pandemic. If you enjoy industry comedies with chaotic ensemble energy, this hits the mark.

The Bubble (2022)

Detailed Summary