In the Loop In the Loop In the Loop is a 2009 British satirical black comedy film directed by Armando Iannucci. The film is a spin-off from his BBC Television series "The Thick of It" and satirises Anglo-American politics in the 21st century, in particular the invasion of Iraq. It was nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film stars Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, Chris Addison, David Rasche, and James Gandolfini. When both the UK and the US are suggesting military intervention in the Middle East, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), the Minister for International Development, unintentionally states
The Thick of It of some "The Thick of It" writers and production members. Armando Iannucci originally conceived of a modern political satire after "arguing the case" for "Yes Minister" in a 2004 Best British Sitcom poll for BBC Two. His idea was commissioned by Roly Keating, the controller of BBC Four, who granted Iannucci limited budget, telling him to "turn that into what you can." Iannucci created the first series of three episodes, which aired in May–June 2005, and a second series, also of three episodes, which followed in October. The series is written by a team of writers led by Armando Iannucci,