Steven Soderbergh May Direct The Film Adaptation Of This Recent Scandal
Steven Soderbergh is technically supposed to have retired after working on 2013's Behind The Candelabra, but as any restless professional will tell you, retirement doesn't always take. In fact, Soderbergh's already at work on his next directorial effort, the star studded NASCAR heist Lucky Logan, which is set to star Daniel Craig, Channing Tatum, and a cast of several other big names. But apparently, that's not enough to satisfy the iconic director's new found thirst, as he's now developing a project involving the infamous "Panama Papers" leak that erupted into the public press just months ago.
An official announcement from production companies Grey Matter Productions and Anonymous Content has specified that Soderbergh is personally developing the project, which will be based off of the forthcoming book Secrecy World. The book will tell the story of its author Jake Bernstein and the whistleblowing group he belongs to, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, as they uncovered and leaked millions of documents that implicated many powerful figures in illegal business practices. Those practices involved off-shore tax havens, which helped those involved unfairly dodge tax responsibilities.
While the book won't be out until late next year, Secrecy World already has us interested, mainly because it sounds like a film that could only be made by Steven Soderbergh. Now while we have no clue if this scenario will be seen as a comedy, a drama, or both, the fact that Soderbergh's eyeing the director's chair has us already guessing which side the thematic coin will land on. If we're lucky, we may see a film reminiscent to the 2009 motion picture, The Informant!, which we've included a trailer for below.
Now while The Informant! turned out to be a lot darker than anticipated, it was still a Steven Soderbergh movie through and through. It may have been a hard sell back in 2009, but after last year's comedy-drama hybrid The Big Short hit it off with crowds and critics alike, the approach could work out much better this time around. Of course, if Lucky Logan turns out to be the heist comedy everyone's expecting from the director of the Ocean's Eleven trilogy, then it's a safe bet that this Panama Papers project could be a more serious picture, much like Contagion or Side Effects. Which would mean that instead of laughing our heads off, Soderbergh will be trying to get us to bite our nails throughout the picture.
Either outcome is welcome, provided that Steven Soderbergh turns out to be directing the film adaptation of Secrecy World after all. As soon as we receive any sort of confirmation, we'll report back with the good news at once. For now though, you can keep your eyes out for Jake Bernstein's Secrecy World, which is supposed to be released on to bookshelves sometime in the later portion of next yer.