The Definitive Spec Script Sales List (1991–2012): 2012

Pretty much ever since I sold a spec script in 1987, I have been fascinated by them. The very idea that a writer could conceive a story concept, research, craft and write an original screenplay, then sell it to a Hollywood buyer is in and of itself a remarkable thing. When you consider that each year an estimated 25,000–40,000 stories filter through the studio acquisition system and only about 100 spec scripts sell annually, that makes it even more notable.

I didn’t start tracking all spec script sales until 1991, but then I tried my best to note the details whenever I learned about them. Over the years I often thought about those files and wouldn’t it be great to have a comprehensive list of all spec script sales in Hollywood? Here are some reasons why:

* To create an historical record of these special accomplishments by screenwriters in the movie business.

* To compare what spec scripts sold and got produced to those that never got made.

* To track buying trends in Hollywood [e.g., genre, high-concept].

* To create a resource for contemporary writers to brainstorm new story ideas.

And then this: With spec script sales being as high as they have been the last 18 months, can we consider this a new Golden Age of the Spec Script, or does it pale in comparison to the supposed gilded age back in the early to mid-90s? Is that collective memory true or perhaps incorrect?

I mulled over the possibility of collating all the information about spec sales I had amassed. Unfortunately the documentation takes the form of actual clippings from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, as well as hard drives on a number of old computers stashed away somewhere, and a variety of other sources.

In step two hearty souls, Black List interns Mikal McLendon and Evelyn Yves who agreed to help assimilate all the data into a comprehensive spec script sales list from 1991–2007 [to go along with my lists from 2008–2012]. It took Mikal and Eveyln months to pull this information together and I thank them profusely for their help [I hope you will, too, in comments].

Here’s what I have planned. I am going to roll out the list of spec script sales each day throughout June per this schedule:

June 4-June 8: Before 1991–1994
June 11-June 15: 1995–1999
June 18-June 22: 2000–2004
June 25-June 29: 2005–2009
June 30-June 31: 2010–2011
July 1: 2012

Please note, when I say ‘Definitive’ in the title, that means two things. First I am engaging in a bit of Hollywood hyperbole. I know there are some spec script sales that we will have missed. Every sale is covered nowadays through the trades and various tracking boards. That type of coverage was not the case back in the 90s. Which leads to the second point:

I want your help!

If you are a screenwriter who sold a spec script and you don’t see it on the list or you spot some details that are wrong or incomplete, please email me with updates.

If you are a studio exec, agent, manager, producer or movie fan who happens to know of a spec script sale that’s not listed, please email me.

Let’s see if we can round out this research project as best we can.

With that lengthy introduction, we take a look at spec script sales in 2010 after the jump. And thanks again to Mikal and Evelyn!

2012 Spec Script Sales

1. Title: The Incredible True Story of Jessica & Drew Who Accidentally Boned on the Way to the Wedding Logline: The story centers on two people who, while on the way to a destination wedding and with other partners on their minds, hook up and fall in love. Writers: Erin Simon, Kimberly Karp Genre: Comedy Agency: WME Studio: Fox 2000 Date: 1/7/2012

2. Title: Run All Night Logline: In a single night, an aging mob hitman is forced to take on his former boss. The guy has to protect his son and family, and winds up on the run from the mob and the authorities with his estranged son. Writer: Brad Ingelsby Genre: Action Agency: WME Studio: Warner Bros. Price: Mid-six / preemptive purchase. Date: 1/10/2012

3. Title: Coffee Town Logline: Will, played by [Glenn] Howerton [It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia], and his two thirty-something friends band together when their freeloading existence is threatened. Writer: Brad Copeland Genre: Comedy Agency: UTA Prod Co: College Humor Date: 1/12/2012.

4. Title: Flashback Logline: After becoming the first human to break the speed of light, a NASA pilot is struck with amnesia, and in the search for the memories of who he was, he discovers he has the ability to travel back in time. Writer: Will Honley Genre: Science Fiction Agency: Verve Management: Mindframe Entertainment Prod Co: Endgame Entertainment Date: 1/13/2012

5. Title: Everybody Wants Head Logline: A man with extreme OCD inadvertently meets a shameless sex addict in group therapy. After a series of unfortunate events, the two wind up on the run from the cops and the mob carrying a severed head in a bowling ball bag. Writers: Peter Hoare and Christopher Lilli Genre: Comedy Management: Kailey Marsh Management Prod Co: Sentinel Pictures / Cinetic Media Date: 1/13/2012 Note: First-time writer.

6. Title: The Counselor Logline: The protagonist in The Counselor is a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked down. It is a bad decision and he tries his best to survive it and get out of a desperate situation. Writer: Cormac McCarthy Genre: Drama Agency: ICM Producers: Nick Wechsler, and Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz Date: 1/17/2012. Note: First spec script and sale from Pulitzer Prize-winning author McCarthy.

