Quibi is not moving ahead with a planned series dramatizing the rise of Snapchat and its founder, Evan Spiegel, Variety has learned exclusively.
The project was announced at the SXSW film festival last year by Quibi founder and board chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg. It was to be based on the feature script “Frat Boy Genius” by Elissa Karasik, which was featured on the 2018 Black List.
“We want to tell a story that’s as compelling and interesting about Snapchat and Evan as ‘The Social Network’ was for Facebook,” Katzenberg said at the time.
The news comes just one week after the launch of the mobile-only streaming app, which aims to premium short form content to subscribers in brief chapters, or “quick bites.” Quibi CEO Meg Whitman said earlier on Monday that the app had been downloaded 1.7 million times since launch. The service launched with a 90-day free trial.
Quibi’s launch lineup of 50 shows included “Judge Judy”-style show “Chrissy’s Court” starring Chrissy Teigen; drama “Survive” starring Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins; thriller “Most Dangerous Game” starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz; a reboot of “Punk’d” hosted by Chance the Rapper; and money-giveaway reality show “Thanks a Million” from Jennifer Lopez.
New shows and chapters rolled out this week included: Antoine Fuqua’s “#FreeRayshawn” starring Laurence Fishburne and Stephan James; “50 States of Fright” from Sam Raimi starring Rachel Brosnahan and Travis Fimmel; “The Stranger” from Veena Sud; and comedy “Agua Donkeys” from Funny or Die. New unscripted series include: “Elba vs. Block” starring Idris Elba and stunt driver Ken Block; “Fight Like a Girl” starring the WWE Superstars; and “Let’s Roll” with Tony Greenhand.
(Pictured: Evan Spiegel)