Brad Pitt’s Plan B production outfit are building a reputation for backing solid dramatic fare, which is set to continue with the just-announced financial drama The Big Short. The adaptation of the non-fiction best-seller by Michael Lewis will mark Pitt’s second dalliance with the author’s works following Moneyball. This time around, however, the film has attracted a trio of big-name headliners, as Pitt, Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale are all on board to star.
Plan B will work in conjunction with Warner Bros for the film, which will delve into the detailed goings-on behind the worldwide financial crisis of 2007-2008. Beginning back in the early 2000s, The Big Short aims to chart certain key players directly involved in the global event that saw the housing and credit bubble burst leaving countless people homeless and facing life-long debt. Some of those pivotal roles will be filled by the aforementioned three actors, in addition to several other A-list names taking on parts in a similar way to the Steven Soderbergh flick, Traffic.
The idea of a blockbuster title packed with huge names that revolves around the dry world of finance might not sound like the most appetizing prospect. But, considering who’s at the keys on this one, you might reconsider that stance. In a left-field move, The Other Guys and Anchorman scribe Adam McKay will be writing the adaptation. A comedy writer known for his work with long-time collaborator Will Ferrell, it’s a unique choice that ought to add zest to the whole affair.
As yet, there’s no news on whether McKay will be in the director’s chair, or indeed when production on The Big Short is expected to commence, but we’ll keep you posted with any new developments. In the meantime, you can check out the synopsis for the book below.
The real story of the crash began in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn’t shine and the SEC doesn’t dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower–and middle–class Americans who can’t pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren’t talking.
