Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Paramount are already planning on making a movie about Volkswagen’s Clean Diesel scandal, even though the situation has yet to completely play out.
Appian Way and Paramount acquired a four-page book proposal by Jack Ewing, who plans on writing a full book on the scandal, reports Deadline. Variety added that no one has been attached to direct or star in it yet.
Volkswagen had released clean diesel cars, insisting that they were environmentally friendly. However, they all had illegal software that could tell when the cars were being tested or fuel emissions so it could cheat EPA tests. When the cars were in regular driving conditions, the emission control software was shut off.
The EPA is looking to fine the company $18 billion. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn has already resigned. According to USA Today, the company has yet to release its own investigation into the plot, so it’s not entirely known who is exactly responsible for the plot. Once they release that information though, DiCaprio and Paramount will have the third act in their film.
As a producer, DiCaprio was nominated for Best Picture for The Wolf Of Wall Street. He’s also a producer on Ben Affleck’s Live By Night, which is currently in pre-production.