Black Bear and Sony’s upcoming comedy/drama Dumb Money, based on the GameStop short squeeze of January 2021, has finished casting with the addition of America Ferrera. Industry star Myha’la Herrold was also added to cast on Tuesday. They join Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Anthony Ramos, Shailene Woodley, and Pete Davidson.
The film, which is based on the Ben Mezrich book The Antisocial Network, follows Reddit memers and Robinhood investors as they try and troll their way to fortunes while simultaneously taking down one of Wall Street’s most established hedge funds. The movie takes place over several days early last year and shows how amateur traders united together using the subreddit r/WallStreetBets and the private investors they were up against in a David vs. Goliath struggle that changed the financial world forever.
This is Mezrich’s third book to be adapted onto the screen. Aaron Sorkin won an Oscar for adapting his 2009 book Accidental Billionaires in the Social Network and his 2002 book Bringing Down the House was the basis for the blackjack thriller 21. Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum wrote the screenplay for Dumb Money.
Sony was able to get the distribution rights after Black Bear announced the film at the Toronto Film Festival in September. Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Aaron Ryder of Ryder Picture Company signed on as producers. The film will be helmed by I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie.
Production is currently underway but there is no release date at this time.