Script Sales: Week of April 10th, 2009
April 12th, 2009
The recent impressive opening of Fast & Furious has apparently helped to “fuel” Hollywood's obsession with remakes. Not surprising. After all, why be the first to try something daring when you can be the second or third to remake and make more. Studios have never had a problem remaking a movie, but with the economic hard times, making winners is more important than ever. If a franchise can be found and milked for several movies or remakes, all the better. What’s this mean for the aspiring screenwriter? It’s gonna be harder than ever to break in. You have to write a great screenplay AND get lucky in finding someone to want to buy it! Good luck dear screenwriter. - HC
“The 1980s have turned into a full-fledged garage sale of titles. "Romancing the Stone," "Footloose," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Dune," "The Karate Kid," "Red Dawn," "RoboCop," "The Big Chill," "Arthur," "Ghostbusters" and "The NeverEnding Story" are but a few of the titles from that decade being developed in Hollywood.”
(Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKTRE5360LY20090407)
SPEC SCRIPT SALE OF THE WEEK:
Butter – (political/satire) Story set in the small-town world of competitive butter sculpting and follows a young orphan who, after being adopted by a Midwestern family, discovers she has an uncanny talent for butter carving. She eventually finds herself up against the ambitious wife of the retired reigning champion in a town's annual butter-sculpting contest.
Writer: Jason Micalle
Production: Mandate Pictures
Note: Jennifer Garner is attached to star in the film by rookie screenwriter, sold on spec.
BEST OF THE REST
Leap Year (Romantic Comedy) - Plot details are being kept under wraps, though the project is described as an international-based romantic comedy.
Writer(s): Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan
Production: Spyglass Entertainment
Note: Spyglass Entertainment preemptively picked the pitch from writer-directors Elfont and Kaplan. Spyglass jumped at the project, taking it off the table with a seven-figure deal. Elfont and Kaplan, who are not attached to direct "Year," worked on the upcoming Patrick Dempsey starrer "Made of Honor" at Sony, as well as the company's "Sisters of Mercy."
Treehouse Gang (Teen/Adventure) – The story revolves around a group of kids -- four boys and two girls -- who were treasure hunters in their youth. After their 10-year high school reunion, they gather for one last grand treasure hunt a la "The Goonies."
Writer: Timothy Dowling
Production: Warner Bros.
Note: Dowling, one of the people behind the spoof short "George Lucas in Love."
North Wind (Sci-Fi) - The story takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles, years after global warming has created a new ice age. Most survivors live under the ice and are ruled by a dictator who exiles some citizens to the harsh environment outdoors. His cruel actions cause one of the exiles to lead a revolution.
Writer: David DiGilio
Production: Davis Entertainment, Boom Studios
Note: sci-fi comic book series, DiGilio aboard to adapt the five comics for the screen. The first three "Wind" comics from DiGilio (ABC's "Traveller") have been released this year in stores and via free digital downloads at MySpace Comic Books. The film will be one of many sci-fi spectacles for Davis Entertainment, which helped bring "I, Robot," "Alien vs. Predator" and "Eragon" to the screen.
Table 19 – (Comedy/Drama ) fish-out-of-water stories from attending a good friend's wedding in England, the comedy-drama chronicles the experience of those wedding guests quarantined at the dreaded "singles table." Told from the points of view of the strangers randomly thrown together, the story explores what marriage means to those on the sidelines.
Writer(s): Jay and Mark Duplass
Production: Fox Searchlight, 21 Laps Entertainment, Shawn Levy, Tom McNulty
Note: Based on idea by McNulty.
The Hungry Rabbit Jumps (Drama) - Plot details are being kept under lock and key, though the script is described as a dark, character-driven thriller.
Writer: Robert Tannen
Production: Indie producer Endgame, Tobey Maguire, Maguire Entertainment.
Note: Tannen, who wrote 2006's "Even Money" starring Kim Basinger. Script sold as a SPEC.
The Back-Up Plan (Romantic Comedy ) - Story centers on a single woman who turns to artificial insemination to answer her ticking clock, only to see her backup plan turned on its side when the man of her dreams shows up on the same day that her pregnancy test results come back positive.
