These days, film producers are eager to jump on a big news story as soon as it appears. Rarely has this been more prevalent than the past few days, in which both MGM and Netflix have reportedly already made plans to release a film chronicling recent events regarding the stock market and popular internet site Reddit.
The situation, which has become an international news story, began when a group of Reddit users in the group r/wallstreetbets decided to fight back against a number of hedge funds which had bet on GameStop stock prices falling. The video game store has struggled in recent months as gamers had moved to making purchases online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the course of several days, r/wallstreetbets users managed to successfully drive up the price of GameStop stock, irritating the members of several prominent hedge funds. Investment app and website Robinhood received criticism for seemingly siding with the hedge funds by limiting and even downright denying the purchase of GameStop shares and other stocks targeted by the subreddit, including AMC and Nokia.
According to sources speaking to Deadline, MGM is working with author Ben Mezrich, whose book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money and Betrayal served as major inspiration for the successful film The Social Network.
Netflix has tapped Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty) to write the script for their own take on the story, with Noah Cetineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) reportedly cast in a currently unidentified role.
It is not yet known when either film will release, but it is likely that both are currently extremely high priority due to the international popularity of the stock-related news story. It is also possible that the COVID-19 pandemic may deter efforts to film both projects quickly.
Would you watch a film about Reddit and GameStop stock? Which film adaptation are you most excited for? Let us know!
