Legendary got the hot project Bad Blood, which will be written and directed by Adam McKay and star Jennifer Lawrence as the founder of controversial blood testing company Theranos.
A bidding war erupted over the pitch package after McKay, whose previous film The Big Short was critically acclaimed and nominated for the best picture Oscar, and four-time Oscar nominee Lawrence became attached.
Lawrence would play Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the blood-testing startup that at one time boasted a $9 billion valuation. Theranos’ projected value has since plummeted, following news that the company is under investigation for inaccurate testing that took place at their California labs.
The 32-year-old entrepreneur, who is rarely seen without a black turtleneck, has continued to stand by Theranos despite CMS regulators trying to ban her for two years from owning or operating a blood lab.
The package, which received bids from numerous studios and production companies, includes the film rights to a book proposal about the Theranos controversy by John Carreyrou, who previously wrote about the company for The Wall Street Journal.
Universal will distribute the film via its deal with Legendary. McKay, Will Ferrell and Kevin Messick are producing via their banner Gary Sanchez, along with Lawrence.
