Mike Matusow is one of the most controversial poker pros in American poker history. With four World Series of Poker bracelets and over $10 million in tournament earnings, Matusow has built a legacy of his own.

“Matusow”, a documentary that follows the dramatic and often controversial life of Mike Matusow, is now available to watch for free on YouTube. The two-hour film explores the highs and lows of Matusow’s life—from his extraordinary poker career to battles with substance abuse, gambling addiction, family feuds, and outspoken political views.

Award-winning filmmaker Frank Zarrillo directed the documentary. He interviewed dozens of poker players and media personalities during its production. 

“Matusow” features appearances from poker legends such as Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, James Woods, Chance Kornuth, Shaun Deeb, and many more, who all share their perspectives on Matusow’s complex personality and legacy. The film also delves into some of the most controversial chapters of Matusow’s life, including his feud with 2004 WSOP Champion Greg Raymer, offering insights and perspectives that many fans may not have known. 

“Matusow” Documentary Now Available on YouTube

Originally released for rental on Amazon Prime in December 2024, the documentary is now available to stream for free on YouTube. The move likely aims to reach a wider global audience, as the film was not previously released internationally.

The documentary was uploaded to the Indie Rights Movies For Free YouTube channel and garnered over 17,000 views in the first 24 hours. As of now, it has over 35,000 views just two days after its YouTube release.

Poker legend Phil Hellmuth congratulated Frank Zarrillo and Mike Matusow upon the release of their documentary on YouTube. Hellmuth praised the film, calling it a “Great Watch.”

Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates and news from the poker industry.

Sources: YouTube,SpadePoker, 2+2 Forum 

<p>The post ‘Matusow’ — A Story Of Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Poker’s Most Explosive Star first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.</p>

From early black-and-white Westerns to modern dramas, film and television did more than just include poker. They helped elevate its status. These portrayals influenced how audiences perceive the game and how players perceive themselves.

Early Depictions of Poker

The first poker characters in the film were not professionals. They were men in dusty boots portrayed in Westerns such as ‘Dodge City’ and ‘Destry Rides Again’. In these stories, poker functioned as a setting for conflict, deception, and redemption. The technical rules of the game were secondary. What mattered was who won and why.

These early portrayals emphasized composure over hand strength. A protagonist might call a bet with nothing to show resilience. A cheating opponent might be exposed and punished. In these narratives, poker was associated with courage and moral clarity.

These films established poker as intense, confrontational, and suitable for drama.

A Shift Toward Psychology

By the 1960s, poker’s representation on screen became more focused on internal struggle. It no longer involved violence or guns. Instead, the emphasis shifted to observation, patience, and emotional discipline.

This marked a drastic change. Poker moved from being a background element to a central theme. It became a tool for character development and storytelling. The game became less about the cards and more about the interactions between players.

Television followed this trend. For example, in shows like ‘Columbo’, poker was used to reveal information about characters that dialogue alone could not provide.

The Modern Poker Boom

In 1998, Rounders introduced a more realistic version of poker. The film wasn’t overly dramatic or commercially dominant, but it resonated with a specific audience. It captured the language and mindset of serious players, those who studied the game and played with discipline and ambition.

This marked a turning point. Poker was no longer confined to historical settings or elite environments. It now had a place in casual home games, college communities, and underground venues. Rounders portrayed poker as a personal pursuit with real consequences.

In 2003, Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event after qualifying online. This, combined with ESPN’s coverage and the use of the hole-card camera, brought new attention to the game. Viewers could now follow the action with full information. Poker broadcasts became more engaging, and audiences could understand each decision.

Poker in the Mainstream

The early 2000s saw a rise in televised poker. Shows like ‘High Stakes Poker’, ‘Poker After Dark’, and ‘World Poker Tour’ brought the experience of live poker to a broader audience.

With the help of technology, viewers could see the players’ hole cards and follow their strategies. Poker became a structured and suspenseful viewing experience. The shows focused not only on winning hands but also on dramatic moments such as large bluffs, unexpected outcomes, and strategic missteps.

