Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Play Ex Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in Upcoming Showtime Anthology Series

The series, titled Super Pumped, hails from Billions showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's next project will see him star as Uber's former CEO Travis Kalanick.

On Monday, Showtime announced that it's given a series order to an anthology show from Billions showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien, titled Super Pumped. The first season, based on Mike Isaac's bestselling book Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, "will depict the roller-coaster ride of the upstart transportation company, embodying the highs and lows of Silicon Valley," a description from Showtime reads.

Super Pumped "is the first installment of an anthology series in which each season explores a story that rocked the business world to its core and changed culture," the description explains.

As for Levitt, he will play Kalanick, who Showtime describes as "Uber's hard-charging CEO who was ultimately ousted in a boardroom coup."

Amy Israel — who is the executive vice president, scripted programming at Showtime Networks Inc. said that Gordon-Levitt, 40, is a "remarkably intelligent and charismatic actor, embodying charm with an unpredictable edge."

"We are beyond excited to see what he will bring to the role of Travis Kalanick, the hyper-brilliant and controversial CEO whose ambition and reckless drive threatened the very enterprise he was determined to build," her statement continues. "We are equally thrilled to be partnering on another series with Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Beth Schacter, who always deliver provocative and deeply entertaining shows that drive cultural conversation."

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Travis Kalanick
Rich Fury/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic

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Super Pumped is a part of Koppelman and Levien's overall deal with Showtime. They will executive produce, write and serve as showrunners on the series alongside Beth Schacter. Paul Schiff, Stephen Schiff and Allyce Ozarski will also serve as executive producers on the project and Isaac will be a co-executive producer.

When the project was first announced in 2019, Deadline reported that Showtime was developing it into "an untitled limited series" based on Isaac's book from that year.

Kalanick, 44, co-founded Uber in 2009 alongside Garrett Camp. He was ousted as the company's CEO in 2017, but remained on the board after his exit, CNBC reported. He officially severed all ties with Uber and sold his shares of the company in 2019, according to the outlet.

Before fans get to see Gordon-Levitt portray Kalanick, the actor will star in the half-hour dramedy series Mr. Corman. The 500 Days of Summer star created and directs the upcoming show, which premieres Aug. 6 on Apple TV+.

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