7. Title: Bermuda Logline: Set in the Bermuda Triangle, the story focuses on a documentary film crew that goes missing. The only trace is the discovery of their film footage chronicling their final desperate days. Writers: Bobby Lee Darby, Nathan Brookes Genre: Horror Agency: Original Artists Management Hung Entertainment Prod Co: WWE Studios Date: 1/19/2012 Note: Found footage project.

8. Title: Thirteen Logline: When six friends decided to purposely become demonically possessed as part of an extreme experiment, they soon discover they’re in for much more than they bargained for. Writer: Ben Magid Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Energy Entertainment Studio: Universal Date: 1/21/2012 Note: Found footage project.

9. Title: Untitled Goffigan Project Logline: Attempting to rebuild her life after a harsh engagement break up, a young woman moves to San Francisco where she finds herself the victim of escalated assaults, and ultimately, something much more sinister. Writer: L.D. Goffigan Genre: Thriller Agency: CAA Management: Jewerl Ross Prod Co: Lava Bear Date: 1/31/2012 Note: First-timer. Originally entitled “Intrusion.”

10. Title: NSFW Logline: NSFW centers on a young paralegal who is trapped in the office with a killer on a mission to destroy files for another corporation. Writers: Adam Mason, Simon Boyes Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Brucks Entertainment Studio: Universal Date: 2/1/12 Note: Micro-budget, Joe Johnston attached to direct, writers are British.

11. Title: Gaslight Logline: Jack the Ripper, secretly imprisoned in a London insane asylum, is called upon to help Scotland yard solve a series if murders that share the iconic death brand: dual puncture wounds to the neck. Writer: Ian Fried Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Prolific Entertainment Studio: Hammer Date: 2/8/2012.

12: Title: Saving Mr. Banks Logline: Saga of how Walt Disney persuaded Australian author P.L. Travers to sell him the rights to make a film out of Mary Poppins. That courtship took 14 years. Writer: Kelly Marcel Genre: Drama Agency: WME Studio: Walt Disney Company Date: 2/9/11. Note: 2011 Black List script.

13: Title: Picture Book Logline: Centers on the mysterious happenings in the mansion of a famous children’s author. The story is reminiscent of 2001’s “The Others,” with a supernatural twist. Writer: Benjamin Magid Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Energy Entertainment Prod Co: SkyRock Venture Date: 2/8/12 Note: Second spec script by Magid to sell in a month.

14. Title: The Waiting Logline: Described as Rear Window meets Paranormal Activity, mysterious events occur when two high school filmmakers decide to create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting neighbor. Writers: Mark Bianculli, Jeff Richard Genre: Supernatural Thriller Agency: WME Management: Anonymous Content Studio: Warner Bros. Date: 2/13/12 Note: Preemptive purchase. Writers are first-timers.

15. Title: Invertigo Logline: A NASA satellite crash lands in New York City, creating a “reverse-G vortex” where gravity is inverted, imperiling the planet. Writers: Ehren Kruger, Bradley Camp Genre: N/A Legal: Jason Sloane Studio: Sony Date: 2/22/12

16. Title: Blood Mountain Logline: Spec is described as a gritty survival thriller with action elements. Writer: Jonathan Stokes Genre: Thriller Agency: UTA Prod Co: Derby Street Films Date: 2/28/12 Notes: Six figures. Script made the 2011 Black List.

17. Title: The Most Wonderful Time Logline: The chaos of a family around Christmastime, featuring storylines with multiple characters that intersect. Writer: Steven Rogers Genre: Drama Agency: ICM Buyer: Relativity Media Date: 2/28/12. Notes: Robert Redford and Diane Keaton attached.

18. Title: Bloodshot Logline: The protagonist is Angelo Mortalli, a ruthless killer for the mob who is set up by the family and framed for a murder. He instead goes into Witness Protection, but is betrayed by an FBI agent guarding him, kidnapped and forcibly subjected to an experimental program in which his body is injected with microscopic computers called nanites. They erase his brain and rebuild it and his body to be a weapon with superhuman strength and healing powers. Bloodshot escapes his makers, and though he isn’t his old self, he tries to figure out who he was. Things get bad for everybody who betrayed him. Writer: Jeff Wadlow Genre: Action Agency: WME Studio: Sony Price: $450K-$1M Date: 3/1/12. Notes: The WME-repped Wadlow got this through his own entrepreneurial spunk. He loved the comic, and made an agreement with Valiant and Original Film to write it on spec. They showed it to Sony, where [Neal] Moritz has his deal. The studio bought it.

19. Title: Tape 4 Logline: Incorporates Lovecraftian mythology into a modern setting. Writer: Jeremy Slater Genre: Horror Agency: UTA Management: Kaplan/Perrone Studio: Warner Bros. Date: 3/7/12 Notes: Part of WB’s push into low-budget genre films.

