Hollywood is turning its lens on Bitcoin with a new feature film, Killing Satoshi, set to dramatize the cryptocurrency’s creation and the mystery around its founder. Director Doug Liman has signed on to helm the project, which will star Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson.
The screenplay, written by Nick Schenk, frames the story as a conspiracy thriller in which an elite cabal works to keep Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity hidden. Liman described the film as a modern ‘David and Goliath’ tale that examines ‘what is money and who controls it’, placing crypto at the center of a broader power struggle.
The project is being produced by Ryan Kavanaugh alongside Lawrence Grey and Shane Valdez. Kavanaugh — who financed films such as The Social Network — previously explored token-based fundraising ideas and brings that background to the production. Filming is scheduled to begin in October in London, with a planned release in 2026.
For context, Bitcoin launched in 2009 and its pseudonymous creator stepped back from public activity in 2011. Wallets commonly connected to Satoshi are estimated to hold roughly 1.1 million BTC — about $122 billion at current prices — underscoring why the subject carries both cultural and economic weight.
Why readers should care: a high-profile, dramatized portrayal can shape mainstream perceptions of Bitcoin, influence media narratives and fuel renewed public interest. That said, this is a fictionalized thriller, not investigative proof: cinematic storytelling can blend fact and fiction, so viewers should not treat the film as evidence about Satoshi’s identity or as investment advice.
Source: Decrypt. Read the original coverage for full details.
