Richard Linklater will direct Robert Downey Jr. in a real-life con man story.
Annapurna Pictures and Team Downey are partnering for the untitled feature, which is based on the episode “Man of the People” from Gimlet Media’s Reply All podcast.
The podcast tells the true story of two doctors: Dr. John Brinkley, who scammed his way to fame and fortune using fake medicine, populism and radio, and Dr. Morris Fishbein, the editor of the journal of the America Medical Association who goes on a decade-long quest to take Brinkley down.
Megan Ellison will produce for Annapurna, with Robert and Susan Downey both acting as producers under their Team Downey banner.
Linklater will co-produce through his Detour Filmproduction banner, along with Gimlet Media’s PJ Vogt, Tim Howard, and Chris Giliberti.
Linklater’s next project, Last Flag Flying, will be released through Amazon and stars Bryan Cranston and Steve Carrell. He also is set to direct another feature for Annapurna, an adaptation of Where’d You Go, Bernadette. He is repped by CAA and Sloss Eckhouse.
Downey will next be seen as his Marvel alter-ego, Iron Man, is this summer’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and next year’s Avengers: Infinity War. He is repped by CAA and Hansen Jacobson.
