Spec sale: “Science Fair”
Bidding war for “Science Fair”. Premise:
“Writer John Sullivan has sold his family adventure spec “Science Fair” to Disney for $275,000 against $575,000. With echoes of “Night at the Museum,” the screenplay centers on a science fair where all of the kids’ projects — think papier-mache volcanos and fungus — come to life.”
Night At The Museum was a hugely successful movie at the box office and has spawned a sequel, Night At The Museum 2: Escape From The Smithsonian. The ‘similar but different’ mindset in Hollywood certainly helped “Science Fair” and I imagine it might have played a part in Sullivan’s “brainstorming”:
“Sullivan, who is repped by ICM and Energy, hatched the idea with manager Jake Wagner last year during a late-night Hollywood brainstorming/drinking session.
“I grew up on stuff like ‘Explorers’ and ‘Goonies’ and ‘Weird Science,’ “ said Sullivan, whose mother teaches sixth grade. “I really wanted to explore something that was more family-friendly and something that I would actually like to go see myself if I was 12–16. There’s a lot of wish fulfillment in that. Movies like this are just fun to write.”
And even more fun to frolic with $275K!