Apple and A24 to Co-Produce Biopic on Sam Bankman-Fried’s Rise and Fall

Apple Studios and A24 have teamed up to develop a biopic about Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, based on Michael Lewis’ best-selling book Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon. The film will explore the rapid rise and dramatic collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange, as well as the life of its founder, who once dominated the crypto world before falling from grace.

The movie will be adapted from Going Infinite, a book that offers a detailed, behind-the-scenes account of Bankman-Fried’s rise to fame and the eventual unraveling of his multibillion-dollar empire. Lena Dunham, the acclaimed creator of Girls, will write the screenplay for the film. Dunham is known for her work as a writer, director, and producer on the hit HBO series Girls, which earned her multiple Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe.

Apple secured the film rights to Going Infinite for $5 million in September 2023, even before the book was officially released. Michael Lewis, the author of Moneyball and The Big Short, spent over a year closely following Bankman-Fried, observing both the entrepreneur's meteoric rise and his eventual downfall, which included the catastrophic collapse of FTX in 2022.

A Flood of SBF Projects in Hollywood

Apple and A24’s biopic is just one of many Hollywood projects inspired by Bankman-Fried’s dramatic story. Amazon is also producing a limited series about the FTX scandal, with a planned eight episodes. The series will be produced by the Russo brothers’ company, AGBO, and will be written and executive produced by Hunters creator David Weil. Reports suggest that the Russo brothers may also direct the series.

Additionally, a documentary about Bankman-Fried is being developed by filmmaker Nanette Burstein, who previously directed Hillary, a 2020 documentary about former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The rapid development of these projects highlights the widespread interest in Bankman-Fried’s fall from grace, which has captivated both the public and media. Once heralded as a crypto wunderkind, Bankman-Fried’s sudden rise to prominence was matched only by the shocking collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, in late 2022. The scandal led to investigations and legal charges, including securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and campaign finance violations.

Bankman-Fried’s Legal Troubles

Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal troubles culminated in his conviction on multiple charges related to the FTX collapse. In March 2024, he was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $11 billion in assets. Bankman-Fried is currently serving his sentence at a federal facility, following a high-profile trial that drew attention to the instability of the cryptocurrency market and the regulatory failures that allowed the FTX debacle to unfold.

As Bankman-Fried’s story continues to unfold in courtrooms and Hollywood, the massive impact of his rise and fall on the world of crypto and finance will undoubtedly remain a topic of fascination for years to come. With multiple adaptations in the works, including the Apple Studios and A24 biopic, his story is set to become one of the defining narratives of the digital age.