Big-name Irish actors set to star in film based on the rise of Paddy Power

The origin story of gambling giant Paddy Power is set to hit the big screens, with a feature film in the works. As reported first by Variety, a host of well-recognised Irish actors are to star in the film, which is the product of Ireland-based media production firm Playhouse Studios. It will be based on “Punters: How Paddy Power Bet Billions and Changed Gambling Forever” – the 2021 book written by Business Post Deputy Editor, Aaron Rogan. The film will tell the “crazy true story” of Stewart Kenny’s rise to prominence via Paddy Power’s advertising. Kenny is the co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of the business and has now become a vocal critic of the gambling industry. Brian Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Alex Murphy and Aidan Gillen are reported to star, and Matt Lipsey, the producer and director of various Ted Lasso episodes, will direct. Paddy Power’s rise Paddy Power has been a heavyweight in the British and Irish gambling landscape for many years now, and from its origins, the global gambling behemoth of Flutter Entertainment has taken shape. Flutter is the market leader in the UK via its Paddy Power, Sky Betting and Gaming, and Betfair brands, and is one of the biggest two operators in the US through its FanDuel brand. The firm’s origins lay in the merger between Paddy Power and Betfair in 2015, creating a dominant force in the Irish-British markets. Its 2018 acquisition of FanDuel in the US created a global superpower, and in 2020 it changed its name to Flutter Entertainment. It is now active in around 100 countries globally and has a market cap of over $14bn on the New York Stock Exchange. Two sides to a story While its rise has been a successful one from a financial point of view, the film is still set to show the potential dangers of gambling. “An inherently Irish origin story, it claws open the lid of how a few chancers changed the world as we know it, destroying hundreds of thousands of people’s lives forever,” the synopsis reads. With Kenny now a vocal critic of the industry, many in the sector will be intrigued to see how the film plays out. The Variety article shows no signs that anyone with a vested interest or former vested interest in Paddy Power or Flutter Entertainment will be involved. There is no official release date for the film. On LinkedIn, Playhouse studios all but confirmed the reports, reposting the Variety article with the caption: “We have some exciting news.” Playhouse CEO, Peggy Cafferty, was quoted in The Variety: “Paddy Power stood out immediately as a story with real scale, authentic dark humour, grit and tenacity. You could not make up this incredible story. “Aaron Rogan’s voice made the book such an easy, engaging read and we feel the writing team captured the adaptation brilliantly. This is the extraordinary rise of one company that refused to play by the rules and set out on a path of ambition, risk and consequence. “They stepped outside the norms of marketing with brilliant twists and always with wit. We are thrilled with this exceptional creative team and cast, this is a fearless production and a narrative that resonates with audiences far beyond Ireland – everyone loves a great, true story that’s as dramatic as fiction.”