“The Heat” and “White House Down”: A Tale of Two Spec Scripts
While most folks were frothing over big franchise movies coming out this summer, I’m sitting here fanning the embers for indie films including The Way, Way Back (July 5), Fruitvale Station (July 12), The Spectacular Now (August 2), I Give It A Year (August 9), Drinking Buddies and Short Term 12 (August 23), and The Lifeguard (August 30).
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT CINEMA, PEOPLE!
Meanwhile we have an occurrence this weekend I can’t recall happening in the 25+ years I’ve been involved in the movie business: A pair of big blockbuster movies opening on the same day, both of which were notable spec script sales.
There is The Heat, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, written by Katie Dippold, which sold on March 29, 2012 to Twentieth Century Fox. You can read details of that sale here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST16k80bDYE
And there is White House Down, starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, written by James Vanderbilt, which sold on March 30, 2012 to Sony Pictures Entertainment. You can read details of that sale here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AXbiCdmXgw
Notice that?
THE SCRIPTS SOLD AT ALMOST THE EXACT SAME TIME.
And now:
THE MOVIES ARE COMING OUT ON THE EXACT SAME DAY.
Moreover the turnaround time from date of sale to premiere is 15 months, very much on the short end of development to production.
It’s almost like these two projects were joined at the hip.
One big question: Why would Fox and Sony release two similar movies on the same weekend? According to BoxOfficeMojo, The Heat is opening on 3,181 screens while White House Down will be on 3,222. We are talking head-to-head competition.
Granted The Heat is an Action-Comedy while White House Down is an Action-Thriller, but still we’re talking action.
Won’t they eat into each others’ audiences?
Maybe not. Why? Gender.
White House Down stars two guys.
The Heat stars two gals.
In fact, The Heat was written by a woman.
In this article, the Los Angeles Times explores how The Heat is playing with the buddy cop genre.
So what we have this weekend is a really interesting and important scenario.
Will either or both of these movies — based on spec scripts — succeed at the box office?
Will each find their own audience, presumably WHD more male, TH more female?
Will either or both have legs and generate significant long-term business especially in light of the fact The Lone Ranger opens next week and Pacific Rim the week following?
Whatever the outcome, this is an intriguing circumstance for screenwriters to track: Two movies, both based on spec scripts, opening against each other on the same day.
Are you planning on seeing either of these two movies this weekend? If so, which one? Or will you be a true supporter of spec scripts and original material, and buy tickets to both films?
UPDATE: Melissa Silverstein at Indiewire with a clarion call to women: Why You Need To Go See The Heat This Weekend.
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