After a string of comedy classics like “Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights,” and “Step Brothers,” filmmaker Adam McKay has decided to take a bit of a left turn out of the realm of raunchy humor and into the world of political and financial dramas (with a dash of humor, to be fair). He’s done this with equal success thanks to films like “Vice,” “The Big Short,” and his Showtime series “Succession.” So, while it would have been an odd match a decade ago, it’s completely unsurprising that McKay has his sights set on Jeffrey Epstein for a potential future project.
According to Vanity Fair, McKay is in the early stages of development on a potential project focused on the life, career, and shocking, disgraceful death of financial mogul Jeffrey Epstein. Apparently, the filmmaker is currently one of the producers on a podcast focused on the recent news surrounding Epstein and is looking to perhaps turn that into a narrative film or documentary in the future.
For those unfamiliar with the controversy surrounding Epstein, the financier recently committed suicide in jail after being arrested for sex crimes against minors and being at the center of an alleged sex trafficking ring. This happened after he was originally convicted of sexual abuse of a minor for hiring an underage prostitute more than a decade ago. Previous to these crimes, he was one of the most elite financial names in the world, with some pretty famous friends. Folks like Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Katie Couric, Woody Allen, Harvey Weinstein, and Prince Andrew are all linked to Epstein, though none of these people have been charged with illegal activity connected to the businessman.
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Clearly, this is the type of story that will have no shortage of filmmakers and producers itching to turn into a film or TV series. In fact, the report says that McKay’s potential film is just one of many that are currently in various stages of development, with series, films, and other projects focused on Epstein being shopped around Hollywood.
If, or when, McKay tackles the Epstein story is still not known. The filmmaker is currently working on the HBO pilot based on the ‘80s Los Angeles Lakers. He’s also working on a new film about another disgraced businessperson, Elizabeth Holmes, titled “Bad Blood.”