Some players gained popularity not just for their results but also for their behavior at the table. Daniel Negreanu was known for his communication, Phil Hellmuth for his emotional reactions, and Tom Dwan for his fearless style. These shows turned competitive poker into a form of entertainment with recurring characters and narratives.

Film Continues to Evolve the Image

In 2006, poker was featured in ‘Casino Royale’ as part of the James Bond franchise. The game was portrayed as complex and refined. It became a platform for tension, analysis, and manipulation. Bond’s approach to the game reinforced poker’s association with intelligence and self-control.

Later, ‘Molly’s Game’ presented poker from the perspective of someone who organized high-stakes games. Molly Bloom did not play but had control over who participated and how the games were run. The film revealed the behind-the-scenes dynamics of private poker events, including the influence of wealth, reputation, and secrecy.

Poker as a Narrative Device

Poker’s lasting presence in film and television is due in part to its narrative versatility. It reflects important human experiences such as decision-making under pressure, risk assessment, and emotional restraint.

In ‘The Wire’, poker represents the connection between strategy and corruption. In ‘Breaking Bad’, a family game of poker highlights hidden tensions. In ‘Billions’, poker strategy is used as a framework for business decisions.

These examples show that poker continues to be relevant not just as a game but as a storytelling tool.

A Cultural Shift

Over the decades, poker’s image in the media has evolved. It began as a background activity and developed into a cultural reference point. The game has come to represent ambition, intelligence, addiction, failure, and achievement.

Television and film gave poker identifiable characters such as veterans, confident tacticians, impulsive risk-takers,  and disciplined professionals. These portrayals shaped both the public’s perception of the game and the motivations of those who choose to play it.

Today, when poker is shown on screen, it is not just about cards. It is about choices, control, and outcomes. Every hand conveys something about risk, personal identity, and the willingness to make difficult decisions with uncertain results.

Keep following PokerProNews for more such valuable information and content from the poker industry.

<p>The post Poker in Popular Culture: How Movies and TV Shaped Its Image first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.</p>

The movie by POKERfilms is written, directed and produced by popular poker documentarian Michael Bailey. He released the sixth-part Bracelet Hunt: A Poker Docuseries last year. The Ultimate Stack is focused on the 2023 WPT Championship where you can take a glimpse of the poker tournaments from the beginning to the end through the eyes of the chips.

Who Are The Players In The Documentary- The Ultimate Stack

The outstanding documentary movie will make you thrilled by featuring some of the best players like Tony Dunst, Garrett Adelstein, Andrew Lichtenberger, Dan Sepiol, Mike Holtz, Brad Owen, and more. Some others involved in its production include the likes of Thomas Keeling (producer), Matthew Kiefer (narrator), Alec Rome, Matthew Owen, Nick Papazoglou, Sharelle Fequiere, and more.

The documentary film of 90 minutes will not only excite viewers with a look behind the scenes of the WPT World Championship but also offer a unique and random opportunity for new players to earn name and fame. In the movie, you will not be able to predict who is going to be the winner of a hand.

You can watch Lithuania’s Paulius Vaitiekunas who becomes the primary figure in the documentary by making a deep run. The filmmaker introduced his story to the audience by exploring  his story, poker accomplishments and his life while going deep in one of  the most prestigious tournaments of the year. 

The spotlight reveals the story of Chris Moorman who is considered one of the greatest players. Being a viewer you get to learn what motivates one of the best in the game. The movie is simple and unique and Bailey,  poker player himself, executed in an entertaining manner complementing both the WPT and the players involved.  

Don’t miss this documentary film and watch it with full excitement if you are a great fan of Poker and if not you are surely going to love it!

Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates and reviews of poker documentaries.  Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Youtube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

Image & Video Credit: POKERFilms

<p>The post New Poker Documentary ‘The Ultimate Stack’ Is Now Available On YouTube first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.</p>

Directed by Swiss filmmaker Luc Walpoth, this upcoming thriller seems to have some similarities to ‘Rounders‘,  which is widely considered the greatest poker movie of all-time. Notably, the Dead Money trailer comes a week after Matt Damon hinted at the possibility of a sequel of Rounders.

The two-minute trailer of the upcoming movie revealed a solid sense of the plot without revealing too much. The film stars professional poker player Andy, played by Emile Hirsch, who pays his bill by playing professional poker. Andy also loves his girlfriend Chloe, played by India Eisley. Andy used to play at casinos and poker rooms, but he got caught by variance and went on a losing streak. To pay his bills, he returns to playing home poker games.

In one of the home poker games, a group of robbers stole the money at gunpoint. Andy soon discovered that the host of the game was behind the robbery, so he stole the money back without any hesitation. 

In a strange turn of events, the robbers kidnap Chloe and threaten Andy to give back their money. To save his girlfriend, he must win the high-stakes poker game. The cast includes Rory Culkin, David Keith, Jackie Earle Haley, and others. 

Josh Wilcox penned the screenplay, with Luc Walpoth helming the direction. Initially titled ‘Degenerate,’ it premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. 

It’s been ages since a good poker film was released. The last poker film was ‘Rounders,’ which created a nationwide wave that inspired thousands to play the game of poker. It’s not like the film industry ever tapped into poker after that, but the portrayal of poker was either over the top or bad.

The best example would be the film Casino Royale, where the representation of poker was way over the top and cheesy. 

Dead Money looks promising, and it looks like Hollywood is finally going to represent poker in a realistic way rather than the hero somehow knowing his opponent’s hand and not all the players at the table hitting flushes, full houses, and royal flushes.

Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates on poker from across the globe!

<p>The post Trailer Released for High-Stakes Poker Thriller ”Dead Money” first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.</p>

Matt Damon appeared on the Rich Eisen Show, hosted by Rich Eisen, where he asked, “Could we really be getting a ‘Rounders’ sequel after all these years?” 

Damon replied, “The one that we have been talking about for years, and I just saw Edward Norton a few weeks ago. All of us want to do a sequel to the Rounders movie because so much has happened in that poker world in the last 25 years. It would be fun to catch up with those guys. 

In the movie, Damon plays the role of Mike McDermott, a law student who dreams of playing in the World Series of Poker. Edward Norton plays the role of Lester “Worm” Murphy, the childhood friend of McDermott, who puts him in life-threatening situations. 

Rounders is a landmark film based on the poker game. Released in 1998, Rounders changed people’s perception regarding poker. It was the first movie to show that poker is a game of skill rather than a game of chance. The movie inspired a lot of people to play poker, and one of them was the 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker. He confessed to watching Rounders 20 times and it served as inspiration for him to take part in the World Series of Poker. 

Rounders sequel has been on the news since 2010. There are multiple reports on a possible sequel to the cult classic film, but nothing has been confirmed. 

Way back in 2010, Miramax production, which holds the rights to Rounders, revealed that they are planning a Rounders sequel with both Matt Damon and Edward Norton returning to play their character, with a new villain replacing KGB. But it didn’t materialize. Later, the company was sold to Paramount Global.

However, Brian Koppelman, co-writer of Rounders, has been very vocal about the sequel. He even wrote a script a decade ago, but everything has changed since then.

Damon hinted at the Rounders sequel in 2023 while promoting “Air” starring him and Ben Affleck. He told the host that they are investigating whether they can do it. The sequel has been caught in copyright complications, as Miramax holds the rights to the movie and it’s not possible to make that movie without involving them. 

However, Matt Damon may have found a way to make a sequel to Rounders.

Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates and news from the world of poker!

Source: IMDb

<p>The post Matt Damon Teases ‘Rounders’ Sequel: Is a Poker Classic Comeback on the Way? first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.</p>