20. Title: Action №1 Logline: The story revolves around a group of nerds who attempt to steal Nicholas Cage’s copy of Action Comics №1, the landmark 1938 comic that introduced the world to the Man of Steel. Writers: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon Genre: Action Comedy Agency: CAA Management: Principato-Young Studio: Lionsgate Date: 3/9/12.

21. Title: Lockdown At Franklin High Logline: Pic is about a straight edge teen girl and her rebellious, socially outcast brother as they try to escape from their prison-like high school which has been locked down and plunged into anarchy and pandemonium due to the attacks of a ravenous, supernatural monster. Writers: Greg Bishop, Joe Ballarini Genre: Horror Thriller Agency: Paradigm Management: Apostle [Ballarini], Andy Cohen [Bishop], Studio: Sony Date: 3/9/12. Note: Preemptive purchase.

22. Title: Off The Grid Logline: A professional “fixer” named Ghost who helps white-collar criminals change their identities and disappear saves a seemingly innocent woman from a violent loan shark. Ghost finds his own life in danger after a private security firm puts a price on his head. He goes “underground” in an attempt to discover who his mystery assailant is and gets caught in a tangled web of betrayal, revenge and murder. Writers: Christopher Cantwell and Christopher Rogers Genre: Action Thriller Agency: Verve Management: Management 360 Prod Co: Indian Paintbrush Date: 3/12/12. Note: Former spec “The Knoll” a Black List script.

23. Title: Olympus Has Fallen Logline: A big action movie set in the White House. Writers: Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt Genre: Action Agency: Devra Lieb and Dan Vantresca Management: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment Studio: Millennium Date: 3/12/12.

24. Title: The Good Samaritan Logline: Centers on an up-and-coming assistant D.A. prosecuting a fatal hit-and-run case with inconclusive evidence. Writer: Peter Dowling Genre: Legal Drama Agency: APA Studio: Paradox Date: 3/13/12.

25. Title: Swindle Logline: N/A Writers: Enzo Mileti, Scott Wilson Genre: Action Heist Agency: ICM Studio: Paramount Date: 3/15/12.

26. Title: Lauren Pemberton Is No Longer In A Relationship Logline: A young professional’s life is turned upside down when he reads the new Facebook relationship status of his childhood tutor, who broke his heart as a teenager. He decides to try and win her back. Writers: Issac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger Genre: Comedy Agency: Verve Management: Aptaker [Management 360], Berger [Industry Entertainment] Studio: Millennium Date: 3/15/12.

27. Title: Black River Logline: Follows a small-town girl who has been haunted by a dead girl’s spirit ever since her own near-fatal accident. When she goes off to college and her friends begin to die, she must uncover the dark secret of the dead girl’s fate. Writer: Ransom Reed Genre: Psychological Thriller Agency: Paradigm Management: Heroes and Villains Prod Co: Black Forest Film Group Date: 3/19/12.

28. Title: Slayer Logline: Described as a modern-day story about a young doctor whose estranged father dies and he finds out the old man was a dragon and creature slayer. The doctor must become a slayer too. Writer: Martin Helgeland Genre: Action Fantasy Agency: WME Prod Co: Legendary Pictures Date: 3/20/12.

29. Title: Huck Logline: The project is described as a re-imagining in the vein of Snow White and the Huntsman, focusing on Sawyer and Finn as adults. There also are supernatural elements to the script. Period action drama about the continuing adventures of Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. In this latest version of Mark Twain’s legendary characters, however, the trio are now hot and in their late 20s.Writer: Andy Burg Genre: Adventure Drama Supernatural Agency: ICM Management: Bruck Entertainment Studio: Paramount Date: 3/20/12.

30. Title: Mojave Logline: N/A Writer: William Monahan Genre: Crime Thriller Agency: WME Prod Co: Allied International Date: 3/22/12.

31. Title: Manhattan Undying Logline: A beautiful vampire commissions an artist to paint her so she can see herself for the first time. She is unaware that the artist is dying and desperately working to create his last masterpiece that will give him artistic immortality. Writer: Matt Deller Genre: Vampire Drama Management: Empirical Management Prod Cos: Sobini Films / Payam Films Date: 3/26/12. Note: First-timer [Assistant Principal at SoCal HS].

32. Title: N/A Logline: Female buddy cop action project. Writer: Katie Dippold Genre: Action Comedy Agency: WME Management: 3 Arts Prod Co: Chernin Entertainment Date: 3/28/12.

33. Title: Garden District Logline: A low-budget horror thriller about a trio of self-declared mythbusters who get in over their heads while investigating what they think is just another hoax. Writers: Tony Jaswinski, Luke Goltz Genre: Horror Thriller Management: Circle of Confusion Studio: Dimension Films Price: Mid-six to seven figures. Date: 3/29/12.

34. Title: White House Down Logline: Described as “Die Hard” meets “Air Force One.” Writer: James Vanderbilt Genre: Action Agent: WME Management: UFUSE Management Studio: Sony Price: Reported $3M. Date: 3/29/12. Note: Bidding war between Sony and Paramount.

