The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 2004
Pretty much ever since I sold a spec script in 1987, I have been fascinated by them. The very idea that a writer could conceive a story concept, research, craft and write an original screenplay, then sell it to a Hollywood buyer is in and of itself a remarkable thing. When you consider that each year an estimated 25,000–40,000 stories filter through the studio acquisition system and only about 100 spec scripts sell annually, that makes it even more notable.
I didn’t start tracking all spec script sales until 1991, but then I tried my best to note the details whenever I learned about them. Over the years I often thought about those files and wouldn’t it be great to have a comprehensive list of all spec script sales in Hollywood? Here are some reasons why:
* To create an historical record of these special accomplishments by screenwriters in the movie business.
* To compare what spec scripts sold and got produced to those that never got made.
* To track buying trends in Hollywood [e.g., genre, high-concept].
* To create a resource for contemporary writers to brainstorm new story ideas.
And then this: With spec script sales being as high as they have been the last 18 months, can we consider this a new Golden Age of the Spec Script, or does it pale in comparison to the supposed gilded age back in the early to mid-90s? Is that collective memory true or perhaps incorrect?
I mulled over the possibility of collating all the information about spec sales I had amassed. Unfortunately the documentation takes the form of actual clippings from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, as well as hard drives on a number of old computers stashed away somewhere, and a variety of other sources.
In step two hearty souls, Black List interns Mikal McLendon and Evelyn Yves who agreed to help assimilate all the data into a comprehensive spec script sales list from 1991–2007 [to go along with my lists from 2008–2012]. It took Mikal and Eveyln months to pull this information together and I thank them profusely for their help [I hope you will, too, in comments].
Here’s what I have planned. I am going to roll out the list of spec script sales each day throughout June per this schedule:
June 4-June 8: Before 1991–1994
June 11-June 15: 1995–1999
June 18-June 22: 2000–2004
June 25-June 29: 2005–2009
June 30-June 31: 2010–2011
July 1: 2012
Please note, when I say ‘Definitive’ in the title, that means two things. First I am engaging in a bit of Hollywood hyperbole. I know there are some spec script sales that we will have missed. Every sale is covered nowadays through the trades and various tracking boards. That type of coverage was not the case back in the 90s. Which leads to the second point:
I want your help!
If you are a screenwriter who sold a spec script and you don’t see it on the list or you spot some details that are wrong or incomplete, please email me with updates.
If you are a studio exec, agent, manager, producer or movie fan who happens to know of a spec script sale that’s not listed, please email me.
Let’s see if we can round out this research project as best we can.
With that lengthy introduction, we take a look at spec script sales in 2004 after the jump. And thanks again to Mikal and Evelyn!
1. Title: Braun Logline: A Norseman raised by a king rather than a traditional clan resists being chosen to confront rogue warriors laying siege to Valhalla. Writer: Barbara Justice Hunter Production Co.: River City Pictures Genre: Action Adventure Date Sold: 1/5/2004
2. Title: Head Games Logline: A psychiatrist’’s life gets upended when he inherits the disorders of his group therapy patients. Writer: David Cohen, Tony Lord Agency: BWCS Management: Flashpoint Entertainment Studio: Universal Pictures Production Co.: Mandalay Pictures Price: Six figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 1/8/2004
3. Title: Honeymoon From Hell Logline: A bride and groom break off their wedding and decide to bring their respective bridesmaid and best man to their exotic honeymoon destination with neither knowing that the other is at the same location. Writer: Mark Colby Yosowitz Manager: Brooklyn Weaver Management: Energy Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Co.: Low to mid six Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 1/14/2004
4. Title: The Island Logline: A “harvested being” becomes self-aware and must escape the utopian facility where he and others are being kept. Writer: Caspian Tredwell-Owen Agency: CAA Studio: Dreamworks Pictures Price: $1M against $1.5M Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller Date Sold: 2/2/2004 Notes: Part of a bidding war
