Shohei Ohtani interpreter betting scandal being turned into scripted series
By Bryan Ke
A scripted series based on the betting scandal of MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara is now in early development under Lionsgate Television.
Key points:
- Scott Delman and Albert Chen are set to produce the series, which will center on Mizuhara’s betting scandal and explore themes of trust, betrayal and the pressures of fame. The series will also delve into Ohtani’s journey to stardom. Lionsgate TV executive Max Elins is overseeing the project.
- The scripted series announcement was made after Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return on Wednesday.
- This is the first scripted series about Ohtani to enter the development stage since the 29-year-old Japanese-born player joined the MLB in 2017.
Catching up:
- Mizuhara was fired in March after being accused of illegal sports gambling and stealing money from Ohtani’s bank account to pay off his gambling debts. Federal investigators eventually cleared Ohtani’s name in April, noting that he was also a victim in the case.
The details:
- In a statement, Delman noted that Lionsgate Television is the “perfect partner to bring this unbelievable story to the screen” as the company has a strong track record of “creating daring, boundary-pushing series.”
- Chen’s involvement in the project is also vital as his “extensive sports journalism background will enable us to connect the dots to make sense of the startling turn of events,” Delman added.
- “This is major league baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose – and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on,” Chen said.
- Known for adapting the TV series “Station 11,” Delman has won 13 Tony Awards and six Olivier Awards.
- The co-host and co-creator of the award-winning podcast “All American,” Chen authored the book “Billion Dollar Fantasy.” As a sports journalist, Chen wrote and covered baseball for several publications, including Time, Fortune, MLB Network and Sports Illustrated.
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