35. Title: Lore Logline: “Men in Black with mythological creatures.” Writers: Cory Goodman and Jeremy Lott Genre: Sci-Fi Action Agent: WME / Paradigm Management: Aperture Entertainment Studio: Warner Bros. Date: 4/12/12 Note: Seven-figure progress-to-production deal. Adapted from graphic novel.

36. Title: The Disappointments Room Logline: A dramatic thriller about a woman who moves into a mysterious old house in the country with her husband and young son, only to discover their new home comes with a dark past. Writer: Wentworth Miller Genre: Thriller Agency: ICM Management: The Gotham Group Prod Co: Killer Films / Voltage Pictures Date: 4/13/12.

37. Title: Alter Logline: A team of scientists aboard a space station monitoring activity around a black hole when they receive a transmission showing their deaths at the hands of mysterious aliens. Writers: John Sonntag, Thomas Sonntag Genre: Science Fiction Agency: UTA Management: Mosaic Prod Co: Voltage Pictures Date: 4/16/12 Notes: First-timers.

38. Title: Comancheria Logline: Two brothers, one an ex-con and the other a divorced father of two kids, face the foreclosure of their family’s West Texas farm. They team for a skillfully-calculated bank robbing spree that puts them on a collision course with two Texas Rangers determined to take them down. Writer: Taylor Sheridan Genre: Action Crime Agency: Gersh Management: Elevate Entertainment Prod Co: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment Date: 4/18/12 Note: Sheridan is an actor, former regular on “Sons of Anarchy.”

39. Title: Ground Control to Major Tom Logline: N/A Writer: Jason Micallef Genre: Romantic Comedy Agency: WME Management: Underground Studio: Walt Disney Price: Mid-six figures. Date: 4/19/12.

40: Title: Savage Planet Logline: N/A Writer: Cole Haddon Genre: N/A Agency: ICM Management: Anonymous Content Studio: Sony Date: 4/23/12. Note: Preemptive buy.

41. Title: Cardiac Logline: A taut action thriller in the vein of Taken and Safe House, involving a father who has six hours to find the criminals that have stolen a heart intended for his daughter’s transplant surgery. Writer: Lars Jacobson Genre: Action Thriller Agency: CAA Management: Brian Lutz Management Studio: 20th Century Fox Date: 4/24/12.

42. Title: The Fall Logline: A modern take on The Odyssey, about a young man who makes his way cross country carrying with him the cure for a devastating plague. He’s hunted by men who want the cure for himself. Writer: Christopher Cosmos Genre: Drama Thriller Management: Benderspink Prod Co: QED International Date: 4/26/12. Note: Cosmos works as DOD for Benderspink.

43. Title: Son of a Bitch Logline: A young stoner who tries to maintain her popular party image even after discovering she’s pregnant. Writer: Kelly Oxford Genre: Comedy Agency: WME Studio: Warner Bros. Date: 4/26/12. Note: Oxford has over 300K followers on Twitter because of her “biting, edgy humor.” Deal is for low to mid-six figures and was a preemptive purchase.

44. Title: El Tigre Logline: The project is an action comedy about a family vacation gone wrong when the father is mistaken for Mexico’s most ruthless drug lord, El Tigre. Writers: Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley Genre: Comedy Agency: Paradigm Management: Mosaic Studio: Sony Price: Bidding war: Mid-six figures. Date: 4/26/12. Note: First-timers.

45. Title: The Bloody Benders Logline: A husband, wife, son and daughter run a hotel in Kansas on the outskirts of the prairie in 1873. As many as 20 guests check in, but they never check out. The guests are robbed and murdered by their hosts, and the killers are never punished. Writer: Adam Robitel Genre: Horror Thriller Agency: APA Buyer: Angry Films Date: 4/27/12.

46. Title: Dear Satan Logline: Story follows a 7-year-old girl who accidentally misspells “Santa” and instead invites Satan to bring her a toy for Christmas. The inspiration for the script came from the writer’s babysitting experience when a child in his care switched a couple of letters in Santa’s name on his yearly note to the North Pole. Writer: Dan Ewen Genre: Comedy Agency: APA Management: Christopher Pratt Studio: Fox Date: 5/8/12.

47. Title: Until Death Logline: Plot details are vague, but sources describe the pic as a female-driven thriller in the vein of “The Town.” Writer: Calvin Starnes Genre: Thriller Agency: CAA Management: Circle of Confusion Studio: Screen Gems Date: 5/11/12. Note: Starnes is a first-timer who worked as a grip on movies like “Horrible Bosses.”

48. Title: My Owner’s Wedding Logline: A romantic comedy about two eligible young women, the man both of them want, and his dog. The latter will go to any length to make sure his owner ends up with the right girl. Writers: Robert Cary, Jonathan Tolins Genre: Romantic Comedy Management: Alan Gasmer & Friends Prod Co: Millennium Films Date: 5/15/12.