5. Title: Slammin Logline: A young Brazilian girl struggles to rise within the male-dominated world of competitive skating that brings her to Venice, Calif., where she finds both love and professional success. Writer: Aaron Metchik, Joseph Garner Manager: Philippa Burgess Management: Mason Burgess Lifschultz Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Genre: Sports Drama Date Sold: 2/3/2004
6. Title: Mexican Rodeo Logline: A talented Rodeo Clown is thrown off the Circuit after the President of the Rodeo gets tired of his arrogant antics. Alienated from all the luxuries and friends he once knew, his life falls apart. Facing jail time after making some bad decisions, he flees to Mexico, where he meets up with a kindred spirit, an old bull fighter, who helps the ex-rodeo clown to realize his true calling as a Matador. Writer: Fred Goltz Production Co.: Rhombus Media Group Price: Low six-figures Genre: Action, Buddy Date Sold: 2/5/2004 Notes: First time writer
7. Title: Sunshine Logline: Centers on a burdened mission in space. Writer: Alex Garland Agency: CAA Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures Production Co.: DNA Films Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller Date Sold: 2/5/2004
8. Title: The Reckoning Logline: Set in New Orleans, a woman suffers visions from her childhood that foretell her daughter’’s doom. Writer: Irving Belateche Agency: Endeavor Agency Manager: Andy Cohen Management: Grade A Entertainment Production Co.: Odd Lot Entertainment, A Band Apart Genre: Supernatural Thriller Date Sold: 2/5/2004
9. Title: Smother Logline: A mother leaves her husband after 30 years of marriage and shows up on the doorstep of her newlywed son. Writer: Tim Rasmussen, Vince Di Meglio Agency: UTA Management: Mosaic Media Group Production Co.: Everyman Pictures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 2/11/2004
10. Title: Untitled Beauman Comedy Logline: Spoof of dance movies, including “Fame,” “Flashdance,” “Footloose,” “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever.” Writer: Phil Beauman Agent: Nicole Clemens Agency: ICM Production Co.: Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Films Price: Mid-six figures Genre: Comedy Spoof Date Sold: 3/3/2004
11. Title: The Good Life Logline: Described as a female romantic comedy in the tradition of “9 to 5” and “Working Girl.” Writer: Casey McCabe Agent: Jordan Bayer Agency: Original Artists Studio: Universal Pictures Production Co.: Double Feature Films Price: Mid- against high-six figures Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 3/8/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
12. Title: Things to Do Before I Die Logline: A thirty year old man discovers he is dying from an inoperable brain tumor. He and his friend decide to complete a list they compiled when they were 19 of things they wanted to do before they died. Writer: Cory Helms, Jamie Linden Agent: Matthew Bedrosian Agency: Paradigm Manager: Zach Tann Management: Zide/Perry Management Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Co.: Heyday Films Price: High-six figures Genre: Drama Comedy Date Sold: 3/10/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
13. Title: The Rip Logline: A thief is hired to steal the De Beers diamonds from the Millennium Dome but decides to use that original theft as a diversion for a score that is twice as big. Writer: David Logan Agent: Todd Feldman Agency: William Morris Agency Manager: Jewerl Ross Management: Marathon Entertainment Production Co.: Working Title Films Price: Low against high-six figures Genre: Action Heist Date Sold: 3/15/2004
14. Title: 32 and Single Logline: A New York businesswoman must head out to a small town to oversee a factory closing, and while she is there she re-evaluates her big-city values. Writer: Ken Rance Agency: Writers & Artists Agency Manager: Darryl Taja Management: Catch 23 Management Studio: Universal Pictures Production Co.: Edmonds Entertainment, Catch 23 Entertainment Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 3/18/2004
15. Title: Red Eye Logline: A women is held hostage on an airplane and the captor threatens to kill her father unless she helps him assassinate a wealthy businessman. Writer: Carl Ellsworth Agent: Robert Lazar Agency: ICM Studio: DreamWorks SKG Price: $250,000 against $500,000 Genre: Thriller Date Sold: 3/19/2004
16. Title: Keep Coming Back Logline: A clean-cut Southern man decides to join an Alcoholics Anonymous group in order to meet single girls. Writer: Will Aldis Agency: Becsey Wisdom Kalajian Production Co.: Maverick Films Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 3/23/2004