Writer: Kate Angelo
Production: CBS Films, Escape Artists, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Note: Alex O'Loughlin, Jennifer Lopez attached to star. Alan Poul is attached to direct.
“The 1980s have turned into a full-fledged garage sale of titles. "Romancing the Stone," "Footloose," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Dune," "The Karate Kid," "Red Dawn," "RoboCop," "The Big Chill," "Arthur," "Ghostbusters" and "The NeverEnding Story" are but a few of the titles from that decade being developed in Hollywood.”
(Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKTRE5360LY20090407)
SPEC SCRIPT SALE OF THE WEEK:
Butter – (political/satire) Story set in the small-town world of competitive butter sculpting and follows a young orphan who, after being adopted by a Midwestern family, discovers she has an uncanny talent for butter carving. She eventually finds herself up against the ambitious wife of the retired reigning champion in a town's annual butter-sculpting contest.
Writer: Jason Micalle
Production: Mandate Pictures
Note: Jennifer Garner is attached to star in the film by rookie screenwriter, sold on spec.
BEST OF THE REST
Leap Year (Romantic Comedy) - Plot details are being kept under wraps, though the project is described as an international-based romantic comedy.
Writer(s): Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan
Production: Spyglass Entertainment
Note: Spyglass Entertainment preemptively picked the pitch from writer-directors Elfont and Kaplan. Spyglass jumped at the project, taking it off the table with a seven-figure deal. Elfont and Kaplan, who are not attached to direct "Year," worked on the upcoming Patrick Dempsey starrer "Made of Honor" at Sony, as well as the company's "Sisters of Mercy."
Treehouse Gang (Teen/Adventure) – The story revolves around a group of kids -- four boys and two girls -- who were treasure hunters in their youth. After their 10-year high school reunion, they gather for one last grand treasure hunt a la "The Goonies."
Writer: Timothy Dowling
Production: Warner Bros.
Note: Dowling, one of the people behind the spoof short "George Lucas in Love."
North Wind (Sci-Fi) - The story takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles, years after global warming has created a new ice age. Most survivors live under the ice and are ruled by a dictator who exiles some citizens to the harsh environment outdoors. His cruel actions cause one of the exiles to lead a revolution.
Writer: David DiGilio
Production: Davis Entertainment, Boom Studios
Note: sci-fi comic book series, DiGilio aboard to adapt the five comics for the screen. The first three "Wind" comics from DiGilio (ABC's "Traveller") have been released this year in stores and via free digital downloads at MySpace Comic Books. The film will be one of many sci-fi spectacles for Davis Entertainment, which helped bring "I, Robot," "Alien vs. Predator" and "Eragon" to the screen.
Table 19 – (Comedy/Drama ) fish-out-of-water stories from attending a good friend's wedding in England, the comedy-drama chronicles the experience of those wedding guests quarantined at the dreaded "singles table." Told from the points of view of the strangers randomly thrown together, the story explores what marriage means to those on the sidelines.
Writer(s): Jay and Mark Duplass
Production: Fox Searchlight, 21 Laps Entertainment, Shawn Levy, Tom McNulty
Note: Based on idea by McNulty.
The Hungry Rabbit Jumps (Drama) - Plot details are being kept under lock and key, though the script is described as a dark, character-driven thriller.
Writer: Robert Tannen
Production: Indie producer Endgame, Tobey Maguire, Maguire Entertainment.
Note: Tannen, who wrote 2006's "Even Money" starring Kim Basinger. Script sold as a SPEC.
The Back-Up Plan (Romantic Comedy ) - Story centers on a single woman who turns to artificial insemination to answer her ticking clock, only to see her backup plan turned on its side when the man of her dreams shows up on the same day that her pregnancy test results come back positive.
Writer: Kate Angelo
Production: CBS Films, Escape Artists, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Note: Alex O'Loughlin, Jennifer Lopez attached to star. Alan Poul is attached to direct.
Comments
Only logged-in members can comment. You can log in or join today for free!
Advertisement