49. Title: 2 Logline: N/A Writer: Barry L. Levy Genre: Action Thriller Agency: UTA Management: Evolution Management Studio: Universal Date: 5/15/12 [announced].

50: Title: The Disciple Program Logline: A man begins an investigation into his wife’s mysterious death, only to find that it goes much deeper than he imagined. Writer: Tyler Marceca Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Anonymous Content Studio: Universal Pictures Price: High six figures. Date: 5/18/12 Note: First-timer.

51. Title: Playing Dirty Logline: A young law student learns to let loose and explore his adventurous side after meeting a sexy and mysterious stranger. After some exhilarating nights of debauchery, car chases and threesomes, things go awry when the student finds himself the target of her psychotic plans. Writers: Richard Blaney, Gregory Small Genre: Thriller Agency: Original Artists Management: 59 Management Studio: Nu Image/Millennium Date: 5/21/12.

52. Title: The Gun Eaters Logline: Follows two hardened detectives in a race to apprehend a man on relentless, day-long killing spree across New York. Writers: Alex Paraskevas, Jordan Goldberg Genre: Action Thriller Agency: UTA Management: Oasis Media Group Studio: Paramount Date: 5/22/12. Note: 2011 Black List.

53. Title: The Man in the Rearview Mirror Logline: Set in the 1950s, “Rear Window”-esque story follows a man, his wife and her mother who pursue a suspected kidnapper at high speeds on the freeway. Writers: Andy Pagana, Justin Thomas Genre: Action-Thriller Agency: Verve Management: Industry Entertainment Prod Co: Latitude Prods. and Lascaux Films Date: 5/23/12.

54. Title: Untitled aka The Cellar Logline: Script is described as a contained thriller with sci-fi elements. Writers: Josh Campbell, Matt Stuecken Genre: Contained Thriller Agency: UTA Management: Madhouse Entertainment [Campbell], Energy Entertainment [Stuecken] Studio: Paramount Date: 5/23/12 Note: Preemptive buy of low-budget movie.

55. Title: Glimmer Logline: N/A Writer: Carter Blanchard Genre: N/A Agency: Paradigm Management: Madhouse Entertainment Studio: DreamWorks Date: 6/6/12. Note: Bidding war with Paramount.

56. Title: Bethlehem Logline: A group of humans turn to an unlikely ally to protect them from harm and shepherd them to a safe haven in Bethlehem, Penn. Genre: Supernatural Agency: CAA Management: Magnet Management Studio: Universal Date: 6/7/12. Note: 2011 Black List script.

57. Title: Interrogation Logline: A bomb will go off in Las Vegas on one of the busiest betting days. A brilliant interrogator is called in to question the prime suspect as time runs out, and it becomes clear there’s an even bigger plan in place for both of them. Writer: Adam Rodin Genre: Suspense Thriller Agency: The Bohrman Agency Studio: WWE Studios Date: 6/8/12.

58. Title: God Particle Logline: The script is set after a physics experiment with a large hadron accelerator causes the Earth to seemingly vanish completely. The terrified crew of an orbiting American space station is left floating in the middle of now-even-more-empty space. When a European spacecraft appears on their radar, the Americans must determine whether it’s their salvation, or a harbinger of doom. Writer: Oren Uziel Genre: Science Fiction Agency: WME Management: Circle of Confusion Studio: Paramount Date: 6/11/12. Note: Uziel has written two scripts which made the Black List: “Shimmer Lake” [2009] and “The Kitchen Sink” [2010].

59. Title: Wunderkind Logline: The action/thriller is set in the 1970s and follows two Nazi hunters; one is with the CIA and another works for Israel’s Mossad intelligence organization. The two hunters’ paths become intertwined — but they only start working together reluctantly. Writer: Patrick Aison Genre: Action Thriller Management: H2F Studio: Paramount Date: 6/11/12.

60. Title: Atom and Eve Logline: Script is a romantic comedy in which a recently jilted young computer scientist needs to impress her family by pretending that her humanoid artificial intelligence robot is actually her boyfriend. Writers: Ethan Furman, Adam Farasati Genre: Romantic Comedy Agency: Gersh Management: Magnet Management Buyer: Code Entertainment Date: 6/12/12.

61. Title: The Quiet Ones Logline: The script is in the vein of Paranormal Activity and is pitched as follows: “Three students walked into a house. Ninety minutes later, all three of them were dead. This is what happened.” Writer: Vic Weet Genre: Horror Agency: UTA Management: New Wave Buyer: New Regency Date: 6/14/12

62. Title: Monster Problems Logline: Details are being kept under lock and key but the project has been described as a post-apocalyptic road movie in the vein of Mad Max and Zombieland with a John Hughes-esque love story at its center. Writer: Brian Duffield Genre: Science Fiction Road Romance Agency: Gersh Management: Circle of Confusion Buyer: Paramount Date: 6/15/12. Note: Low-against-mid six figures. Duffield wrote the Black List script “Jane Got A Gun”.