17. Title: The Tiny Problems of White People Logline: A sportswriter is haunted by the ghost of a man who claims he is the actual writer of Shakespeare’s works. Writer: Will Aldis Agency: Becsey Wisdom Kalajian Production Co.: Maverick Films Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 3/23/2004
18. Title: Will Logline: A high school social outcast must find his way and try to fit in among the schools bullies and cliques. Writer: Josh A. Cagan Agent: Mark Ross Agency: Paradigm Production Co.: Revolution Studios Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 3/23/2004
19. Title: Mud Logline: Following three weeks of steady rain in Southern California, a group of people are trapped in a mountaintop art museum during a giant mud slide. As the mud rises, the survivors must get out of the museum and off the mountain before the whole thing comes down. Writer: Adam Clay Manager: Rob Landers Management: The Landers Group Production Co.: Capital Arts Entertainment Genre: Action Adventure Date Sold: 3/23/2004
20. Title: Unleashing the Mules Logline: Deke Edwards, a blind wrestling champion, is helped by his coach through his disability after he loses his sight at the age of 13. Writer: Christopher Parker Agency: Hohman Maybank Lieb Studio: MGM Price: Mid-six figures Genre: Drama Date Sold: 3/24/2004
21. Title: Maynard Dils … Last Man on Earth Logline: A nerd is awarded a blessing and a curse when he becomes absolutely irresistible to every woman he comes in contact with. Writer: Mark Blutman Studio: Universal Pictures Production Co.: The Playtone Company Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 3/25/2004 Notes: Optioned
22. Title: 2:22 Logline: A frustrated artist starts to realize that the casual events that happen in his life repeat themselves on a daily basis. He begins to connect this to a murder that took place on the day he was born. Writer: Todd Stein Agent: Caren Bohrman Agency: The Bohrman Agency Management: Brillstein-Grey Management Production Co.: Gold Circle Films Genre: Drama Date Sold: 3/30/2004 Notes: First time writer
23. Title: F+ Logline: The strange friendship that forms between a high school’s meanest teacher and the student who makes his life a living hell. Writer: Joe Ballarini Agent: Daniel Rabinow Agency: ICM Manager: Michael Lasker, George Heller, Jeremy Bell Management: Foursight Entertainment Studio: MGM Production Co.: Apartment 3B Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 4/1/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
24. Title: Time Travel for Dummies Logline: Three hapless friends make use of a time machine to get out of life’s chores, with unexpected consequences. Writer: Stephen Falk, Francis Stokes Agency: BWCS Manager: Brooklyn Weaver Management: Energy Production Co.: Summit Entertainment Price: Low-six figure Genre: Comedy Adventure Date Sold: 4/6/2004
25. Title: Town Creek Logline: Two brothers experience a haunting. Writer: Dave Kajganich Agent: Barbara Dreyfus Agency: UTA Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Co.: Kustom Entertainment Genre: Horror Date Sold: 4/7/2004
26. Title: Gotta Dance Logline: A macho construction worker discovers he has a son who is the most amazing ballet dancer in the world. He is torn between his manly world and the ballet world when he is asked to save his late mom’s dance company. Writer: Josh A. Cagan Agent: Trevor Astbury Agency: Paradigm Manager: Walter Hamada Management: H2F Entertainment Studio: MGM Production Co.: H2F Entertainment Price: $300,000 against $650,000 Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 4/13/2004
27. Title: The Passion of the Ark Logline: Set in modern day, an unmarried man is approached by God to build an ark to save the world from a second flood. Writer: Bobby Florsheim, Josh Stolberg Agent: Adriana Alberghetti Agency: Endeavor Agency Manager: Dave Phillips Management: Edmonds Management Studio: Columbia Pictures Production Co.: Original Film, Nine Yards Entertainment Price: $1.5M against $2.5M Genre: Drama Date Sold: 4/15/2004
28. Title: Connecting With Jack Gabriel Logline: A phony TV psychic falls for the reporter who’’s trying to expose him. Writer: Heidi Ferrer Agent: Andrew Cannava Agency: UTA Manager: Lawrence Mattis Management: Circle of Confusion Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: Sandbox Entertainment Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 4/27/2004
