Pete Davidson Stars in ’Killing Satoshi’ Bitcoin Film Hitting Theaters 2026
Hollywood meets crypto as SNL alum Pete Davidson takes on the mysterious world of Bitcoin in upcoming thriller 'Killing Satoshi'—set to disrupt theaters in 2026.
THE BITCOIN CINEMATIC UNIVERSE ARRIVES
Forget Marvel—2026 brings the first major Bitcoin narrative to the big screen. Davidson steps into the role of a crypto investigator chasing the ghost of Satoshi Nakamoto, blending cyber-mystery with blockbuster production values.
WHY THIS FILM MATTERS
Mainstream media finally gets a Bitcoin story that isn't about fraud or collapse. The timing couldn't be better—with institutional adoption hitting new peaks, this film could become the cultural touchstone crypto's been waiting for.
BEYOND THE HYPE
While Hollywood typically butchers tech narratives, early reports suggest authentic consultation from Bitcoin core developers. No watered-down plotlines—just raw, unfiltered crypto drama.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Wall Street still doesn't get Bitcoin—but maybe Pete Davidson will. If this film captures even half of crypto's revolutionary spirit, it might do more for adoption than another ETF approval. Because let's be honest—traditional finance had its chance, and all they gave us was higher fees and slower settlements.
Bitcoin thriller movie to feature Pete Davidson
“Killing Satoshi” is also expected to signal the return of Ryan Kavanaugh, the media chief who financed several movies in the industry, before his studio went bankrupt in 2015. Kavanaugh has become more of a crypto proponent over the last few years and is producing the movie alongside Lawrence Grey and Shane Valdez.
Jared Underwood of Aperture Media will be the executive producer of the Bitcoin movie. The movie was originally planned and developed by Kavanaugh and is being financed through his production firm, Proxima, through a partnership with Aperture Media Partners.
Filming is set to kickstart in October in London, with the producers earmarking 2026 as a potential release date. The movie also comes as Davidson recently announced that he and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, are expecting their first child.
The movie, which is expected to feature the creation of bitcoin in 2009, will also show how the asset has rocked the foundation of global finance. Bitcoin represents freedom for supporters, who, to an extent, see Satoshi Nakamoto as a hero who has empowered individuals to take back control of their money. Meanwhile, governments and large corporations see his creation as a threat.
Producers tease action-packed drama
According to most Bitcoin analysts, Satoshi Nakamoto mined more than 1 million Bitcoins between 2009 and 2010, which will comfortably put him among the top 20 richest people alive, with the current Bitcoin stash worth $64 billion.
It still remains a mystery to this day that none of the wallets attributed to Nakamoto has ever moved the tokens contained in the wallets aside from the test transactions carried out at the very beginning. This means that the fortune remains untouched.
“I love David and Goliath stories. ‘Killing Satoshi’ follows unlikely antiheroes taking on the most powerful people on the planet in an epic battle that strikes at the Core of what money is and who controls it,” Liman said. “I’m so excited to be collaborating with Casey Affleck again opposite the incredible Pete Davidson.”
“This is not just a movie about Bitcoin and its elusive and mysterious origins but really about what it stands for. We look at this film much the same way as we did with ‘Social Network’ and its examination of Facebook. This should equally be a look into the world of what Bitcoin really is,” Kavanaugh added.
According to the producers, the movie is expected to weave together political intrigues, high-tech espionage, and a race against crime as forces across the globe battle for control.
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