The most surprising title to be produced with partial Koch bankrolling is probably Patty Jenkins’ recent DC Comics smash hit Wonder Woman, embraced by many for its liberal-leaning, feminist subtext, but the brothers are reportedly also secret investors in other current big-budget Hollywood projects, like Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. How did the Koch brothers come to be investors in such a varied slate of big-budget movies? It wasn’t for love of cinema, as a quoted source reported to be familiar with the deal made clear: “They’re in it to make money. They’re not in it for the recognition.” “It” in this case is a significant stake in RatPac-Dune Entertainment, said to be worth tens of millions of dollars. RatPac-Dune co-founder Steven Mnuchin – now Treasury Secretary for the United States – brought in the brothers as part of a total $450 million deal that was finalized four years ago (since RatPac-Dune is a private company, the Kochs’ involvement wasn’t required to be disclosed). Bill Gates was reportedly another investor in that deal, and as a result has a stake in the same films that the Koch brothers reportedly have. And a spokesman for Koch Industries has denied the brothers’ involvement in RatPac-Dune: Anybody with an internet connection can see Mnuchin’s list of executive producer credits, but the Koch brothers, as well as other silent RatPac-Dune investors, are clearly not interested in any onscreen – or off-screen – credit.