29. Title: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Logline: A newsman intentionally frames himself for a murder he didn’t commit in order to point out the dangers of circumstantial evidence and to expose an overzealous district attorney who has manipulated evidence in the past to gain convictions. Writer: David Collard Agent: Adriana Alberghetti Agency: Endeavor Agency Production Co.: Regency Enterprises, RKO Pictures, Inc. Genre: Drama Date Sold: 4/28/2004
30. Title: The Farnsworth Invention Logline: Philo Farnsworth invents TV technology but is robbed of the glory by broadcast pioneer David Sarnoff. Writer: Aaron Sorkin Agent: Ariel Emanuel Agency: Endeavor Agency Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: $2.5M against 2% of gross Genre: Drama, Bio Date Sold: 4/30/2004
31. Title: Gideon Logline: A young female artist imagines evil figures so deeply that they cross over into her real world. Writer: Andrew Klavan Agency: Endeavor Agency Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Production Co.: Macari/Edelstein Price: Mid six against high six figures Genre: Supernatural Thriller Date Sold: 5/10/2004
32. Title: The Wife’s Away Logline: A bored husband gets more than he bargained for when his wife leaves him alone for the weekend. Writer: Mike Reiss Agent: Jordan Bayer Agency: Original Artists Studio: Dreamworks SKG Price: Mid-six figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 5/12/2004
33. Title: K Thru 12 Logline: A girl and a boy meet in kindergarten and their paths cross all the way to high school. Writer: Joey Aucoin Agent: UTA Manager: Colin O’Reilly Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: Vertigo Entertainment Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 5/13/2004 Notes: First time writer
34. Title: Step in the Name of Love Logline: Set in the world of steppin’, centers on a Chicago-bred derivative of swing dancing. Writer: Carl Seaton, Kenny Young Agent: Jeremiah Hahn Agency: Brant Rose Agency Studio: MGM Production Co.: Urban Entertainment Genre: Urban Date Sold: 5/14/2004 Notes: First time writers
35. Title: Ghosts of 21 Logline: A 30-year-old pillar of the community on the verge of being married has his world turned upside down when his old college buddies reappear to hold him to a promise he made not to get hitched. Writer: Blake McCormick Agent: Jon Huddle Agency: ICM Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Production Co.: Davis Entertainment Price: Low against mid-six figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 5/17/2004 Notes: First time writer
36. Title: Sammy Logline: A woman who can sense what animals are thinking meets a man who claims to have the same relationship with dead people. Writer: Delia Ephron Agent: Rosalie Swedlin Agency: Industry Entertainment Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment Production Co.: Laurence Mark Productions, Type A Films Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 5/20/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
37. Title: Twice Upon a Time Logline: A divorced couple slowly falls back in love and has an impact on their children. Writer: Susan Brightbill Agent: Maha Dakhil Agency: Paradigm Manager: Michael Lasker, Jeremy Bell, George Heller Management: Foursight Entertainment Studio: Fox 2000 Price: Mid six-figures Genre: Romantic Drama Comedy Date Sold: 5/20/2004
38. Title: Breaking the Box Logline: Four female flight attendants moonlight as jewel thieves until they are blackmailed into pulling off the biggest heist of their lives. Writer: Dan Cutler Manager: Alex Ankeles Management: Mosaic Media Group Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Production Co.: Evolution Entertainment, Ralph Winters Productions Price: Low six figures Genre: Heist Date Sold: 5/24/2004
39. Title: 342 Logline: A young FBI agent leads the charge to restore the 18½-minute gap on Nixon Tape 342. When he gains control of the tape, he comes under the scrutiny of a veteran “spy catcher” within the FBI. Writer: Clayton Surratt Agent: Emile Gladstone, Justin Silvera Agency: Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency Manager: A.B. Fischer Management: Octane Entertainment Production Co.: 2929 Productions Genre: Thriller Date Sold: 5/27/2004 Notes: First time writer
40. Title: Wimpy Logline: Hi-concept twist on the Jekyll & Hyde story paradigm. Writer: Ryan Schifrin Manager: Brooklyn Weaver Management: Energy Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Co.: Alcon Entertainment, Energy Genre: Action Comedy Date Sold: 6/2/2004
41. Title: Jimmy Christ Logline: Jesus’’ adolescent younger brother comes of age in this sibling rivalry story set in suburban Bethlehem. Writer: Randy Mack Production Co.: iCatcher Films, Armak Productions Genre: Satirical Comedy Date Sold: 6/7/2004
