How much Madoff are you ready to handle on TV? The man who became of the face of Wall Street’s worst tendencies after his empire came crumbling down when it was revealed to be built on a Ponzi scheme is now headed to your small screen. Last year, ABC dropped a mini-series take simply called “Madoff” starring Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner, but if you’re looking for a more concise version of the story with a slightly starrier cast, you can turn to HBO.
“The Wizard Of Lies” sees Robert De Niro play the former tycoon, with Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife, in the Barry Levinson directed movie that will see Madoff face the heat for his massive fraud. Here’s the synopsis:
In 2008, stockbroker, investment advisor and financier Bernie Madoff made headlines around the world when he was arrested for perpetrating perhaps the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.
Debuting in May, HBO Films’ THE WIZARD OF LIES examines Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme – his deception, lies and cover-up, all as the financier’s wife and sons are catapulted into a harsh and unrelenting spotlight.
Robert De Niro (Oscar® winner for “Raging Bull” and “The Godfather II”) comes to HBO for the first time in the role of family patriarch Bernie Madoff. Also on HBO for the first time, Michelle Pfeiffer (Golden Globe winner for “The Fabulous Baker Boys”) stars as Ruth Madoff, Bernie’s longtime spouse and unwitting partner during the events that would lead to financial ruin for countless people and institutions, as well as his and his family’s destruction.
“The Wizard Of Lies” debuts on HBO in May, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it stops by Cannes first, where the network has previously debuted pictures like “Behind The Candelabra” and “Hemingway and Gellhorn.”