Nick Bilton
British‑American journalist, New York Times columnist (former), Vanity Fair special correspondent, bestselling author and Emmy‑winning filmmaker and screenwriter.
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Life & Career Timeline
Co‑founded NYCResistor (hacker space)
Bilton helped co‑found NYCResistor, a Brooklyn hacker/maker collective (founding year not specified in provided text).
Born in England
Nick Bilton was born in Darlington, England (exact date/year not provided in sources).
Adjunct professor at NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP)
Listed as an adjunct professor for NYU's ITP program (date not specified in provided sources).
Founded True Story Productions / established production activities
Biographies list Bilton as founder of True Story Productions and having multiple film/TV projects in development (specific founding date not provided).
Moved to the United States / Attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Bilton moved to the U.S. and attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida (years not specified).
Joined The New York Times
Bilton began working at The New York Times; roles included design editor and researcher in the research & development labs.
Published 'I Live in the Future & Here's How It Works'
Bilton's book I Live in the Future & Here's How It Works: Why Your World, Work, and Brain Are Being Creatively Disrupted published.
Critical reviews / media coverage for 'Hatching Twitter'
Major reviews (Guardian, Washington Post) critiqued Hatching Twitter when it published in 2013.
Reportedly turned down $1.5M+ from CBS/CNET
An Uncrunched article reported Bilton turned down a $1.5M+ offer from CBS/CNET to stay at The New York Times.
Published 'Hatching Twitter'
Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal was published (New York Times bestseller).
NYT reporting contributed to FAA policy change
A series Bilton wrote for The New York Times is credited with helping the FAA allow people to use iPhones and Kindles during takeoff and landing (policy shift timeframe ~2013).
Lionsgate optioned 'Hatching Twitter' for TV
Variety reported Lionsgate had optioned Hatching Twitter for television adaptation.
Began co-writing Vanity Fair New Establishment List
Bilton co-wrote the Vanity Fair New Establishment List (credited 2015–2019).
Became regular contributor to CNBC
Bilton is noted as a contributor to CNBC in biographies (timing overlaps with Vanity Fair role; exact start date unspecified).
Joined Vanity Fair as Special Correspondent
Bilton became a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, writing features and columns and participating in editorial projects.
Left The New York Times
After working at The New York Times from 2003 to 2016, Bilton left to join Vanity Fair as a special correspondent.
Published Vanity Fair article sparking Twitter investors' interest
Published 'Twitter Is Betting Everything on Jack Dorsey. Will It Work?' in Vanity Fair; later deposed in class action suit and fought testimony on 1st Amendment grounds.
Option/Adaptation activity: 'Hatching Twitter' / 'American Kingpin'
Multiple of Bilton's books were optioned/adapted by studios (Hatching Twitter optioned by Lionsgate in 2013; American Kingpin adaptation activity reported in 2017).
Published 'American Kingpin'
American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road published (May 2017), a New York Times‑bestselling account of Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road investigation.
Spoke at Commonwealth Club with Dick Costolo
Event: 'Nick Bilton and Dick Costolo: Inside the Online Black Market' — Bilton discussed American Kingpin and Silk Road.
Coen brothers / Steven Zaillian adapt 'American Kingpin'
The Hollywood Reporter cited that the Coen brothers and Steven Zaillian were adapting American Kingpin into a film.
Producer on 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley' (HBO)
Bilton served as a producer on HBO's documentary about Theranos directed by Alex Gibney (2019).
Produced / involved in Emmy‑award winning documentaries
Bilton's biography lists Emmy‑award winning documentaries among his credits (specific award years/works not fully specified in provided sources).
Released 'Fake Famous' documentary (HBO) — wrote/directed/produced
HBO released Fake Famous, a documentary written, directed and produced by Bilton about social media and influencer culture.
'Fake Famous' reviewed in The New Yorker
New Yorker coverage discussed Fake Famous and influencer culture following the HBO release.
Netflix ordered docuseries on crypto laundering couple
News (The Verge) reported Netflix ordered a docuseries related to the bitcoin heist story; Bilton's Vanity Fair story 'Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde' is being developed with Netflix and director Chris Smith.
Multiple projects in development with major studios
Bilton's website and speaker bios list over a dozen projects in various stages with Lucky Chap, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros, HBO, Netflix and UCP.
Listed as writer on TV projects including 'The Idol' and 'Hatching Twitter'
Bilton has writing credits/consulting for scripted television projects including work on The Idol and projects adapting Hatching Twitter (timing per his website bios).
Site bio updated: ongoing production on Twitter doc series for Netflix
Bilton's official site states he is in production on a doc series based on the founding of Twitter in partnership with Netflix (timing noted on his site).
Spoke at University of Colorado Law School
Recorded speaking engagement (University of Colorado Law School) — listed on speaker pages and news.
Produced 'Biggest Heist Ever' (Netflix/other)
Bilton is credited as a producer on Biggest Heist Ever (listed 2024 filmography entry).
Announced as screenwriter and producer on Scorsese film starring DiCaprio, Johnson, Blunt
Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter reported Bilton would write the screenplay and produce a new Martin Scorsese film (Hawaii‑set mob crime drama) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
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