Being one of the more polarizing public figures of the modern era kid of puts you on a fast-track to a movie about your life, either in the form of a documentary or biopic. But, if you’re extra special, like Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, you get both.

According to Deadline, the founder of the document-leaking, politician-infuriating organization has caught the attention of both Alex Gibney and Universal Studios, who’ve agreed to fund a documentary for him to direct. His past work, which includes Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer and Casino Jack and the United States of Money makes him a great fit for the headline-occupying material (I love hyphens!).

The big question is at the moment is Assange’s involvement; in the past the filmmaker has often gotten his reviled subjects to tell their side of the story and occasionally make viewers think twice about why they hate them. Someone who has people split right down the middle like him makes me think that Gibney’s going to approach him. When you take into account that Assange is writing a memoir to help pay for his legal fees, I’d think that any pay he might get for participating here should be able entice him.

And on the front of a feature biopic, Variety lets us know that Josephson Entertainment and Michelle Krumm prods have optioned the feature rights to Andrew Fowler’s The Most Dangerous Man in the World. The soon-to-be-released biography tells the story of Assange from his childhood to the current day. Even though it’s not yet out, producer Barry Josephson called it “this generation’s suspenseful drama with global impact” and compared it to All the President’s Men. Basically, it’s the perfect material for a movie, hence this development. There hasn’t been anyone pegged for director, screenwriter or actor, but I personally would throw my hat in the ring for Hell’s Kitchen host Gordon Ramsay. Not only can he be intense, but he’s got the look of the man down perfectly.

I can’t say if I would prefer to see a documentary or biopic about the man, simply because I have a strong interest in both. I find myself fascinated by the man whenever I see him in the news, and he’s the perfect subject for either format. Count me as excited.

What do you think of both a documentary and biopic about Julian Assange?

Source: /Film