Spec Script Deal: “Yuba”

Netflix with a preemptive acquisition of Western drama spec script “Yuba” written by Eamon O’Sullivan. From Deadline:

The script has been designed to tell a sprawling period tale on a budget pegged at around $25 million or under.

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Yuba is a gritty Western with two main characters, set in the Gold Rush era. At that time, the Yuba river valley often was cited as the most lawless lands of the Old West. The drama aspires for the rawness of ambitious, flawed characters seen in period films like There Will Be Blood or Legends of the Fall.

O’Sullivan, a first-timer, is repped by UTA and Energy Entertainment.

By my count, this is the 61st spec script deal of 2016.

There were 52 spec script deals year-to-date in 2015.

Spec deals are up 15% this year over last.