Sony Pictures is reportedly planning to make a big screen movie based at least in part on my (mis)adventures over the past few years as an independent investigative reporter writing about cybercrime. Some gumshoe I am: This took me by complete surprise.
Source: BrianKrebsFacts.com
The first inkling I had of this project came a few weeks ago when New York Times reporter Nicole Perlroth forwarded me a note she’d received from a Hollywood producer who was (and still is) apparently interested in acquiring my “life rights” for an upcoming film project. The producer reached out to The Times reporter after reading her mid-February 2014 profile of me, which chronicled the past year’s worth of reader responses from the likes of the very ne’er-do-wells I write about daily. Perlroth’s story began:
“In the last year, Eastern European cybercriminals have stolen Brian Krebs’s identity a half dozen times, brought down his website, included his name and some unpleasant epithets in their malware code, sent fecal matter and heroin to his doorstep, and called a SWAT team to his home just as his mother was arriving for dinner.”
I didn’t quite know what to make of the Hollywood inquiry at the time, and was so overwhelmed and distracted with travel and other matters that I neglected to follow up on it. Then, just yesterday, I awoke to a flurry of messages both congratulatory and incredulous on Twitter and Facebook regarding a story in The Hollywood Reporter:
“Sony has picked up the rights to the New York Times article ‘Reporting From the Web’s Underbelly,’ which focused on cyber security blogger Brian Krebs. Krebs, with his site KrebsonSecurity.com, was the first person to expose the credit card breach at Target that shook the retail world in December.”
“Richard Wenk, the screenwriter who wrote Sony’s high-testing big-screen version of The Equalizer, is on board to write what is being envisioned as a cyber-thriller inspired by the article and set in the high-stakes international criminal world of cyber-crime.”
Judging from accounts of the screenwriter’s other movies, if this flick actually gets made someone vaguely resembling me probably will be kicking some badguy butt on the Silver Screen:
–The Expendables 2: Sly Stallone gets revenge.
– The Mechanic: Jason Statham hits hard.
– 16 Blocks: Bruce Willis…well..Bruce Willises.
– The Equalizer (Fall 2014): Denzel Washington tries to hide from his past life of kicking butt.
I still have yet to work out the details with Sony, but beyond remuneration (and perhaps a fleeting Hitchcock-style cameo) I would be delighted if I could influence the selection of the leading man. In the past week, I’ve been told I look like both Jim Carrey and Guy Pearce, but I’m not so sure. But if I had to pick one of my favorite actors, I’d love to see Edward Norton in the role. What about you, dear readers? Sound off in the comments below.
Update, 8:24 p.m. ET: Minneapolis Star-Tribune reporter Jennifer Bjorhus managed to get confirmation from Sony that the studio was working on this film.
Matt Damon. Anti-establishment via the Bourne series… and seriously kick-butt. 🙂
I am with Ben Woodruff here. Matt Damon would be perfect – he is right for this type of role and he looks like you. You can’t go wrong with Edward Norton though.
I could be happy with Liam Neeson too.
Congratulations Brian. Hope you get your cameo too.
Damon would be a great choice, as would Clooney. Depends on the film’s budget, but both of them have been known to forgo salary for a percentage.
BTW, it’s Guy PEARCE. But I don’t see the resemblance.
Just don’t let George Lucas direct it, or Jar Jar Binks will be the hacker.
To tell the truth, you look more like Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator and showrunner Joss Whedon than anyone else.
Let’s be honest, though: If this turns into a cyberthriller less based and more “influenced” by your life, you won’t have to be bound by the chains of actual resemblance. Go for broke! Wouldn’t you like Chris Hemsworth to say just once, tongue-in-cheek “I was selected for my likeness to the real Brian”? 😉
Clark Gregg. You bear a striking resemblance to Agent Coulson, and he’s already used to being in action films. A “tough” guy who doesn’t actually have to throw down.
If the same screenwriter is working on the remake of “The Equalizer” character (Robert McCall), that’s a good sign.
Pick anyone… just PLEASE don’t let it suck or be totally unrealistic ie, not full of basement-dwelling pizza-gluggers “running a bypass”…
I’m kinda thinking Daniel Craig since he did so well with the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Come to think of it, that might create more confusion with more cyber reporting…
Since you already know how “based on a true story” works, go for broke. The Rock. Samuel L. Jackson. Brad Pitt.
Edward Norton? Nah, that makes too much sense.
Edward Norton for sure!
Jennifer Lawrence
+1 LOL!!!
Bill Murray!
Timothy Olyphant.
All I can say is that I hope they don’t pull a “Gravity” on you. Would hate to go see it and laugh at the excessive Cyber buzzwords they use as they try to portray the Cyber underbelly. Although portraying you with a six-monitor setup monitoring feeds (ala Swordfish) would be cool…
Congratulations…I think!
For a player, why not hope they go with someone who hasn’t yet been established, someone for whom this could be their big break, as the Target reporting seems to have been for you?
All of this going on and you were surprised when I asked that you autograph the NYT article at the RSA conference? It’s framed on my office wall btw.
I vote for Edward Norton. He would be great as you!
Who was the guy who played in the Mask?? Not the Jim Carrey movie. ( heyoooo)
You are The One Brian…
Btw… The movie should be called “The life of Brian” although Monty Python may have some say in the matter… 😀
I was going to grab pic of Your face and place it in the “Life of Brian” scene screenshot but that would probably be a copyright infringement so I won’t… It was tempting tho…
Kind regards.
Andrzej
Depends on whether it involves more acting or “kick-butt”.
Ed Norton or Leo are good acting.
Brad Pitt can do both.
Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”) kicks butt like none other, and SHE would make a good mysterious “underworld” connection if not asked for too much English.
You do resemble Guy Pierce, but I would love to see Edward Norton play you. Congrats!!
No, no, no! Louis CK!
Keanu Reeves obviously.
Congratulations from the many thousands of us that have been reading and enjoying your articles and blogs for years.
I will see the first movie, but I absolutely refuse to pay one dime to see the sequels. Or the prequels.
That’s totally awesome. Love the matrix pic lmfao!!
Keanu Reeves !!
Choose the Red Icon or the Blue Icon and your life will never be the same ….
I have no idea who should play you, but I love, love, love the stuff on briankrebsfacts.com! Well, except Wonder Woman – just a little creepy!
And then after this Movie, team up with a Mikko Hypponen Character, and you can have an international Thriller like UNKNOWN or THE BOX ( Must get Frank Langella for the Bad Guy !! ) cool…
Awesome! Congratulations!!
Shades of Will Smith/Gene Hackman in “Enemy of the State”
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK B. KREBS. YOU ARE A INFINITE INFLUENCE ON ALL INFINITE AND NON INFINITE GALAXIES,LOCALS & MULTIVERSES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE INFINITE BEGINNING OF INFINITELY EVERYTHING OF ALL CREATION. PLANET, GALAXY, LOCAL, MULTIVERSE & THE INFINITE TIME ZONES KNOW WHO YOU ARE. TAKE CARE SIR. SINCERELY, JASON JEREMY SWENSEN. 10:20 A.M. ARIZONA TIME MARCH, 21, 2014 BUCKEYE, ARIZONA.
Cool, congrats. This will be fun to follow! Don’t go too celebrity on us though, we need you!