42. Title: Deja Vu Logline: An FBI agent gains the ability to look back in time, and falls in love with a woman as her murder approaches. Writer: Terry Rossio, Bill Marsilii Agent: Brian Siberell, Steve White Agency: CAA, Ann Waugh Talent Agency Manager: Dodie Gold Management: Dodie Gold Management Studio: Walt Disney Company Production Co.: Jerry Bruckheimer Films & Television Price: $3M against $5M Genre: Romantic Thriller Date Sold: 6/8/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
43. Title: Furry Vengeance Logline: A cutthroat real estate developer encroaches too far on the natural world and finds himself beset by woodland creatures taking their revenge. Writer: Mike Carnes, Josh Gilbert Agency: Don Buchwald & Associates Studio: New Line Cinema Price: $750,000 Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 6/9/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
44. Title: Maid of Dishonor Logline: Despite her unromantic frame of mind, a jilted bride must return home and be part of her sister’s wedding party. Writer: Cristi Limm Agent: Adriana Alberghetti Agency: Endeavor Agency Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Co.: Di Novi Pictures Price: Mid to high-six figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 6/11/2004
45. Title: Style Council Logline: The least popular girl in high school scores a job ghostwriting an ultrahip teen magazine column that the popular girls read as gospel. In turn, the girl starts controlling their lives. Writer: Sam Schreiber, David Wells Agency: William Morris Agency Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: Karz Entertainment, E-Squared Genre: Teen Comedy Date Sold: 6/14/2004
46. Title: Bundle of Joy Logline: A romantic comedy involving an unexpected package that a newly married couple receives. Writer: Allison Burnett Agent: Bryan Besser Agency: Endeavor Agency Manager: Michael Sugar Studio: Walt Disney Company Production Co.: Beacon Price: Mid- against high-six figures Genre: Romantic Comedy Date Sold: 6/23/2004
47. Title: We’re the Millers Logline: A smuggler swears off his illegal career as he turns 30, but then is enticed into a final smuggling mission worth $1 million if he can sneak 1,400 pounds of pot across the Mexican border. He hires a fake family, names them the Millers and drives across the border in a Winnebago. Writer: Steve Faber, Bob Fisher Agent: Matt Solo Agency: ICM Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: Newman/Tooley Films, Benderspink Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 6/25/2004
48. Title: Witchfinders Logline: A group of 17th century witch hunters are charged with destroying a coven of witches before they flee Europe for a new home in Salem, Massachusetts. Writer: Justin Stanley, Shane Bitterling Agent: Caren Bohrman Agency: The Bohrman Agency Production Co.: Regency Enterprises, Kopelson Entertainment Genre: Action Adventure Date Sold: 6/30/2004
49. Title: All You Can Eat Logline: Set in the world of professional eating contests. Writer: Josh Heald Agent: Christopher Smith Agency: Metropolitan Talent Agency Studio: New Line Cinema Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 7/1/2004
50. Title: The Family Guide to Bounty Hunting Logline: A recently laid-off, mid-level telecom executive tries his hand at bounty hunting to support his family’s extravagant lifestyle. Writer: Tom Patrick Manager: David Baird Production Co.: Bonnie Curtis Productions Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 7/1/2004
51. Title: The Holiday Club Logline: A college kid is seduced into the reckless world of diplo-brats — the children of ambassadors who live to abuse the power of diplomatic immunity. Writer: Oritte Bendory, Aaron Feldman Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Production Co.: WideAwake, Inc. Genre: Drama Date Sold: 7/15/2004
52. Title: Smoke Logline: A physically abused dancer leaves her home for an apartment complex where she has premonitions of a tragic fire. Writer: Ronnie Christensen Agent: Steve Fisher Agency: APA Manager: Michelle Wallerstein-Weiss Production Co.: Gold Circle Films, Vertigo Entertainment, Bedlam Media Genre: Supernatural Thriller Date Sold: 7/27/2004
53. Title: Wild Child Logline: A Malibu bad girl is sent to a British boarding school to reform her crazy ways. Writer: Lucy Dahl Agent: Sylvie Rabineau Agency: Rabineau Wachter & Sanford Literary Agency Management: The Gotham Group Production Co.: Working Title Films Price: Mid- to high-six figures Genre: Teen Comedy Date Sold: 8/6/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