63. Title: Draft Day Logline: The script revolves around the general manager of the Buffalo Bills as he spends the day of the National Football League draft frantically trying to get the number one pick for his struggling team. Writers: Rajiv Joseph, Scott Rothman Genre: Comedy Agency: Gersh (Joseph), CAA (Rothman) Management: Kaplan-Perrone Entertainment (Rothman) Buyer: Paramount Date: 6/21/12.

64. Title: Match Logline: Story centers on an executive at a dating web site who declares war on a rival service that embellishes profiles to help its clients hook up. Writers: Ben Shiffrin, Dan Antoniazzi Genre: Romantic Comedy Agency: UTA Management: The Gotham Group / MTW Buyer: Millennium Films Date: 6/21/12.

65. Title: Acolyte Logline: “Acolyte” centers on a rogue government agency that’s using blackmail to coerce everyday citizens into committing acts of domestic terror. The agency mistakenly kidnaps the wife of a retired operative who responds by recruiting a disbanded group of trained “associates” to exact revenge and rescue his wife. Writer: Derek Kolstad Genre: Action Thriller Agency: UTA Management: New Wave Entertainment Buyer: Voltage Pictures Date: 6/23/12. Notes: Kolstad is a first-timer.

66. Title: Divorce Party Logline: A raunchy ensemble comedy chronicling the intersecting arcs and misadventures of a group of people attending a divorce party. Bridesmaids meets There is Something About Mary. Writer: Mukilan Thangamani Genre: Comedy Agency: N/A Buyer: Enderby Entertainment Date: 7/13/12. Notes: Writer is from New Zealand.

67. Title: Viral Logline: The story is told from the 1st person point of view via the helmet cam of a bio-safety suit, and centers on a scientist who joins an extraction team through quarantined areas of Manhattan, while secretly searching for her missing daughter. It’s I am Legend meets Outbreak. Writer: Dustin T. Benson Genre: Action Thriller Agency: UTA Management: Energy Entertainment Buyer: Ian Bryce [Producer] Date: 7/20/12. Notes: Writer lives in Norway.

68. Title: Untitled Cameron Crowe Project aka Aloha Logline: The project is a two-hander, and the male lead hasn’t yet been set, and the tone is reminiscent of past Crowe films Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire. Writer: Cameron Crowe Genre: Drama Romance Agency: CAA Buyer: Sony Pictures Date: 7/30/12. Notes: Emma Stone attached.

69. Title: The Beard Logline: …title refers to a member of the opposite sex — usually a woman — who acts as a date for a gay person, giving the illusion the person isn’t gay. Story details were not revealed. Writer: Becca Greene Genre: Romantic Comedy Agency: CAA Management: MNX Buyer: Chernin Entertainment Date: 8/7/12. Notes: Reese Witherspoon producing.

70. Title: The Last Breath… Logline: The lone survivor of a suicide pact is haunted by a vengeful otherwordly entity which demands her death. Writer: Paul J. Salamoff Genre: Supernatural Horror Management: Station 3 Entertainment Buyer: Chickie the Cop Entertainment Date: 8/22/12.

71. Title: Lights Out Logline: The story focuses on an teenage boy trapped in his house with his sister when a deadly intruder enters the home, and mysterious events occur during the captivity. Writer: Jay Frasco Genre: Science Fiction Thriller Agency: APA Management: Frasco Entertainment Buyer: Universal / Syfy Films Date: 8/24/12. Notes: Frasco had written the story as a novel, but while “waiting to hear from publishers, [he] adapted his manuscript into the screenplay and has notched his first spec sale.”

72. Title: Pontius Pilate Logline: This script follows the evolution of Lucius Pontius Pilate from the sensitive son of a Roman Knight into a ferocious soldier whose warrior exploits make him a general and puts him on a political track under the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Promised a military governorship in Egypt, Pilate is instead assigned by Tiberius to become the prefect of Judea, at a time when Jerusalem was a cauldron of religious tensions between various factions of the Jewish faith. Pilate veers from the political fast track into the express lane to hell and historical infamy. Writer: Vera Blasi Genre: Biblical Drama Agency: UTA Buyer: Warner Bros. Date: 8/22/12.

73. Title: Haunt Logline: A family that moves into a new home with a dark past. When their son becomes involved with a beautiful girl next door, and together they begin to explore their sexual awakening, they unwittingly invoke an alternative dimension of the house. Writer: Andrew Barrer Genre: Supernatural Horror Agency: WME Management: Prolific Entertainment Buyer: QED International Date: 8/27/12.

74. Title: Love and Weapons Logline: In the spirit of Three Kings, “Love and Weapons” is a wild ride of a love story set against the backdrop of travelling UN weapons inspectors. Writer: Stephen Belber Genre: Action Romance Agency: ICM Buyer: Myriad Pictures Date: 8/28/12.

