Yes, the movie Richard Jewell (2019) is based on a true story. The film tells the story of security guard Richard Jewell, who discovered a bomb at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and became a hero for his actions. However, he was later falsely accused of being the perpetrator of the bombing and had his reputation ruined before being exonerated several months later.
What is the true story behind the movie Richard Jewell (2019)?
The movie Richard Jewell (2019) is based on the real-life events of the Atlanta Olympic bombing in 1996. Richard Jewell was a security guard who discovered a suspicious backpack beneath some chairs in Centennial Olympic Park, and he immediately alerted the authorities. The backpack turned out to contain a bomb, and thanks to Jewell’s quick thinking, many lives were saved. However, a few days later, Jewell was named a suspect in the bombing by the FBI and the media. This led to a widespread media frenzy that claimed he was guilty of the crime.
Richard Jewell faced intense scrutiny from the media, leading to public humiliation and threats to his life, even though he was innocent. Eventually, the FBI cleared Jewell of any wrongdoing and identified Eric Rudolph as the bomber. Rudolph was responsible for several other bombings, and he was eventually captured by authorities in 2003.
Jewell sued several news organizations and eventually settled with them for undisclosed sums. He passed away in 2007 due to heart complications but always maintained his innocence in the bombing.
Are there any books about the true story behind the movie Richard Jewell (2019)?
Yes, there is a book titled “The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle” by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen. This book provides a detailed account of the events surrounding the bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and the subsequent investigation and media frenzy that targeted security guard Richard Jewell as a suspect. The book was published in November 2019, just a few weeks before the release of the movie.
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