54. Title: Spartan News Logline: Described as being in the vein of “Mean Girls.” Writer: Mike Samonek Agency: UTA Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Co.: Marc Platt Productions Price: Mid-six-figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 8/9/2004
55. Title: Love and Hate Logline: A South Florida cop is haunted by her childhood best friend who has seemingly come back from the dead. Writer: Roderick Taylor, Bruce Taylor Agent: Jordan Bayer Agency: Original Artists Production Co.: Emmett/Furla Films Genre: Drama Date Sold: 8/13/2004
56. Title: Underground Logline: A former soldier must keep terrorists from flooding the London Underground. Writer: Stuart Hazeldine Agent: Danny Greenberg Agency: William Morris Agency Production Co.: Emmett/Furla Films Genre: Drama Date Sold: 8/13/2004
57. Title: Altitude Rush Logline: A group of friends must stop a plot to blackmail the President of the United States. Writer: Matt Reilly Agent: Danny Greenberg Agency: William Morris Agency Production Co.: Emmett/Furla Films Genre: Drama Date Sold: 8/13/2004
58. Title: Grounded Logline: An intergalactic dictator goes undercover as a high school science teacher after crash-landing in Nebraska. Writer: Paul Davidson Production Co.: Ascendant Pictures Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy Date Sold: 8/31/2004 Notes: First time writer
59. Title: Weirdo Logline: An overprotective father drops off his daughter at college. When the dad, whose dream is to become an FBI agent, becomes aware of all the potential temptations awaiting her, he manages to adopt various disguises to protect her virtue. Writer: Jake Shapiro Studio: New Line Cinema Production Co.: ChickFlicks Price: Six-figure Genre: Dark Comedy Date Sold: 9/13/2004
60. Title: Power Trip Logline: An executive travels with his crazy boss on a one-day business trip that turns into a three-day transportation nightmare. Writer: Adam Sztykeil Agency: UTA Management: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment Studio: Dreamworks SKG Production Co.: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, SideStreet Entertainment Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 9/21/2004
61. Title: Starship Dave Logline: A massive fireball from space hits New York’s Central Park and an ordinary man emerges unscathed. The man turns out to be a spaceship operated by 100 human-looking aliens who are one-quarter inch tall and seeking a way to save their planet; complications ensue when their captain falls in love with an Earth woman who’s always picked losers for previous romances. Writer: Rob Greenberg, Bill Corbett Agent: Sylvie Rabineau Agency: Rabineau Wachter & Sanford Literary Agency Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Co.: Guy Walks Into a Bar, Inc., Deep River Productions Genre: Sci-Fi Comedy Date Sold: 9/28/2004
62. Title: Dealbreaker Logline: A crisis PR guy, in order to get out of trouble, is always making deals with God that he never fulfills. While drowning he makes the ultimate bargain, promising God to make good on all his previous deals, and is forced to fulfill them. Writer: Samantha Goodman, Andrew Stern Agency: Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency Management: Principato-Young Entertainment Studio: Paramount Pictures Production Co.: Principato-Young Entertainment, Callahan Filmworks Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 10/8/2004 Notes: Preemptive pick-up
63. Title: Invincible Logline: Vince Papale, a bartender, makes the Philadelphia Eagles football team as a 30-year-old in an open tryout. He’s the oldest rookie to make an NFL team who never played college ball. Writer: Brad Gann Agency: Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency Management: Industry Entertainment Studio: Walt Disney Company Production Co.: Mayhem Pictures Price: $500,000 against $900,000 Genre: Sports Drama Date Sold: 10/11/2004
64. Title: Stick It Logline: A renegade girl introduces her rebel ways to her fellow gymnasts, who are fierce rule followers. Writer: Jessica Bendinger Agent: Gregory McKnight Agency: CAA Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Production Co.: Red Wagon Productions Genre: Sports Comedy Date Sold: 10/13/2004
65. Title: Wild Card Logline: A con-artist couple target a wealthy mark only to see things go horribly wrong. Writer: Marshall Moseley Production Co.: Craven/Maddalena Films Genre: Drama Date Sold: 10/19/2004 Notes: Script was one of three finalists in the latest Project Greenlight screenplay competition.
