A major Hollywood film exploring the origins of Bitcoin is moving toward a global release, bringing the mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto back into the spotlight. Starring Gal Gadot and Casey Affleck, the movie delves into the controversial claims of Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, who has asserted he is Satoshi Nakamoto, and examines the long-standing divisions this has caused within the Bitcoin community.
Bitcoin Film: From Conspiracy Thriller to Global Distribution
The film, titled Bitcoin (previously referred to as Bitcoin: Killing Satoshi), adapts one of the most contentious debates in the crypto world. Ahead of the Cannes market, Patrick Wachsberger’s sales company 193 launched international sales, signaling a push to global buyers. Meanwhile, production company Acme AI & FX confirmed that the Doug Liman-directed feature has wrapped production. Described as the “first fully-generated, studio-quality AI feature film,” the story centers on the unresolved question of who created Bitcoin and why the issue continues to influence industry discussions and market perception.
The plot follows Charlotte “Lotte” Miller, a war correspondent played by Gal Gadot, who is recruited by blockchain investor Calvin Ayre (portrayed by Pete Davidson) to write an investigative report on Craig Wright. Casey Affleck plays Wright, with Isla Fisher also appearing in the cast. The screenplay was written by Nick Schenk, and the film was produced by Ryan Kavanaugh and Lawrence Grey, with production beginning at the end of February. The synopsis describes the film as “a high-stakes conspiracy thriller that asks the question no one in power wants answered.” A longer description presents it as the story of one man’s effort to prove he created Bitcoin, a claim that allegedly puts his life in danger and sparks a global controversy involving tech billionaires, world leaders, and the future of the financial system.
Craig Wright’s Claims and Industry Polarization
From a Bitcoin industry standpoint, the film enters a highly disputed issue. Wright’s claim that he is Satoshi Nakamoto has been challenged for years by developers, researchers, and other participants, many of whom point to the lack of accepted cryptographic proof. A 2024 UK court ruling also rejected his claim, adding legal weight to that skepticism. Within parts of the BTC community, Wright is widely referred to as “Faketoshi,” and critics have accused him of fraud tied to those assertions.
The production approach has also drawn attention, as the “fully-generated” label refers largely to AI-built environments and visuals, while actors perform traditionally with digital settings added in post-production. At the same time, the subject matter is likely to drive industry reaction, as many bitcoiners view the claims as legally and technically discredited rather than unresolved. That divide helps explain why the film is likely to provoke a polarized response across crypto. Many will see it as reopening a debate already settled by legal findings and technical evidence, while others may view it as an attempt to revisit unanswered questions around motive and power. The synopsis states: “All this leads Lotte, and the audience, to the central question — If Craig Wright didn’t invent Bitcoin, why is a coalition controlling trillions in global wealth spending hundreds of millions and risking everything to destroy him?”
“This is an exciting and gripping story, set in the mysterious and high-stakes real world of crypto,” Wachsberger told Deadline. The positioning underscores how the film is being framed, not just as a thriller, but as a mainstream take on one of Bitcoin’s most contested narratives, where claims have long been weighed against verifiable proof.