Hollywood's Next Crypto Mystery: Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson Chase Bitcoin's Biggest Secret

A star-studded thriller centered on Bitcoin’s elusive creator Satoshi Nakamoto is heading to production with an impressive lineup. Pete Davidson, best known for his SNL appearances, and Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck are taking the lead in “Killing Satoshi,” a new drama helmed by Doug Liman, the visionary director behind “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”

The Satoshi Conspiracy Unfolds

The project marks an ambitious attempt to transform Bitcoin’s origin mystery into cinematic drama. Nick Schenk, who has worked extensively with Clint Eastwood on films like “Gran Torino,” wrote the screenplay, crafting what Liman describes as a “David and Goliath” narrative. The story positions unlikely heroes—represented by Davidson and Casey Affleck—against the world’s most influential players: governments, multinational financial institutions, and Silicon Valley power brokers.

The plot weaves together political intrigue and high-stakes espionage, presenting a race where multiple global forces compete to uncover or control the truth behind Bitcoin’s founding. The drama promises to explore deeper questions about money, power, and authority in the digital age, with the mystery of Satoshi’s identity serving as the central tension point.

Why Bitcoin Is Hollywood’s New Obsession

The announcement underscores how cryptocurrency and blockchain have transcended niche tech circles to become mainstream cultural touchstones. Bitcoin’s decentralized nature and the pseudonymous genius behind it have long captured public imagination—making it ripe material for storytelling. By casting Pete Davidson alongside Casey Affleck, the production brings together actors from vastly different career trajectories, signaling serious industry investment in crypto-adjacent narratives.

“Killing Satoshi” represents the latest wave of entertainment projects exploring digital assets. The genre itself has exploded, reflecting how blockchain and crypto have become inextricable from contemporary conversation about technology, finance, and rebellion against traditional systems.

The Broader Crypto Entertainment Wave

This thriller is just one piece of a larger trend. Netflix is simultaneously developing “The Altruists,” an eight-episode limited series examining the catastrophic collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, the series stars Julia Garner as Caroline Ellison and Anthony Boyle as FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

The FTX saga provides dramatic material: an $8 billion valuation implosion, young ambitious founders at the helm, and a financial catastrophe that shocked the crypto world. “The Altruists” will chronicle how ambition and poor governance unraveled a once-celebrated exchange, offering viewers a cautionary tale rooted in real events.

Together, these projects—one speculative fiction diving into Bitcoin’s mysterious origins, the other a dramatization of recent crypto industry collapse—demonstrate how the industry has become essential viewing material for contemporary audiences exploring themes of power, innovation, and financial reckoning.