Matt Damon, John Krasinski team up for disgraced billionaire Marc Rich biopic

 

Matt Damon will star as disgraced billionaire Marc Rich in the 'King of Oil’ biopic, according to Variety. 

Produced by John Krasinski’s Sunday Night Prods, the film is based on the book The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich written by Daniel Ammann, that sheds new light on one of the most controversial international businessmen of all time.

Damon and Krasinski previously worked together on the movie Manchester By the Sea which Damon produced.

Published in 2009 The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich details the life of Rich who was a child of the Holocaust and went onto became one of the wealthiest and powerful oil and commodities trader of the century until his 1983 indictments.

He was indicted on 65 criminal counts including tax evasion. The book also deals with Rich’s illegal dealings with Iran during the hostage crisis and his quiet cooperation with the Cuban, Israeli and the US governments.

Rich who was in Switzerland when he was indicted on those criminal counts was eventually pardoned in 2000 by President Bill Clinton on his last day in office. 

Damon can next be seen in the untitled Ford vs Ferrari movie starring Christian Bale while Krasinski is expected to star in and direct the A Quiet Place sequel for Paramount.