Acting legend Meryl Streep signed on to star in Steven Soderbergh’s new film, The Laundromat, according to Variety. The film is based on Jake Bernstein’s book Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite. Netflix is considering Laundromat for distribution. The screenplay was written by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion).
Streep will join Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas, who are also reportedly in early negotiations for the film. There are no details on Streep’s character, but she will be the film’s emotional throughline. There are also no details on what roles Oldman and Banderas will play.
The Panama Papers were the documents at the centre of of the largest data leak in corporate and government history. More than 11 million records were leaked about Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which allowed the wealthy to funnel money illegally in and around the world. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bernstein was part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the international team that broke the story in April.
Streep was nominated for her 21st Academy Award for her role in Steven Spielberg’s The Post, which told the story of the publishing of the Pentagon Papers. She will put in an appearance in the upcoming Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again and star alongside Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins Returns. Streep will also act in Big Little Lies season 2.
Soderbergh most recently released the thriller Unsane, which didn’t do well at the box office, but had its fans. He will next direct the sports drama High Flying Bird, which stars Zazie Beetz and Andre Holland.
Netflix is also looking at another book on the Panama Papers. It just picked up the rights and have August Osage County director John Wells attached as producer.