Hollywood's Crypto Obsession: From Bitcoin Mysteries to FTX Collapses on Screen

TLDR - Netflix and major film studios are betting big on cryptocurrency narratives. - Killing Satoshi pairs Pete Davidson and Casey Affleck under director Doug Liman. - The film explores espionage and power struggles surrounding Bitcoin’s creator identity. - The Altruists chronicles the $8 billion FTX collapse with Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle. - Blockchain stories are becoming mainstream entertainment gold.

Why Crypto Stories Are Breaking Into Hollywood

The entertainment industry’s fascination with cryptocurrency has reached a new milestone. Two major projects—one theatrical film and one limited series—are simultaneously moving through production, signaling that digital assets and blockchain intrigue have become legitimate material for A-list talent and prestige filmmakers. This pivot reflects a broader cultural moment where the mystery of money, power, and decentralization resonates with audiences, even if (like the nick young meme reaction) public understanding remains somewhat confused and skeptical.

Killing Satoshi: The Bitcoin Origin Story Goes Blockbuster

Director Doug Liman, architect of spy thrillers including “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” is helming the upcoming feature “Killing Satoshi.” The project has attracted Pete Davidson, known for his SNL tenure, and Oscar-winner Casey Affleck to its cast. Screenwriter Nick Schenk—who has frequently partnered with Clint Eastwood on films like “Gran Torino” and “The Mule”—crafted the narrative.

The storyline positions itself as a modern David and Goliath tale woven through espionage and political intrigue. At its core: competing forces worldwide racing to uncover or control the identity of Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. The narrative pits everyday protagonists against the combined might of governments, financial institutions, and Silicon Valley power brokers—all vying for dominance over the very concept of decentralized money.

Liman emphasized the geopolitical scope, suggesting the film examines fundamental questions about authority and value in an interconnected world. While specific character details remain guarded, the casting choices alone promise an unconventional hero-driven narrative.

Netflix’s FTX Series: Documenting Crypto’s Greatest Scandal

Not to be outdone, Netflix is advancing production on “The Altruists,” an eight-part limited series chronicling the implosion of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Produced through Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, the series will star Julia Garner as Caroline Ellison and Anthony Boyle as Sam Bankman-Fried.

The storyline follows the meteoric rise and catastrophic collapse of FTX, capturing how an $8 billion valuation evaporated amid fraud allegations and mismanagement. The narrative centers on the ambitions, idealism, and ultimate downfall of its young founders—a story that combines financial drama with personal tragedy on an epic scale.

The Broader Cultural Moment

These projects illustrate how blockchain narratives have transcended niche tech circles to become mainstream storytelling vehicles. Whether dramatizing the search for Satoshi Nakamoto’s true identity or documenting crypto’s most spectacular collapse, Hollywood is mining cryptocurrency culture for both spectacle and substance.

The convergence of prestige filmmaking talent—Liman’s directorial prowess, Schenk’s Oscar-pedigree writing, and ensemble casts led by Davidson and Affleck—signals that these stories are no longer fringe subject matter. Bitcoin’s cultural mythology and FTX’s real-world catastrophe have become raw material for examining power, ambition, and the future of money itself.