66. Title: Vantage Point Logline: An attempted assassination of the president is told from five different points of view. Writer: Barry L. Levy Agent: Charlie Ferraro, Keya Khayatian Agency: UTA Manager: Stephen Marks, Stephen Gates Management: Evolution Management Studio: Columbia Pictures Production Co.: Original Film Price: Mid-six figures against $1M Genre: Thriller Date Sold: 10/22/2004
67. Title: Slo-Mo Logline: A writer’s New Yorker articles have made him a superstar among the literati, who cannot wait for the upcoming book that will cement the writer as an important author. The pressure has blocked him to the point where he has fallen into a parallel reality that operates on a much slower clock than the real world and makes it impossible for him even to communicate. Writer: John Krokidas Production Co.: Single Cell Pictures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 11/2/2004
68. Title: The Strangers Logline: Three mysterious strangers terrorize a young couple in a remote house after they return from a wedding. Writer: Byran Bertino Agent: Valarie Phillips Agency: Paradigm Studio: Universal Pictures Production Co.: Vertigo Entertainment, Senator Entertainment Genre: Horror Date Sold: 11/15/2004
69. Title: Time Keepers Logline: Two boys discover that magic is real, and that they have a strange role to play in the history of the world Writer: Alex Garland Agent: Robert Bookman Agency: CAA Production Co.: Working Title Films Price: Six figures Genre: Adventure Date Sold: 11/17/2004
70. Title: Wish Logline: Follows the kidnapping of a young boy by a convict and three friends. Set in New England the kidnappers realize that the child is less innocent than he seems. Writer: Chris Borrelli Managment: H2F Studio: Universal Production Co.: Gold Circle Films Genre: Thriller Date Sold: 11/24/2004
71. Title: Body Armor Logline: A bodyguard is hired to protect the man who destroyed his life. Writer: Ken Lamplugh, John Weidner Agent: Brian Sher, Jon Huddle Agency: ICM Management: Magnet Management Production Co.: Zinc Entertainment, Silver Pictures, Southwick Productions Genre: Action Thriller Date Sold: 12/1/2004
72. Title: The Cleaner Logline: A hellish temp is hired by companies whenever they want one of their employees to quit. He meets his match when hired to get rid of someone who proves to be even more annoying than he is. Writer: Steven List, Astrid Neal Agent: Matt Leipzig, Jordan Bayer Agency: Original Artists Manager: Dave Phillips Management: Corner of the Sky Entertainment Production Co.: Mobius International Price: Low against mid six figures Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 12/6/2004
73. Title: Super Ex Logline: A man discovers that the woman he’s dating is a superhero and then decides to break up when she becomes too needy and manipulative. She then uses her superpowers to turn his life into a living nightmare. Writer: Don Payne Production Co.: Regency Enterprises, Pariah Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 12/13/2004
74. Title: Suicide Squad Logline: An ex-con scores a job at a suicide crisis hot line. Looking for respect and a healthy payday, he recruits a ragtag group of suicidal outcasts to help him knock over a horse track. Writer: Christopher Dean Johnston Agency: ICM Production Co.: Working Title Films Genre: Comedy Date Sold: 12/17/2004
75. Title: High Times Logline: Two Valley teens become cocaine dealers in the 1980s. Writer: Gregg Moscot, Jason Mundy Production Co.: Mount Film Company, Cloud 9 Media Group Price: Six figures Genre: Drama, Comedy Date Sold: 12/18/2004
Update
76. Title: Bedbugs aka: Dead Asleep Logline: A new species of bug crawls into sleeping victims and devour them from the inside out. Writer: Carter Blanchard Genre: Horror Thriller Agency: UTA Management: Kaplan/Perrone Price: Mid-six figures Studio: New Line Date: 6/04.
Analysis
* Notable sales: The Island, Deja Vu, and The Strangers.
* How about this plot summary: “A thirty year old man discovers he is dying from an inoperable brain tumor. He and his friend decide to complete a list they compiled when they were 19 of things they wanted to do before they died.” That is not The Bucket List, but an unproduced spec that sold in 2004 called “Things To Do Before I Die.” Which means TBL is about as similar as ‘similar but different’ can be to a preceding project.
* Then there’s the story of The Passion of the Ark which is reported to be the most money paid for a spec script by first-timers [$1.5M against $2.5M]. Subsequently Universal dumped the draft and Steve Oedekerk received sole credit on a movie called Evan Almighty.
* And what happened with that big Aaron Sorkin spec script sale “The Farnsworth Invention” for $2.5M? Eventually Sorkin adapted into a stage play. You can see its website and trailer here.
* Sales continued a downward move in 2004. Here is the trendline:
1991: 28
1992: 40
1993: 89
1994: 101
1995: 173
1996: 155
1997: 141
1998: 110
1999: 83
2000: 92
2001: 101
2002: 114
2003: 89
2004: 75
Now it’s your turn to do some analysis. Who’s willing to get the stats on these questions:
* Breakdown of sales by studios.
* Breakdown of sales by genre.
* Which of these scripts were produced as movies and what percentage of the total does that represent?
Finally your opinions: Which one of these loglines strikes you as the strongest and why?
UPDATE: I’ve added “Wish” to the list, a spec script by Chris Borrelli that sold in November, 2004.
Monday: 2005.
Special thanks: Sales details are included with permission from Done Deal Pro (www.donedealpro.com).
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