Apr 12, 2017

4 films in the works on Watergate

Mike Allen

Associated Press

Four movies or documentaries are in the works on Watergate, a friend points out:

  1. "Felt" is the story of Deep Throat, FBI official Mark Felt, told primarily from the perspective of his family. Liam Neeson plays Felt. Julian Morris plays Bob Woodward. Filming is complete and the movie is expected to be released this year. Directed by Peter Landesman.
  2. The film rights to "The Last of the President's Men," Woodward's book on Nixon aide Alexander Butterfield, who disclosed the secret White House taping system, has been sold to Steve Golin's Anonymous Content (which did "Spotlight," the 2016 Best Picture on the Boston Globe investigation of Catholic priests). Screenwriter and director Rod Lurie is working on the screenplay and meeting regularly with Butterfield and Woodward.
  3. Actor Robert Redford is planning with NBC for a possible documentary that focuses on the Senate and House investigations of Watergate in 1973-74, when bipartisanship was still possible in Washington.
  4. ABC has commissioned a primetime special on Watergate timed to the 45th anniversary of the 1972 break-in at the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate office building.

Asked for comment, Woodward told Axios AM: "History is never over."

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Trump signs $2 trillion relief bill as U.S. coronavirus case count tops 100,000

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

President Trump signed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday, as infections in the U.S. topped 100,000 and more cities experience spikes of the novel coronavirus.

The big picture: The U.S. has the most COVID-19 cases in the world, exceeding China and Italy, per data from Johns Hopkins. A second wave of American cities, including Boston, Detroit, New Orleans and Philadelphia, are reporting influxes of cases.

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Coronavirus updates: Italy records deadliest day with nearly 1,000 dead

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's Health Ministry. Note: China numbers are for the mainland only and U.S. numbers include repatriated citizens and confirmed plus presumptive cases from the CDC

Italy on Friday reported 969 COVID-19 deaths over a 24-hour period, marking the deadliest single-day for the country since the global outbreak began, according to data from the Health Ministry.

The big picture: The U.S. now leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases, as the number of global cases nears 600,000. Governments around the world are trying to curb the medical and financial fallout of COVID-19, as infections surge across Europe and the U.S.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9 p.m. ET: 595,800 — Total deaths: 27,324 — Total recoveries: 131,006.
  2. U.S.: Leads the world in cases. Total confirmed cases as of 9 p.m. ET: 103,942 — Total deaths: 1,689 — Total recoveries: 870.
  3. Federal government latest: President Trump signed the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill to provide businesses and U.S. workers economic relief.
  4. State updates: Nearly 92% of cities do not have adequate medical supplies — New York is trying to nearly triple its hospital capacity in less than a month.
  5. World updates: Italy reported 969 coronavirus deaths on Friday, the country's deadliest day.
  6. Business latest: President Trump authorized the use of the Defense Production Act to direct General Motors to build ventilators for those affected by COVID-19. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has been appointed to enforce the act.
  7. 🏰 1 Disney thing: Both Disney World and Disneyland theme parks in the U.S. are closed until further notice.
  8. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing.
  9. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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