Given the recent rise in popularity of films and documentaries about tech industry movers and shakers — The Social Network, The Fourth Estate, The Social Dilemma, Steve Jobs and Snowden among them — it was only a matter of time before someone got around to making a movie about Silk Road.
Starring Nick Robinson (Jurassic World, Shadow In the Cloud) and Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty, Pet Sematary) the film follows the rise of illicit web entrepreneur Ross Ulbricht (aka Dread Pirate Roberts) founder and owner of Silk Road, arguably one of the most infamous online black markets in the Darkweb’s history. During its three or so run, Silk Road became known as the largest online seller of illegal narcotics or — as the trailer the below would have it — ‘Amazon for drugs’.
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According to Collider Robinson plays Ulbricht and Clarke plays ‘disgraced DEA agent, Rick Bowden, a bloke so out of touch with modern technology, his colleagues refer to him as the “Jurassic Narc”. Incidentally, Bowden seems to be a made-up character – possibly an amalgamation of any number of agents who worked on bringing down Ulbricht, or possibly not.
The film is directed by Tiller Russell, whose most recent projects include the Netflix documentary Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer about the investigation that snagged serial killer Richard Ramirez, and The Seven Five, an expose of one of the most corrupt police precincts in the history of New York City.
Acquired by Lionsgate Films late last year, Silk Road is slated for release on the 19th of February 2021. The end of the trailer states that the film will be available in “select theatres & everywhere you rent movies” so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility Silk Road may be winging its way to a streaming service near you next month.