Crypto exchange FTX crumbled into dust earlier this month, likely taking billions of its customers' assets with it. But it's good television, right?
According to Variety, Amazon has ordered an eight-episode limited show about the fall of FTX from Joe and Anthony Russo’s production company AGBO. The Russo brothers are known for directing and producing four movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame, as well as producing numerous TV shows, including Arrested Development.
David Weil, known for writing TV shows Hunters and Invasion, is set to write the pilot episode of the FTX series. Amazon hopes to put the show into production in spring 2023, says Variety.
Amazon confirmed the news. "We are excited to be able to continue our great working relationship with David, Joe, Anthony, and the AGBO team with this fascinating event series," Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, told Variety.
Founded in 2019, FTX was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges prior to its quick and largely unexpected demise, which started with the exchange lacking liquidity to pay out customers' funds, and ended up in bankruptcy just days later. At the center of it is FTX's founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (also known as SBF), who is currently hunkered down in a luxury compound in the Bahamas. Besides his sudden rise to, and fall from, great wealth — his net worth went from $16 billion to essentially zero in a matter of days — SBF is known for his casual demeanor, big political donations, and philanthropy. Now, investigators are looking into potential embezzlement of customer funds and other shady dealings at the company.
Amazon isn't the only one to jump onto the opportunity to turn the FTX story into entertainment. Prior reports say Hollywood is interested into turning the story into an A-list movie, likely written by Michael Lewis, known for his books Moneyball and The Big Short.
