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Starz Developing Series on Shohei Ohtani Translator Scandal With Alex Convery, Justin Lin

The pickup follows months of shopping that reportedly stalled at platforms guarding MLB relationships.

Overview

  • Lionsgate Television has been developing the scripted project since April 2024, with Starz now set as the home after the companies formally separated earlier this year.
  • Alex Convery will write, executive produce, and serve as showrunner, while Justin Lin will direct, co-write, and executive produce alongside Steven Prinz, Scott Delman, and Albert Chen.
  • The series centers on Ippei Mizuhara’s rise and fall, depicting how Shohei Ohtani’s longtime interpreter became entangled in a gambling scheme that authorities said involved nearly $17 million stolen from Ohtani.
  • Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June 2024 to bank fraud and filing a false tax return, was sentenced in February to 57 months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay more than $18.1 million in restitution.
  • Major League Baseball closed its inquiry by identifying Ohtani as a victim of fraud, and Starz has not announced a cast or release date for the series.