In a project sure to court both controversy and acclaim, prolific documentarian Alex Gibney has set his investigative sights on the most talked-about crime of the month – the shocking broad-daylight murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on December 4th. Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions will partner with Anonymous Content on the as-yet-untitled deep dive into not just the meticulously planned killing, but the complicated conversations and polarized public reactions it has provoked.
A Murder that Sparked a National Debate
When 52-year-old Brian Thompson, head of the largest health insurance provider in the United States, was gunned down on a busy Manhattan street corner, shock waves reverberated far beyond the business world. The seemingly senseless act of violence quickly took on a deeper meaning as details about the alleged perpetrator emerged.
Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested after a dramatic multi-state manhunt, discovered with a cache of unregistered weapons and a manifesto railing against the health insurance industry. A former standout student who reportedly struggled with chronic pain, Mangione’s story and apparent motivations struck a chord with a public grown weary of skyrocketing healthcare costs and claim denials.
The bullets used in the shooting were reportedly engraved with “Delay”, “Deny”, and “Depose” – an eerie reference to alleged insurance company tactics to avoid paying claims.
As the nation grappled with the implications and searched for meaning in the senseless act, fault lines emerged. While few condoned the violence, a vocal contingent emerged online hailing Mangione as a folk hero, a Robin Hood figure striking a blow against a greedy and corrupt system. Others denounced the murder and the celebration of it as evidence of a society in moral decay.
Seeking Answers in an American Tragedy
It’s thorny, incendiary material – perfect fodder for Gibney, whose films like “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” and “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” have taken on complex topics and powerful institutions. According to Jigsaw Productions, the Thompson project will be a wide-ranging exploration of not just the facts of the case, but the broader forces and dysfunctions it laid bare.
“From the crime’s meticulous execution to the alleged killer’s manifesto and Ivy League background to the public’s unapologetic apathy towards the victim, the deep dive will ask how killers are created, what this says about our society and the values we place on who lives and dies.”
Jigsaw Productions statement
The film is expected to use the shocking crime as a window into America’s deeply broken healthcare system, where even the insured can be driven into financial ruin or untreated sickness by rejected claims. It will aim to put human faces on issues like chronic pain, medical debt, and the high cost of prescriptions, topics that resonate with an anxious public.
A Filmmaker Uniquely Suited to the Subject
If the Thompson killing documentary seems quick to enter development, that’s par for the course for the ever-prolific Gibney. The Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Peabody winner has made timely, impactful films a calling card, often seizing on buzzy news stories on a short production timeline.
“Alex Gibney has proven uniquely adept at dissecting complex, hot-button issues while the impact is still being felt. His films capture the urgency of the present moment and the unresolved tensions below the surface, making them enduring historical documents.”
The project continues Gibney’s fruitful relationship with Anonymous Content, with whom he’s currently prepping a Salman Rushdie documentary and an already-controversial Elon Musk feature. With its hot-topic resonance, powerhouse creative team, and seemingly unending news cycle to fuel interest, the Brian Thompson documentary looms as one of 2025’s most anticipated nonfiction works.
As Mangione’s case works its way through the courts and the Thompson family grapples with its loss, Gibney and company will be watching, cameras in hand, ready to shine a light on the dark intersection of guns, money, justice, and American healthcare. The only question is whether a nation that saw a man hailed as a martyr for murder is ready to look at its reflection.
