Razzlekhan: The Infamous Crocodile Of Wall Street - What We Know So Far
Hulu is a streamer that appreciates its true crime miniseries. There have been numerous originals from the streamer that tackle some of the biggest cases to grab the world's attention, including "The Girl from Plainview" starring Elle Fanning, "The Dropout" with Amanda Seyfried, and "The Act" starring Patricia Arquette. Two of those three mentioned actresses walked away with Emmy Awards for their performances, so there's definitely a high bar that Hulu has set for itself with this genre.
They are once again adding to that list as they are developing yet another miniseries inspired by real life-events with "Razzlekhan: The Infamous Crocodile of Wall Street," according to a report from Deadline.
The show is based on the New York Magazine article "The Many Lives of Crypto's Most Notorious Couple," a February 2022 report on alleged crypto launderers Heather R. Morgan and Ilya Lichtenstein that was authored by Kevin T. Dugan and Matt Stieb. The couple was arrested and charged with laundering billions in stolen bitcoin, and they could face up to 25 years in prison.
The report announcing "Razzlekhan" notes that the development process is still early, but there is still plenty to know about this show's story and the pieces already in place, which includes a reunion for some of the creatives behind the Netflix feature "Windfall."
What is the plot of Razzlekhan?
The limited series will be told through the perspectives of the accused pair, as well as others like hackers and law enforcement officials, per Deadline. Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan are accused of laundering $4.5 billion in stolen bitcoin, and over $3 billion has been recovered by authorities. The series will follow the young couple as they struggle to cash in on a hard drive full of stolen crypto. The title "Razzlekhan" is taken from Morgan's name as a YouTube rapper, and the subtitle "Crocodile of Wall Street" is how Morgan used to refer to herself online, via Forbes.
You can find music videos like "Versace Bedouin" easily accessible on YouTube, and the wacky footage provides plenty of visual potential for the upcoming series, should they choose to recreate some of the works.
The series may have some similarities to Amanda Seyfried's "The Dropout," as that show was the first production of Searchlight Television, which is also behind the upcoming crypto series. Other projects from the company include Mel Brooks' upcoming "History of the World, Part II."
The story of "Razzlekhan" and this central couple is being handled by a real-life husband and wife, one behind the camera as director and the other taking on the role of Morgan.
Who is in Razzlekhan?
The only performer announced thus far for "Razzlekhan" is Lily Collins, who will be playing the rapping Morgan. Collins is also producing the project, along with her husband Charlie McDowell, who is also directing, and Alex Orlovsky. The group coming together on this project marks a reunion after they made the Netflix film "Windfall." Scott Wasserstein is also executive producing "Razzlekhan" for New York Magazine and Vox Media.
The role of Lichtenstein likely be the biggest and most sought after next to Collins' role, but many of Hulu's true crime series have taken to primarily centering on lead female roles, including the previously mentioned Patricia Arquette and Amanda Seyfried in their respective streaming shows. This means "Razzlekhan" is more than likely going to mainly center around Collins as Morgan, or Razzlekhan, if you prefer.
McDowell has plenty of talent from his past work he could pull into this new project, including acclaimed actors like Jesse Plemons and Jason Segel (both of whom starred in "Windfall" with Collins), as well as Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass (a pair he directed in "The One I Love"). McDowell is also known for directing episodes of TV shows like "Legion" and "Silicon Valley."
When will Razzlekhan be released?
There is no release date set for "Razzlekhan" yet. Deadline reported that the limited series is still in early development, so it is still some ways off. However, the project has a major streamer and studio behind it so things are likely to move quickly. With Lily Collins already set in the lead, the main stumbling block will be filling out the roles around her.
Collins will likely need to film the show while on a break from Netflix's "Emily in Paris," which was renewed for a third and fourth season in January 2022, per The Hollywood Reporter. It was announced through Instagram the following June that production on the show's 3rd season had begun.
Depending on how quickly the project moves, its story could be influenced by real-life happenings in the case of Heather Morgan and Ilya Lichtenstein. Deadline reported the couple has been in talks with officials about a plea deal in their case. There have already been specials recounting the couple's ongoing story, including ABC's "Truth and Lies: The Crypto Couple," which is available to stream on Hulu ahead of the release of "Razzlekhan" if fans need a refresher on the bizarre and bizarrely fascinating case.