Netflix has acquired the rights to an upcoming book called “Dark Wire” about a true story of FBI surveillance, and the streamer has tapped “Ozark” star Jason Bateman to direct and produce a film based on the book.
Bateman will team with “Stranger Things” producer Shawn Levy and his 21 Laps banner on an adaptation of the film, while Matthew Orton (“Operation Finale”) will write the screenplay.
The book “Dark Wire” comes from journalist Joseph Cox, who has written for WIRED and Vice Motherboard, among others. Cox announced the project on his personal Twitter last month and explained it examines “one of the craziest law enforcement stings ever,” in which the FBI launched their own phone company in order to track underground crime organizations.
Bateman and Michael Costigan will produce for their Aggregate Films banner, while Levy will produce for 21 Laps along with Dan Cohen and Dan Levine. Tracey Nyberg is executive producing.
Bateman as a director is an Emmy winner for his work on the most recent season of “Ozark,” and he’s also directed the features “Bad Words” and “The Family Fang.”
His company Aggregate in addition to “Ozark” is also behind “Under the Banner of Heaven,” “A Teacher” and “The Outsider.” Some of the company’s upcoming projects include the Netflix romantic comedy “Your Place Or Mine” starring Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher, a documentary from Gia Coppola about music superfans and an Apple TV+ series “Lessons in Chemistry” starring Brie Larson.
Bateman also just wrapped production as an actor on the untitled Nike film directed by Ben Affleck and will next star with Taron Egerton in the film “Carry-On,” a thriller for Netflix and Amblin.
Bateman is represented by CAA, Lighthouse Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.
Deadline first reported the news.
