Story Films Preps New True-Crime Drama

Story Films, the outfit behind The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, is prepping a four-part drama about the rise and fall of trader Nick Leeson and the collapse of Barings Bank.

To be written by Tony Marchant for a U.K. broadcaster, the tentatively titled The Man Who Broke the Bank is based on research from several books, archive materials and first-person accounts. “Tony Marchant’s scripts tell a gripping tale of ’90s hubris, of squandered talent, fear, fraud and disgrace,” said Dave Nath, co-founder at the All3Media-backed Story Films. “We couldn’t have hoped for a more talented writer to tell this incredible story in such a dramatic and nuanced way.”

Louise Pedersen, CEO of All3Media International, which will be distributing the series, added, “There is a great appetite in the global market for true-crime dramas, particularly those that offer a fresh take on the true-crime narrative. Most recently, we’ve seen this with Story Films’ acclaimed series The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, so we’re delighted to have Story Films once again at the helm of this incredibly compelling, unique true-crime story, which we feel sure will appeal to our international clients and their audiences.”