Nigeria: Mo Abudu and Hollywood Producer Will Packer Acquire Rights To Bloomberg Article About Fall Of ‘Billionaire Gucci Master’ Hushpuppi
The companies won the rights in a highly competitive situation and have set the project up at Universal Pictures.
Mo Abudu’s Ebonylife Studios, and Will Packer Productions, have teamed up to develop an untitled project based on the Bloomberg article about the popular Instagram influencer and accused cyber fraud mastermind Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi.
Word around town has it that the companies won the rights in what has been described as a highly competitive situation. The companies have set up the project for distribution at Universal Pictures.
The article, written by Evan Ratliff, digs into the story of Nigerian Instagram influencer Ramon Abbas. The figure, otherwise known as Hushpuppi, or the Billionaire Gucci Master, is alleged to have perfected a simple internet scam, which allowed him to launder millions of dollars.
Packer and Abudu’s untitled project will be an action thriller reminiscent of Catch Me If You Can and The Usual Suspects. Producers are Will Packer and James Lopez through Will Packer Productions and Mo Abudu for EbonyLife.
“EbonyLife is uniquely positioned to ensure the depth and authenticity of this film,” said Abudu. “This is why we needed to partner with a major Hollywood producer like Will Packer Productions — they are equally invested in telling stories that resonate with our audiences. We understand the environment of poverty and deprivation that breeds highly talented and fundamentally flawed characters like Hushpuppi, and WPP knows how to create stories with global appeal.”
“Ten months ago Mo pitched us a rich and entertaining concept steeped in Nigerian culture that can only be told with the help of her unique perspective,” added Packer. “Together we knew Evan’s work was the definitive telling and the perfect anchor of this saga.”
The companies are currently onboarding a writer for the project, and this phase is progressing quickly.
