Criminal promoters, feral dogs, unfinished tents, “gourmet” dinners of cheese and bread, Ja Rule—the madness associated with 2017’s Fyre Festival is now the stuff of legend. What many wealthy twenty-somethings thought was going to be a luxurious weekend getaway on an island paradise quickly turned into a dystopian nightmare that briefly dominated the news cycle and reminded us all to be skeptical of Kylie Jenner’s Instagram. It’s the kind of thoroughly modern drama that would make for a great David Fincher-directed character study if it weren’t already being turned into a high budget documentary series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hulu has acquired a forthcoming series that dives into the behind-the-scenes story of the disastrously failed music festival, which was supposed to feature performances by artists like Blink-182, Major Lazer, Migos, and Disclosure. Much like the luxurious accommodations that were promised to justify hefty ticket prices, none of those artists actually made it to the Bahamian Island of Great Exuma, where hundreds of disappointed, angry, and occasionally scared festivalgoers languished until they could finally make their way back to the mainland the next day.
Slated for release in 2019, the untitled docuseries is currently being developed by Billboard, Mic, and The Cinemart, the company behind Jay-Z’s miniseries TIME: the Kalief Browder Story. The production will be directed by Jenner Furst.
As previously reported, 26-year-old “festival organizer” Billy McFarland recently pleaded guilty to misleading investors and wire fraud (as part of his role in putting on the Fyre Festival) in a Manhattan federal court. He agreed to forfeit $26 million as part of the deal, though could end up serving as much as 40 years in prison as well. On top of that, the Fyre Media owner and his entrepreneurial partner Ja Rule have also been hit with $100 million class-action lawsuit. In the understatement of the year, McFarland told the court he “grossly underestimated” the resources and infrastructure needed to produce a festival like the one he promised.