The production deal that former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama signed with Netflix has acquired its first title: Michael Lewis’ The Fifth Risk, which follows the experiences of three federal departments during the transition from the Obama administration to the Trump administration.
According to Deadline, Lewis is planning to reveal the news about the optioning of his book by the Obamas during a podcast with Katie Couric on Thursday.
In May, Netflix announced that the Obamas had entered into a “multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix, potentially including scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features.”
The Fifth Risk, released on Oct. 2, is currently ranked No. 8 on the New York Times’ non-fiction bestseller list. The book paints an unflattering picture of the Trump administration as it managed the transition between administrations. Trump’s appointees to the Agriculture, Commerce and Energy departments were slow to show up, and when they did seemed under-qualified for their positions.
“In Agriculture the funding of vital programs like food stamps and school lunches is being slashed,” the publisher’s description of The Fifth Risk said. “The Commerce Department may not have enough staff to conduct the 2020 Census properly. Over at Energy, where international nuclear risk is managed, it’s not clear there will be enough inspectors to track and locate black market uranium before terrorists do.
