The film was scheduled to play as a Special Screening in the 2025 festival program announced on December 11, 2024.
Jarecki is known for his documentary films “Why We Fight,” “The King” and “The House I Live In.”
In a statement, the American filmmaker said “significant and unexpected developments have emerged at the heart of the story which, if not incorporated in the version for Sundance, would not represent a finished film.”
“The Six Billion Dollar Man” follows the story of the landmark case for Julian Assange who faced a possible 175 years in prison for exposing alleged U.S. war crimes until events took a turn.
A festival press release announcing Jarecki’s decision to withdraw does not detail which events prompted his decision. Assange, who spent five years in a British prison, was released in June after he pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors.
To see the full film line up for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival click here.