Rarely a day goes by that we don’t hear word of a new Netflix project leaving the starting gate. And so it proves today. The streaming giant have just announced their latest original project, a feature-length account of the Panama Papers scandal, which exposed thousands of tax-dodging offshore accounts.
Netflix have acquired the rights to The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the World’s Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money, a book on the scandal by German journalists Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer – the only journalists with access to the whistleblower who leaked 11.5m documents from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.
The scandal exposed countless super-rich clients and their morally dubious means of avoiding tax through a complex web of offshore legal and financial arrangements. Many high-profile clients, including former heads of state and international private banks, were exposed. Politicians including the Prime Minister of Iceland were forced to resign as a result, and David Cameron’s family was embroiled in the scandal.
Netflix’s statement doesn’t mention any key cast or crew; only that they have bought the rights to the project. “We are confident that we will be able to deliver a gripping tale that will deliver the same type of impact as the Panama Papers when they were first revealed on the world’s front pages,” said the company’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.
They may find themselves in a bit of a Deep Impact/Armageddon situation, however, as filmmaker and World’s Worst Retiree, Steven Soderbergh, announced plans to produce and possibly direct a film based on the saga. It’ll be interesting to see who makes it to release first – especially since the story continues to develop.