A George Santos movie is in the works: Here’s everything we know so far

Former U.S. Representative George Santos was officially expelled from Congress on Dec. 1, 2023. And just a day later, HBO is clearly not wasting any time. News came that HBO Films is working on a movie about the House member to portray his campaign journey and how he ended up getting elected to Congress.

News about the film being in the works also comes just days after the book, The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos by Mark Chiusano, came out on Nov. 28. The movie is based on the novel, as HBO Films has optioned the rights to it and the production is “now in development,” per Deadline. Chiusano serves as a consulting producer on the film.

Frank Rich is spearheading the project, and I think it’s in very good hands! That’s because he was an executive producer on the HBO shows Veep and Succession. The film is being written by Mike Makowsky.

What is the George Santos movie about?

At this time, the film is in the early stages so there aren’t many more details to share just yet. A release date and cast list has not been announced. I mean, apparently Sebastian Stan is playing former President Donald Trump in The Apprentice movie. So who knows who could be cast as George Santos himself!

While some of those details are scarce right now, we do have an idea of what the movie is going to focus on. According to Deadline, the production is a “forensic and darkly comic look” at the unexpected race in Long Island, New York that lead to Santos being elected. We shared the logline below:

"[The movie is] the story of a seemingly minor local race that wound up a battle for the soul of Long Island, and unexpectedly carved the path for the world’s most famous (and now disgraced) congressman. The Gatsby-esque journey of a man from nowhere who exploited the system, waged war on truth and swindled one of the wealthiest districts in the country to achieve his American Dream."

Who is former congressman George Santos and why was he removed from office?

George Santos was elected into Congress on Jan. 3, 2023, and served until Dec. 1, 2023. The Republican party politician represented New York’s 3rd congressional district during that time. Since he joined the House of Representatives, he’s been faced with alleged ethics violations like donor funds being used for subscriptions to the OnlyFans website and Botox treatments. However, he’s currently denying the allegations and has “vowed to fight back,” Deadline reports.

The politician grew up in Queens, New York and also lived in Brazil for a time. He was also the first Republican LGBT Congress member in office that’s not an incumbent. He’s the sixth person ever to be expelled from Congress by his fellow peers.

Overall, there’s been reports that Santos has lied about his family and work history, financial status, and even ancestry. He’s previously admitted to providing false facts about his education and employment history. Though most recently, he’s been removed from office as he faces 23 fraud-related charges from the House Ethics Committee. He’s pleaded not guilty for all of them. Though that didn’t stop the vote, which was 311-114 to expel him from the House of Representatives and his role as Congressman.

What is the George Santos book about?

As mentioned above, news about false claims Santos made, including in his self-written biography, have been around since the early weeks after he started his run in the House. Long Island reporter Mark Chiusano came out with the book about the politician and has been following his campaign and “story” since 2019. Here’s part of the book description provided by Google Books:

"America has grown used to larger-than-life politicians: Teflon Don, AOC, MTG, Dark Brandon, and all the rest have injected DC politics with an unmistakable edge of celebrity flair and tabloid intrigue. Yet in 2022, a new player on the national scene outshone them all. George Anthony Devolder Santos, and his revolving door of pseudonyms, shed glaring new light on how far we’d all let our politics slide as his claimed resume was shred to bits in the wake of a longshot run to office from New York’s 3rd Congressional District.From Wall Street gigs to an amateur volleyball career, from embellished claims of Jewish heritage to a fabricated 9/11 story involving his mother’s death, Santos’s legend continued to grow as his web of lies evaporated in real time. And the only thing wilder than this charlatan embedding himself in the warm, consequence-evading arms of our nation’s capital was the Queens con artist’s refusal to bow his head in shame. The Santos show continues, as he joins the ranks of high-wattage fakers like Anna Delvey and Elizabeth Holmes."

According to the novel’s description, the author explores the true story of Santos that the politician hasn’t shared with the world, from his “humble years” in Brazil, to “glamorous nights” in Manhattan and how he made his “slippery climb up” to bring him to where he is today. Or was, rather. Because now, Santos is considered to be a controversial figure. And we’ll have to wait and see what the Ethics Committee proves or doesn’t prove, and what happens next.

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote as we bring you updates about the George Santos movie!