Kyle Chandler Joins Showtime's 'Super Pumped' Anthology Series About The Story Of Uber
Earlier this week, we learned Showtime was working on a new anthology series called Super Pumped. Each season will explore a story that rocked the business world to its core and changed culture, and they're starting with The Battle for Uber. Created, written and executive produced by Billions co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the series will feature Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing Uber's ousted CEO Travis Kalanick, Now the series has gained another valuable asset with Friday Night Lights and Super 8 star Kyle Chandler joining the cast.
Here's Showtime's official synopsis for the first season of Super Pumped:
SUPER PUMPED tells the story of one of Silicon Valley's most successful and most destructive unicorns, Uber. Pivoting on Kalanick and his sometimes tumultuous relationship with his mentor Gurley, the SHOWTIME series will depict the roller-coaster ride of the upstart transportation company, embodying the highs and lows of Silicon Valley. Even amid the radical upheaval generated within the global tech capital, Uber stands out as both a marvel and a cautionary tale, featuring internal and external battles that ripple with unpredictable consequences.
While Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Uber's CEO, the press release has Kyle Chandler playing Bill Gurley. He's the plainspoken, brilliant Texan venture capitalist who bets his sterling reputation on Uber's success – and then has to live with the consequences. Sounds like a solid role for the supporting star of The Wolf of Wall Street and Zero Dark Thirty, but it'd be nice if he got a lead role again sometime soon.
Super Pumped is based on Mike Isaac's bestselling book Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, and even though the book only covers the transportation company, its title will apply to each season. Brian Koppelman and David Levien are executive producing, writing and showrunning with Beth Schacter. Stephen Schiff is also executive producing and writing the series. Allyce Ozarski and Paul Schiff will serve as executive producers, and author Mike Isaac will be a co-executive producer.Amy Israel, Executive Vice President of Scripted Programming at Showtime said, "Kyle Chandler brings deep integrity, authentic presence and undeniable magnetism to every role he inhabits. We're excited to see the dynamic pairing of Chandler as the brilliant Bill Gurley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the high-flying disruptor. With these two actors leading the charge, the series promises to be a riveting, wild ride."
It's not clear when Super Pumped will arrive on Showtime, but we'll keep you posted.