75. Title: Untitled McCormick Cop Comedy Logline: Two best friends, following a costume party dressed as cops, are mistaken as real officers and forced to bring a dangerous criminal back to the station. Writer: Blake McCormick Genre: Comedy Agency: UTA Management: Kaplan/Perrone Buyer: Universal Date: 9/12/12. Notes: Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg to direct.

76. Title: Rockets’ Red Glare Logline: Story revolves around the CFO of a Mexican drug cartel who surrenders himself to a rural Texas border patrol agent, promising the delivery of $8 billion within 72 hours in exchange for immunity. The agent must keep his high-value asset alive amidst a slew of cartel assassination attempts, resulting in a national security emergency. Writer: Ken Nolan Genre: Action Thriller Agency: CAA Buyer: Sony Date: 9/12/12.

77. Title: Epsilon Logline: Set after an initial robot rebellion ended in failure and Earth operates on almost no electronics. The remaining robots seek refuge on a space station and begin to raise their own human lab rats, which they train to act as their agents. The main character is a man who discovers he is more human than he thought. Writers: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick Genre: Science Fiction Agency: WME Buyer: Sony Date: 9/12/12.

78. Title: Black Box Logline: After Air Force One goes down over America, an investigator’s life is put in jeopardy when he discovers that the plane didn’t go down due to technical issues, as was the official cause, but actually was shot down. Writer: David Guggenheim Genre: Action Thriller Agency: Paradigm Management: Madhouse Entertainment Buyer: Universal Date: 9/12/12.

79. Title: Vanish Man Logline: International thriller. Writer: Denison Hatch Genre: Thriller Management: Circle of Confusion Buyer: Lionsgate Date: 9/20/12. Notes: Writer is a first-timer. Worked as a writers assistant.

80. Title: Currency Logline: Focuses on two Secret Service agents in pursuit of a private mercenary’s powerful and sophisticated counterfeiting operation. Writer: Mark DiStefano Genre: Drama Agency: APA Management: Anonymous Content Buyer: Participant Media Date: 10/5/12.

81. Title: Almanac Logline: Found-footage. No details about Almanac were given other than it is intended to be a found-footage project and that Paramount intends to move aggressively and swiftly with it. Writers: Andrew Stark, Jason Pagan Genre: N/A Agency: WME Buyer: Paramount Date: 10/5/12 Notes: Writers are first-timers.

82. Title: The Join Logline: Set in the wake of a terrible particle accelerator accident, story follows a first response hazmat team sent in to investigate, only to find themselves targeted for assassination as soon as they emerge. Writer: Justin Rhodes Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller Agency: ICM Management: Madhouse Entertainment Buyer: Legendary Pictures Date: 10/18/12 Notes: “The Join” was a ‘trunk script,’ the first one Rhodes wrote and had been sitting in his ‘trunk’ for some years.

83. Title: Patrol Logline: The pic follows US Marines patrol who while chasing drug smugglers to a remote island, their mission takes an unexpectedly deadly twist. Writer: Jayson Rothwell Genre: Action Thriller Agency: WME Buyer: Paramount Date: 10/24/12.

84. Title: Our Name Is Adam Logline: An astronaut who travels back in time and works with his younger self. Writer: T. S. Nowlin Genre: Science Fiction Agency: WME Management: Caliber Media Buyer: Paramount Date:10/25/12.

85. Title: Somacell Logline: “Somacell” chronicles a female prison guard in the near future who discovers that the virtual reality process that rehabilitates convicts is not all it promises to be. Writer: Ashleigh Powell Genre: Thriller Agency: Gersh Management: Benderspink Buyer: Warner Bros. Date: 10/29/12 Notes: Reported mid-six figures. Writer is a first-timer.

86. Title: Subdivision Logline: N/A Writers: Morgan Jurgenson, Alex Ankeles Genre: Science Fiction Comedy Agency: Jurgenson [APA], Anekeles [CAA] Management: Jurgenson [Hung Entertainment Group], Ankeles [Kaplan/Perrone] Buyer: Universal Date: 10/30/12 Notes: 2nd spec sale for duo this year including “Hyperdrive”.

87. Title: Triple Time Logline: Two-hander follows a broke U.S. marshal tasked with escorting a prisoner accused of an environmental disaster to Washington, D.C. When their transport plane explodes, the unlikely pair must work together to figure out who is behind the conspiracy, which may include one of them. Writers: Peter Billingsley, Michael J. Wilson Genre: Action Thriller Agency: CAA Buyer: Scott Pictures Date: 10/31/12.

88. Title: Cherries Logline: “Cherries” follows three naive dads who set out to stop their daughters from making good on a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Writers: Brian Kehoe, Jim Kehoe Genre: Comedy Agency: WME Management: DMG Entertainment Buyer: Good Universe Date: 11/9/12.

89. Title: Sanctuary Logline: A young woman possessed by a powerful demonic force seeks refuge within The Sanctuary, a Vatican-run secret organization that teaches the possessed to channel their inner demon and use its power as a weapon against evil. Writer: Alan Trezza Genre: Supernatural Action Management: Magnet Management Buyer: Paramount Date: 11/13/12.

