American-British filmmaker Stephen Robert Morse, best known for his work on popular non-fiction features like Netflix’s Amanda Knox and How to Rob a Bank is developing his own feature documentary on the suspected UnitedHealthcare killer Luigi Mangione.
Morse, a two-time Emmy nominee, will direct the feature, which producers told us will examine the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the aftermath through the perspectives of all those affected, including the involved families and Mangione himself.
“This case is complex and raises important questions about vigilantism, the devastating cost of a privatized healthcare system, and the inevitability of violence when peaceful change is seen as impossible,” Morse told us this afternoon. “My goal is to present a balanced exploration of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination, showing all sides of the story while respecting the profound loss of life and its impact on everyone involved.”
Morse continued, “This documentary will be memed,” adding that the project aims to “foster a deeper understanding” of the case without losing sight of the human cost.
Also signed on to work on the doc with Morse is Matt Cianfrani, a Philadelphia-based DoP whose credits include United Shades of America for CNN, and Making Black America for PBS. Like Morse and Mangione, he is a University of Pennsylvania alum. Investigative journalist Hannah Ghorashi, best known for the viral Airmail piece ‘The Grift, The Prince, and The Twist,’ has also signed on alongside documentary filmmaker Eli Eisenstein.
The production team has put out a call — through their Instagram — seeking tips related to Thompson and Mangione from any friends, family members, coworkers, or acquaintances of Thompson and Mangione. The crew is also asking to speak with any healthcare workers, whistleblowers, or UnitedHealthcare insurance holders, about their experience of privatized health insurance in the United States.
Morse is a producer and director. His credits include Amanda Knox, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 before hitting Netflix, and How to Rob a Bank, which also made a splash on the streamer. Alongside directing he will serve as a producer on the Mangione doc through his Morse Code Group production house.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with murder in connection with the shooting of Thompson on December 9th. The 26-year-old was found with a ghost gun that authorities said was similar to the one used by the killer, as well as a handwritten manifesto about the healthcare industry. Mangione reportedly suffered from back pain and underwent surgery to treat it in recent years.
Earlier today, Anonymous Content and Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions announced that they are teaming up to develop and produce a separate documentary project about the murder.
English (US) ·