Multinational technology company Apple has reportedly paid $5 million for the author rights to Michael Lewis’s upcoming book about former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) following a bidding war.
According to The Ankler on September 7, Apple acquired the rights to the book Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of the New Tycoons, set to be released on October 3 – the beginning of SBF’s trial in New York. Speaking at the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami, Lewis suggested an October release date aimed at kicking off the criminal trial of FTX’s former CEO.
In addition to the book, media reports claim that director Nanette Burstein is working on a documentary about programmer and cryptocurrency evangelist John McAfee (who died in prison in 2021) and former U.S. The man behind the movie about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Due to the high profile of the case, and his unique fashion style and hairstyle, Bankman-Fried is likely to be the subject of many documentaries during and after the criminal trial.
It’s unclear how such films will fare as strikes continue from the Writers Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Union members have called on the Film and TV Producers Union to address issues such as the legacy of streaming and how artificial intelligence will be used in the industry in the future.
related: 5 Best Bitcoin Documentaries Worth Adding to Your Watchlist
Long before the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and his arrest in the Bahamas, Bankman-Fried’s story dominated headlines. The former CEO, once seen by many as a rising star who came to take charge of billions of dollars in assets at Alameda Research and FTX, has been seen in public mostly in T-shirts, shorts and sneakers. SBF often wore a full suit and tie when he appeared in court before his bail was revoked.
Other documentaries that feature prominent people or events in the cryptocurrency space include Netflix’s Trust no one: The search for the King of Cryptocurrency QuadrigaCX founder Gerald Cotten reportedly passed away while traveling in India, as well as the journey of Coinbase co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong. Prior to the writers’ strike, a film about the relationship between Bankman-Fried and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao was reportedly in the works.
Magazine: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Prison Life, Tornado Cash Turmoil, and the $3 Billion BTC Whale: Hodler’s Digest, August 20-26
