Hollywood Takes on Crypto Mystery with Thriller "Killing Satoshi"

Despite years of documentaries and speculation, the true identity of Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto remains elusive.

Now, an upcoming Hollywood feature film promises to dramatically explore the mystery and the profound impact of cryptocurrency through a high-stakes conspiracy thriller.

Directed by Doug Liman, known for hits like The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the movie will star Oscar winning actors Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson.

The screenplay, penned by Nick Schenk—who has collaborated with Clint Eastwood on Gran Torino and The Mule—revealed that the plot of the thriller will be centered around a shadowy elite's who is trying to prevent the truth from surfacing.

Liman described the story as a classic David versus Goliath battle

“Killing Satoshi follows unlikely antiheroes taking on the most powerful people on the planet in an epic fight that strikes at the core of what money really is and who ultimately controls it.”

The film is produced by Ryan Kavanaugh, whose credits include The Social Network and The Fighter before his studio filed for bankruptcy in 2015.

Kavanaugh, who once planned to launch a token called proxicoin to help fund film projects, is producing the film alongside Lawrence Grewy and Shane Valdez.

"This is not just a movie about Bitcoin and its elusive and mysterious origins, but really about what it stands for. We look at this film much the same way we did with Social network and its examination of Facebook."

Production is set to begin this October in London, with an expected 2026 release.

The film explores themes well beyond Bitcoin’s 2009 creation, which sparked a nearly $4 trillion cryptocurrency industry.

Satoshi Nakamoto’s digital footprint, including approximately 1.1 million BTC worth over $120 billion today, remains untouched, fueling widespread intrigue.

To supporters, Nakamoto is a hero who empowered individuals to reclaim financial control; to governments and corporate giants, a disruptive threat to established power structures.