Apple Acquires Rights to Michael Lewis’ SBF Book, Documentary

Following a bidding war, the multinational technology company Apple reportedly paid $5 million for the rights to author Michael Lewis’ forthcoming book on former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

The Ankler reported on September 7 that Apple has acquired the rights to the book Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, which will be published on October 3—the first day of SBF’s trial in New York.

Michael Lewis’ book on Sam Bankman-Fried, scheduled for publication on Oct. 3. Source: Amazon

At the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami, Lewis proposed an October publication date, aiming for the commencement of the former FTX CEO’s criminal trial.

In addition to the book, the media outlet reported that a documentary was in the works by director Nanette Burstein, whose previous work includes documentaries on programmer and crypto evangelist John McAfee, who died in prison in 2021, and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Bankman-Fried is likely to be the subject of numerous documentaries during and after his criminal trial due to the notoriety of his case and his distinctive fashion sense and hair.

With the ongoing strikes of the Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, it is unclear how such films will proceed.

The union members are requesting that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers address issues such as residuals from streaming media and the potential future use of artificial intelligence in the industry.

Before the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX and his detention in the Bahamas, the story of Bankman-Fried dominated headlines.

Once considered a rising star, the former CEO grew to manage billions of dollars in assets at Alameda Research and FTX but continued to make public appearances in T-shirts, shorts, and sneakers.

Before his parole was revoked, SBF frequently appeared in court wearing a suit and tie. Other documentaries featuring prominent figures or events in the cryptocurrency space include Netflix’s Trust No One.

The Hunt for the Crypto King on QuadrigaCX founder Gerald Cotten, who allegedly died during a trip to India, and a film about Coinbase co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong’s journey.

Before the strike, a film about the relationship between Bankman-Fried and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao was reportedly in production.