Spec Script Deal: “Ballerina”

Lionsgate acquires action spec script “Ballerina” written by Shay Hatten. From THR:

Ballerina has been described as being in the vein of La Femme Nikita, the 1990 female-centric assassin movie that helped launch the career of filmmaker Luc Besson, but with a more pulpy, hyper-stylized bent a la Quentin Tarantino or Matthew Vaughn.

Details are being kept under the tutu, but the story is known to center on a young woman raised as an assassin who must hunt down the other assassins that murdered her family.

Deal was made as part of a bidding war.

Hollywood Reporter Borys Kit tweeted this about the writer:

The plot sounds like a Shane Black type of story. And Shay, if you’re reading this, good for you. Not only for the deal, but also for your inspiration: Shane Black is most worthy of admiration… and imitation!

Shay is repped by CAA and Lee Stobby Entertainment.

By my count, this is the 40th spec script deal in 2017.

There were 38 spec script deals year-to-date in 2016.