90. Title: High Value Target Logline: A lethal special-operations unit attacks a boat operated by Somali pirates. In an effort to ramp up the realism, much of the story will be told with point of view cameras attached to members of the unit. Writer: Spenser Cohen Genre: Action Management: Energy Entertainment Buyer: Millennium Date: 11/19/12. Notes: Low-six figure deal.

91. Title: Straight Edge Logline: “Edge” is an Los Angeles-set actioner that revolves around a heist gone wrong and follows a slew of colorful characters, ranging from corrupt cops to Southland gang members. Writer: Rich Wilkes Genre: Action Agency: Verve Buyer: Silver Pictures Date: 11/27/12. Notes: Pre-emptive acquisition.

92. Title: 52 Percent Logline: A longtime married couple is contemplating divorce. A clash develops between their daughter, who hopes for reconciliation, and a jaded young divorce attorney unwilling to lose a client without a fight. Writer: Zina Zaflow Genre: Romantic Comedy Management: Chad Snopek Management Buyer: QED International Date: 11/29/12.

93. Title: Leave Logline: A group of U.S. soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress while on leave in Thailand. Writers: Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari Genre: Thriller Agency: WME Management: Prolific Entertainment Buyer: QED International Date: 11/29/12.

94. Title: Priority Run Logline: The story centers on a small group of correctional officers and inmates who must band together to fend off a mysterious attack when their prison bus is sabotaged on a remote stretch of highway. Writer: Terrence Mulloy Genre: Action Agency: UTA Management: Benderspink Buyer: Arclight Entertainment Date: 11/30/12. Notes: Writer is from Australia.

95. Title: Untitled Logline: N/A Writer: Robert Lynn Genre: Action Agency: UTA Management: Kaplan/Perrone Buyer: Davis Entertainment Date: 12/6/12.

96. Title: Arminius Logline: Script tells the fact-based story of Arminius, a German who was trained as a Roman warrior, but who switched allegiance when the Romans tried to take over Germania. At 25, he would eventually unite disparate Germanic tribes and rally them to victory against the Roman Army in the bloody Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. The defeat had ramifications that would end with Arminius losing his life, but it halted the Roman Empire’s expansion North, and became the worst loss suffered by the Romans under the reign of Augustus Caesar. Writer: Frank Moll Genre: Historical Drama Agency: CAA Management: Rain Management Group Buyer: Twentieth Century Fox Date: 12/7/12. Notes: First script deal for writer.

97. Title: Empire Logline: Described as being in the style of Safe House and The Usual Suspects. Writer: Ben Ripley Genre: Thriller Agency: Gersh Management: Mosaic Buyer: New Regency Date: 12/11/12.

98. Title: Peste Logline: A teenage girl begins a video documentary about her life for a school project just as a terrifying virus sweeps through her small town. Quarantined with her family, she thinks they are out of harm’s way, but she soon learns that the virus has invaded their house. Her video documents the family’s frantic struggle to find a cure before they are completely taken over by the Peste. Writer: Barbara Marshall Genre: Horror Thriller Agency: APA Management: Industry Entertainment Buyer: IM Global Octane Date: 12/20/12. Notes: Script made the Black List, Hit List, and Blood List.

99. Title: Warden Logline: Story centers on a prison warden who — when his wife and son are kidnapped — is blackmailed into helping the American head of a Mexican drug cartel escape from his own high-security facility. Writers: John Sonntag, Thomas Sonntag Genre: Action Agency: UTA Management: Mosaic Media Buyer: New Line Date: 12/22/12 Notes: This is the second spec script deal of the year for the Sonntag brothers.

Analysis

* Notable Sales: The Counselor, Saving Mr. Banks, White House Down, The Disciple Program.

* Top Dollar Sales: White House Down [$3M], Bloodshot [$1M].

* Interesting Storylines: Two White House action movies sell within 17 days.

* The rebound in the spec market continues. The numbers in 1991 and 1992 do not reflect actual total deals, rather those numbers are more about the lack of sources available back then to track acquisitions. So if we toss out those two years and just look at 1993–2011 [19 years], there were 1824 spec script deals. That averages out to 96 spec script sales per year.

But let’s dig a bit deeper: What if we just consider the last 10 years [2003–2012], basically the period after spec script’s so-called Golden Era (1995–2002). During the last decade, the average number of spec script sales per year has been 76. In that context, 99 spec script deals is a very healthy number.

Trendline here:

1991: 28

1992: 40

1993: 89

1994: 101

1995: 173

1996: 155

1997: 141

1998: 110

1999: 83

2000: 92

2001: 101

2002: 114

2003: 90

2004: 75

2005: 58

2006: 60

2007: 64

2008: 87

2009: 67

2010: 55

2011: 110

2012: 99

Which one of these loglines strikes you as the strongest and why?

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