Spec Script Sale: “The Eden Project”

Sony Pictures acquires science fiction spec script “The Eden Project” written by Christina Hodson. From Tracking Board:

Sony Pictures has just won a multiple studio bidding war to win the sci-fi spec script THE EDEN PROJECT from writer Christina Hodson. The project, which is being pitched as a grounded sci-fi take on the origins of the Garden of Eden, was picked up for producers Tobey Maguire and wife Jennifer Meyer to produce through their Material Pictures. The project, which is expected to be the first in a series is officially titled “The Eden Project Part One: Eve” and from what we’re hearing has similarities to the recent Luc Besson & Scarlett Johansson outing “Lucy”. Following this logic, one can assume the second installment is in fact “The Eden Project Part Two: Adam”.

Prior to locking the deal down at Sony, Warner Brothers was also in play, going toe to toe with Sony up to the $500k mark, until Sony made the final move and put up a $750k offer. The idea that a project, which already had Maguire attached would not land at Sony (where Material’s deal is) for only $250k seems unlikely, but Sony put it to bed by upping the offer and locking the deal down as the work day was coming to an end.

Always nice to see a bidding war. Also suggests that after a poor year so far and a very slow summer, the spec market is starting to heat up at least just a bit with six sales in the last week.

Hodson is repped by CAA and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment.

By my count, this is the 46th spec script sale in 2014.

There were 75 spec script sales year-to-date in 2013.

Comment Archive