Wild Trailer For The Fascinating HBO Crime Documentary THE INVISIBLE PILOT From Adam McKay
HBO has released a trailer for a fascinating new crime documentary series titled The Invisible Pilot. It centers on a charismatic pilot, daredevil, and family man, who mysteriously jumped off a bridge in 1977. He seems like the kind of guy that has his life together and was happy. But, it turns out that he was involved with international drug smuggling and a covert war conducted at the highest level of the U.S. government.
The three-part docuseries comes from executive producer Adam McKay, and it’s a “labyrinthine story that begins in Hazen, Arkansas and ends in one of the biggest political scandals of our time. The series tells the tale of Gary Betzner, a charismatic, daredevil husband and father who unexpectedly jumped off a bridge in 1977, despite a seemingly happy home life and a lucrative career as a pilot. His small-town Arkansas community searches for his body in vain while family and friends seek answers. Years later, a mysterious story emerges involving hypnosis, secret identities and a double life of dangerous missions and law-breaking. And that’s just the beginning.”
The doc includes archival material and interviews with Gary’s wife, ex-wife, children, friends and associates, public defenders, law officers and journalists. It’s said to be “a cautionary tale of unchecked power and covert operations, centered around a small-town man with outsized dreams.”
The series was directed by Phil Lott and Ari Mark. Lott said in a statement: “As filmmakers, Ari and I know that the secret to this series is tone, and there’s no better master of tone today than Adam McKay. When he and Todd Schulman responded to our initial footage, we couldn’t have been happier. They totally got what we were trying to do by blending this crazy story of outlandish characters with nostalgic pop culture, and one of the biggest political scandals of our time.”
Mark added: “Seven years ago, when we started Ample, it was vital that we were truly making the shows, and not just talking about them. Now, with our success in the premium space, we have to stay true to that instinct and direct the projects that we’re most passionate about. It keeps us hungry and humbled.”
The series is set to premiere on HBO Max on April 4th.
