Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle are stepping into the chaotic world of cryptocurrency and corporate greed in the first official trailer for Netflix’s limited series The Altruists.
Created by Oscar-winning screenwriter Graham Moore, the eight-episode biographical crime drama chronicles the meteoric rise and collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and its sister hedge fund, Alameda Research. Boyle stars as disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, while Garner portrays former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison.
The narrative centers on the real-world financial scandal where Bankman-Fried and Ellison were accused of funneling over $8 billion in customer funds into high-risk trades, luxury real estate, and political donations.
Following the exchange’s collapse, Bankman-Fried was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison, while Ellison received a reduced two-year sentence after cooperating as a key federal witness.
Watch The Altruists trailer below.
What happens in The Altruists trailer?
The trailer begins with Boyle’s Bankman-Fried meeting Garner’s Ellison and the two beginning a romantic relationship. They go on to launch their cryptocurrency company, FTX.
As FTX grows into a success story, they begin taking increasingly risky decisions with their customers’ funds, alienating those around them. The footage culminates in a montage of lavish celebrations and looming lawsuits.
“I genuinely believe that both Sam and Caroline were deeply committed altruists from day one, who set out to do as much good for as many people as they could in their lives,” Moore told Tudum. “Over the course of the years that our show depicts, Sam and Caroline, with the very best of intentions, talked each other and themselves into committing a number of terrible crimes.”
The ensemble cast includes Alex Lawther, Karan Soni, Naomi Okada, Madison Hu, Matt Rife and Eugene Young, alongside Paul Reiser, Robin Weigert, Maddie Hasson, Marianna Phung, Jennifer Grey and Terry Chen.
Moore serves as co-showrunner alongside Jacqueline Hoyt. Garner, Moore, and Hoyt executive produce alongside Barack Obama and Michelle Obama via Higher Ground Productions, alongside Jessie Dicovitsky, Vinnie Malhotra, Scoop Wasserstein, Tonia Davis, James Ponsoldt, and Lauren Morelli. These episodes are directed by Ponsoldt, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Mairzee Almas, Moore, and Silver Tree.
All eight episodes of The Altruists premiere globally on Netflix on November 19, 2026.