A movie about George Santos is in the works at HBO Films, Variety has confirmed.
HBO Films has optioned the rights to Mark Chiusano’s book “The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos,” which was published on Nov. 28. The film comes from Frank Rich, who executive produced the HBO series “Veep” and “Succession.” Mike Makowsky (“Bad Education”) is set to write the screenplay for the George Santos movie, which he will also executive produce with Rich. Chiusano will serve as a consulting producer.
The film is described as a “forensic and darkly comic look” at the unprecedented congressional race in Long Island, NY, that led to Santos being elected to Congress.
Per the official logline, the film tells “the story of a seemingly minor local race that wound up a battle for the soul of Long Island, and unexpectedly carved the path for the world’s most famous (and now disgraced) congressman. The Gatsby-esque journey of a man from nowhere who exploited the system, waged war on truth and swindled one of the wealthiest districts in the country to achieve his American Dream.”
The movie announcement comes on the heels of Santos being expelled from Congress on Friday over ethics violations, making him the sixth U.S. House member in history to be expelled and the first in more than two decades. The House voted 311 to 114 to expel the New York GOP congressman, with 105 Republicans voting in favor of the expulsion resolution.
Deadline was first to report the news.