Ohio State
HBO has grabbed the rights to George Clooney's documentary feature on the Richard Strauss sex abuse scandal at Ohio State, which is being produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov's Smokehouse Pictures in partnership with Sports Illustrated Studios and 101 Studios.
The feature, based on the October 2020 Sports Illustrated feature by Jon Wertheim, will take a deep look at Strauss's abuse of hundreds of victims from 1978 to 1998, a scandal that continues to reverberate in Columbus and nationally — Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who was an assistant coach on the college's wrestling team, has repeatedly been accused of ignoring Strauss's behavior.
“Grant and I are very proud to be working on this project with HBO,” Clooney said in a statement. “It’s a devastating story about people in power abusing and then covering up their criminal actions against students. The fact that it hasn’t been resolved as of yet is deeply disturbing.”
Eva Orner, an Oscar winner, has signed on to direct.
“I’m honored to join this incredible creative team. This film is about the largest sexual abuse scandal in the history of American higher education. It will give the courageous men who were abused a powerful and clear voice," Orner said in a statement.
Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
