Is Dumb Money based on a book? Everything to know about Ben Mezrich's The Antisocial Network

Dumb Money, a biographical drama based on the real-life GameStop short squeeze events of January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to hit theaters worldwide on September 29, 2023. The film is adapted from Ben Mezrich's book, The Antisocial Network.

Produced by Black Bear Pictures and directed by Craig Gillespie, the movie features a screenplay by Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum. Mezrich and Gillespie's collaboration promises an engaging and dynamic film.

The film initially premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received favorable reviews, with Collider stating:

"Dumb Money is a mostly smart handling of a major recent event. While it builds off the type of storytelling utilized in The Big Short and The Social Network, Gillespie, Blum, and Angelo's exploration of a group makes this feel unique in its own way."

It added:

"In this David vs. Goliath battle, the film gives hope that change on a large scale could be possible and does this in a charming, entertaining narrative with a great cast from top to bottom."

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Everything to Know About Ben Mezrich’s The Antisocial Network: Dumb Money’s Original

The Antisocial Network, written by Ben Mezrich, delves into the GameStop short squeeze phenomenon, where Melvin Capital faced a financial crisis while Wall Street and Reddit traders made significant profits using that. Keith Gill, known as "roaring kitty," features prominently in the book, having invested $53,000 in GameStop when it was undervalued.

Hedge funds like Melvin Capital, led by Gabe Plotkin, were betting against GameStop. Citadel, headed by Ken Griffin, played a central role in the market, providing services to Robinhood.

The book introduces characters from Reddit who participated in the GameStop frenzy, including Jeremy, a college student who made a substantial profit; Kim Campbell, a single mother and Trump supporter seeking to pay for her children's braces; and another woman who turned to GameStop as a way to overcome pandemic-related setbacks.

The book explores the broader theme of how the pandemic disrupted people's lives and fueled resentment toward Wall Street's continued prosperity.

Ben Mezrich, in an interview with the Investor’s Podcast, said:

“Wall Street, people have been doing great during the pandemic and the stock market actually was flying during the pandemic. There’s this bubbling-up anger that I think came through on Reddit and on Discord and on Twitter, and we see it every day and via Trump as well."

He added:

"There’s this internal anger towards the establishment that’s screwing everybody. I think that that’s what powers this story along.”

Published in September 2021 in the United States by Grand Central Publishing and in the United Kingdom by Harper Collins, the book received both praise and criticism for its portrayal of real-life events.

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What is Dumb Money about?

The official synopsis of Dumb Money by Sony Pictures states:

“Dumb Money is the incredible true story of how ordinary people, led by Keith Gill (played by Paul Dano), transformed GameStop into a financial juggernaut, defying Wall Street. Gill invested his life savings in the stock and shared his journey on social media, igniting a massive movement. As fortunes rise, the billionaires take notice and a battle ensues, upending everyone's lives.”

The star-studded cast includes Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, and Seth Rogen. Dumb Money is set to premiere on September 22, 2023.