Bitcoin has weathered crashes, regulators and years of skepticism without really wavering. Hollywood, on the other hand, is preparing to put him to the test. A $70 million film, starring Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson, tells his story — and features Craig Wright as its creator. A thesis however swept away by British justice. In the crypto community, things are seriously grating. Could the biggest danger for bitcoin come, this time, from the studios?
In brief
- The film “Bitcoin,” directed by Doug Liman, stars Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson in a story centered on Craig Wright.
- However, British justice rejected Craig Wright’s claims, declaring him guilty of falsifying documents in court.
- Calvin Ayre, Wright’s long-time supporter, helped finance this controversial film which could mislead the general public.
- The film does not yet have a distributor in the United States, which casts doubt on its chances of commercial success.
When Hollywood decides to rewrite the history of bitcoin
On paper, the project has all the makings of a blockbuster: a recognized director, Doug Liman (we owe him “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”), a four-star cast with Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck, Pete Davidson and Isla Fisher, all for 70 million dollars. What is of concern, however, is the subject chosen for such a deployment of means: bitcoin, and more precisely its founding myth, Satoshi Nakamoto.
The story follows Gal Gadot as a journalist investigating Craig Wright, played by Casey Affleck; Pete Davidson plays Calvin Ayre, the sulphurous financier who has supported Wright for years. The thesis of the film leans, unsurprisingly, in favor of the latter. Terence Michael, at the origin of the information leak, summed up the risk in a sentence that went around the crypto-sphere:
The general public will watch this film and accept it as gospel, leaving the Bitcoin community forced to continually defend itself against a Hollywood revision of history.
Source: Terence Michael
Craig Wright, Calvin Ayre: the controversy that divides the crypto community
Craig Wright is no stranger to anyone who has been following bitcoin for several years. He has long claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of cryptocurrency. In 2024, a British court ruled: falsification of documents, claims rejected, case closed. A decision that should have closed the debate once and for all. Hollywood, apparently, doesn’t see it that way.
The scenario in fact takes up the Wright thesis, that of a misunderstood genius pursued by a coalition of tech billionaires and hostile governments.
How could he not be Satoshi if a coalition of tech billionaires, governments and crypto organizations spent hundreds of millions just to discredit him?
Source: Terence Michael.
What ignites the powder is that Calvin Ayre, Wright’s main financial supporter, himself participated in the financing of the film. In the community, anger is brewing; some are already raising the idea of financing a competing work to reestablish the facts.
Gal Gadot, AI and the end of traditional cinema
Another point of friction: the massive use of artificial intelligence on the set. The film was made in an empty warehouse, without traditional sets or lighting — AI generated the environment entirely in post-production, saving more than $130 million. Gal Gadot defends this method bluntly, even if it means contrasting sharply with certain purists in the profession: “ The train has left. You will work with the AI or you will be completely out of the game “.
The actress, however, left nothing to chance: six months of negotiations with her lawyers to guarantee that artificial intelligence would never touch her performance on screen. She explains: “ I didn’t want the AI to have anything to do with my performance “. On the set itself, she describes an unusual freedom: “ Here, we shot without interruption since we didn’t have to wait for lighting. We filmed again and again, for ten hours. It was incredible “.
Why this movie could change everything for bitcoin
The film has still not found a distributor in the United States; the studios are visibly hesitant to be associated with such a divisive project. If it finds a buyer, on the other hand, the story takes on another dimension: a big-budget film, supported by stars and a recognized director, touches millions of spectators well beyond the confidential documentary. This is precisely what worries the historical defenders of bitcoin – a story capable of lastingly imprinting itself on the collective imagination, true or not.
Terence Michael, for his part, maintains a nuanced judgment on the whole: “ I’m expecting a good film cinematically. But it saddens me that the first major film on Bitcoin, with this title, risks confusing the story for newcomers “.
What to remember about the film “Bitcoin”
- Official budget of the film: 70 million dollars, compared to around 200 million without the use of AI.
- Director: Doug Liman, known for “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”
- Controversial main financier: Calvin Ayre, historic support of Craig Wright for years.
- Reason for the controversy: the film presents Craig Wright as Satoshi Nakamoto.
- Distribution Status: No US distributor confirmed to date for the film.
Hollywood appropriates the history of bitcoin, even if it means delivering a bitterly contested version of it. Craig Wright, artificial intelligence, Gal Gadot: every ingredient in the film fuels controversy. The battle to tell bitcoin is now playing out on the big screen. The real danger this time might well come from Hollywood.
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