FEATURED STORY:

According to various reports last night Quentin Tarantino's leaked script for his upcoming film HATEFUL EIGHT was rousingly read by the director with help from Samuel L Jackson, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell, James Parks, Amber Tamblyn,  Michael Madsen and others. Tarantino said that he is "working right now on a second draft.” The new version will have a different ending, the director noted. The current leaked draft has almost all of the major characters dying at the end. (1, 2)

According to reports the reading was a rousing affair and at times reenacted. Tarantino stood at a podium to the side and read while the various actors took their turns from their assorted positions. The script was typical Tarantinoesque hard laden with language, sex, and violence. The story is a Western that takes place after the Civil War.

OTHER SCREENWRITING STORIES

Last week it was reported that Jack Paglen (TRANSCENDENCE) is penning “Battlestar Galactica” for Universal Pictures. Those of you who recall the 1970s sci-fi TV series this will be an adaptation.

Mace Neufeld Productions have tapped Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement to write PURSUIT. 

Screen Gems has picked up PADRE a drama spec script by Mike Maples.

Dimension Films has stepped up for the horror pitch TRANSFERENCE by scribes Brandon Murphy and Phillip Murphy.