Chloë Grace Moretz is slated to portray Heather ‘Razzlekhan’ Morgan in the upcoming Bitfinex film alongside Lewis Pullman and Ariana DeBose. Titled “Dutch & Razzlekhan,” the Bitfinex film will be directed by Jon S. Baird, known for his work on “Tetris,” with a script penned by Logan Miller and Noah Miller.
Bitfinex movie producers pick the lead actress
According to reports from Hollywood trade publication Deadline, CAA Media Finance will handle financing and distribution for the feature. The Bitfinex movie draws inspiration from a true story documented in a 2022 Business Insider article. It centers around Morgan and her partner, Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, who gained notoriety for laundering over $4 billion worth of cryptocurrency stolen during the 2016 hack of the crypto exchange Bitfinex.
Aspiring rappers turned entrepreneurs, their ambitions led them down a dark path of criminal activities. Their illicit dealings eventually caught up with them, resulting in their arrest in February 2022. The following year, they reached a plea deal with authorities, facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Moretz, known for her roles in “The Peripheral” and the Oscar-nominated Netflix film “Nimona,” will take on the role of Heather Morgan. Pullman, whose recent credits include roles in “Outer Range” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” is set to portray Dutch. DeBose, fresh off her Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress in “West Side Story,” will join the cast in a yet-to-be-disclosed role.
The rise and fall of the laundering duo
“Dutch & Razzlekhan” is just one of several projects in development centered around Morgan and Lichtenstein’s story. Earlier announcements from Amazon MGM revealed plans for a film simply titled “Razzlekhan,” to be directed by Hannah Marks and produced by Lili Reinhart. Additionally, Hulu is working on a limited series titled “Razzlekhan: The Infamous Crocodile of Wall Street,” featuring Lily Collins in a leading role.
The entertainment industry has shown a growing interest in narratives involving failed entrepreneurs, finance culture, and high-stakes financial schemes. Successful projects like Hulu’s “The Dropout” and Apple TV’s “WeCrashed” have explored the downfall of ambitious startups, while films like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Big Short” have delved into the world of finance bros and market crashes. More recently, there has been a focus on meme stocks and the volatile world of cryptocurrency trading.
Given the larger-than-life personalities and the immense sums of money involved, it’s no wonder that Hollywood has turned its attention to the Razzlekhan saga and the broader landscape of cryptocurrency. Projects based on the collapse of crypto exchanges, such as FTX, are also in development, indicating a continued interest in exploring the intersection of finance, technology, and human ambition on the silver screen.
