Spec Script Deal: “Mulan”

Disney acquires period drama spec script “Mulan” written by Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek. From THR:

Disney bought a script by writing team Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek that centers on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the female warrior who was the main character in Disney’s 1998 animated film.

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The 1998 film, directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, followed a young woman who disguises herself as a man so she can take her father’s place in the army and go to war. With the help of her trusty dragon sidekick Mushu, she becomes a skilled warrior and, eventually, one of the country’s greatest heroines. It earned $304.3 million worldwide, earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations and resulted in a 2005 direct-to-DVD sequel, Mulan II.

If a writer were to ask me, “Hey, I want to spec Mulan… what do you think?” I would have told them, “You’re crazy. There’s only one buyer. Disney. Try to sell that elsewhere, the studio’s legal eagles would sue your ass off. Are you willing to put all your eggs in one Burbank-based basket?”

Kudos to Ms. Martin and Ms. Hynek. Proved me wrong!

Writers are repped by Benderspink.

By my count, this is the 23rd spec script deal in 2015.

There were 20 spec script deals year-to-date in 2014.