Martin Scorsese · Lost Girl, Found
Also, Stupid "Tiger King" again
the true crime that's worth your time
How are you? What a week. We made it, folks! Hope you’re all hanging in there and staying safe. What a time to be alive. Let us know what’s going on in your brain, doesn’t have to be crime-y, just come say hi!
Apple has picked up Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon. The telephone and computer company paid a reported $200 million for the movie, which was reportedly dumped by Paramount over budget haggles (Scorsese wanted a $180 million budget, the studio wanted it to be made for $150 million) — but now, the Hollywood Reporter claims, there was also a dispute over the script.
“Originally DiCaprio was playing the good guy working for the then-nascent FBI,” THR writes. “In the revised version, DiCaprio would portray villain Robert De Niro’s nephew, torn between love and the evil machinations of his uncle.” It’s a change to the adaptation of David Grann’s true crime book that didn’t seem to suit Paramount, which allowed DiCaprio’s manager to shop the project around. Apple took the bait, and Paramount will still “get a distribution fee based on the film’s box-office performance.”
That said, the movie hasn’t even gone into production yet, and given the pandemic, we might be at an iPhone 14 or 15 before we get a look at this thing. Stay tuned, I guess. — EB
Officials say that they suspect that a currently-imprisoned man might be responsible for the disappearance of Madeline McCann. Listeners of the Blotter Presents podcast likely recall the McCann case: Sarah and I discussed it a little more than a year ago, when The Disappearance Of Madeleine McCann first dropped on Netflix. McCann vanished from a Portugal hotel room in 2007, and hasn’t been seen since, but the Associated Press reported this week that investigators believe that “a 43-year-old German citizen currently imprisoned in his home country for a sexual crime” is responsible for her death.
The suspect, who was identified by multiple British publications as 43-year-old Christian Brueckner, is “being investigated on suspicion of murder,” says Hans Christian Wolters, a Braunschweig-based prosecutor. Should you have the stomach for it, the Daily Mail has more details on Brueckner’s past in their typically (cough) colorful style.
According to Find Madeleine, a website from McCann’s parents, “we will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace … All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.” — EB
Valerie Mack was likely slain by the Long Island Serial Killer in 2000. After several days of silence, New York's Suffolk County Police Department announced that the separate sets of remains found in 2000 and 2011 belonged to Valerie Mack, a Philadelphia woman who the Philly Voice says also used the name Melissa Taylor.
The then 24-year-old was reportedly employed as a sex worker, and was never reported missing. Officials say that they used genetic genealogy to track down her son and other biological relatives, who led them to her adoptive parents (she was “‘left without’ her biological parents at an early age,” CNN reports). It’s believed that this is the first time genetic genealogy has been used by law enforcement in New York to identify anyone — suspect or victim — in a case. — EB
I can’t make myself write another word about Tiger King, so I’ll just leave these here:
Carole Baskin awarded the zoo once owned by 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic [CNN]
The will of Tiger King star Carole Baskin's missing husband Don Lewis was forged, sheriff says [Tampa Bay 5]
Band Behind Joe Exotic’s Music Set To Release New ‘Killer Carole’ Song [TMZ]
Carole Baskin says she's not sure if Big Cat Rescue will open to the public again after Tiger King [Insider]
Tiger King's Joe Exotic Says He 'Misses and Loves' Husband in Letter: 'I'm Coming Home Somehow' [People]
Monday on Best Evidence: How’s Chris Hansen doing?
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