Volkswagen Scandal Movie in the Works From Paramount, Leonardo DiCaprio

The film will be based on a proposal for a book by Jack Ewing.

The Volkswagen scandal is heading to the big screen.

Paramount and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way have acquired the rights to a book proposal by Jack Ewing.

Ewing's book will investigate how a "more, better, faster" ethos fueled one of the greatest frauds in corporate history. The German car company had programmed their diesel cars so that U.S. standards emissions were met only when the car was undergoing emissions testing. On the road, emissions rates were up to 40 times higher.

The scandal has severely damaged the iconic car company's reputation, and led to the resignation of CEO Martin Winterkorn.

Ewing's untitled book, pitched as the Too Big To Fail of the auto industry, inked a mid-six figures book deal with Norton earlier in October.

DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran will produce via Appian Way.

Shari Smiley of The Gotham Group repped the book.