Leonardo Dicaprio has been offered the lead in Todd Field‘s adaptation of THE CREED OF VIOLENCE for De Luca/Universal.
Spec Roundup - 7/25 - 7/29
July 30, 2011
We’re loving our roundups today. This one focuses on the specs that went out/sold this past week.
ST. VINCENT VAN NUYS, by Ted Melfi
ROCKABYE BABY, by Chris Baldi, sold to The Montecito Picture Company/Paramount
For a look at the spec market so far this year, check out the latest Scoggins Report: Spec Market Scorecard.
Brad Furman and Matt Aldrich Enter Drug Lord Territory
July 29, 2011
Brad Furman is in negotiations to direct an untitled movie centering on Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord. Matt Aldrich, whose spec FATHER DAUGHTER TIME recently sold to Warner Bros. will write the script. Stone Village Pictures is producing the project.
Scoggins Casting Rumor Roundup - Jonah Hill, Halle Berry Edition
July 29, 2011
It’s scuttlebutt time, courtesy of our new feature, the Scoggins Rumor Roundup.
We’re hearing that Halle Berry will star in Joel Schumacher‘s thriller, THE HIVE.
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In equally sexy news, word on the street is that Jonah Hill has been offered the role of Ben Stiller‘s sidekick in Akiva Schaffer‘s NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH. Vince Vaughn co-stars in the Fox sci-fi/comedy.
Our Weekend Gift to You: More OWAs
July 29, 2011
New film rights: LEXAPROS & CONS
July 29, 2011
Greg Pedicin at Gersh and Josh Adler & Mike Goldberg at New Wave are out with the film rights for LEXAPROS & CONS, Aaron Karo‘s upcoming young adult novel.
Scoggins Report - July 29 2011 - July Spec Market Scorecard
July 29, 2011
This time last year, the spec market was closed for the summer: Zero scripts sold last July, and just one got set up in August.
But that was so 12 months ago. As you’ll see from the below Scoggins Report, July 2011′s numbers are on track to match April’s and May’s, which is a big surprise. We went back and compared year-over-year numbers for the first six months of 2009, 2010 and 2011, and the results are very encouraging: Nearly 25% of the scripts that hit the market this year have sold, which is the best performance we’ve seen since the 2007 WGA strike.
As always, the below embedded document prints beautifully, and here’s a link so you can download the PDF and spread joy to the world.
Scoggins Report - July 29 2011 - July Spec Market Scorecard PDF
Have a great weekend.
Beware the Opening of the Venice Film Festival
July 28, 2011
George Clooney‘s THE IDES OF MARCH is set to open the Venice Film Festival. Judging from the trailer, which was released today, it’s going to be quite the kickoff. The political drama stars Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Evan Rachel Wood. So, ya know, don’t have high hopes for Oscar noms or anything.
Pitch sale: Untitled Strauss-Schulson/Galletta Action Comedy
July 28, 2011
Just what we were craving - a new action comedy from Todd Strauss-Schulson, the director of the upcoming HAROLD AND KUMAR movie. New Line picked up the pitch, which was co-developed by Chris Galletta, who will write the script.
Casting Change-Up: Jason Bateman Replaces Will Arnett in Pot Comedy
July 27, 2011
Jason Bateman is in negotiations to star in WE’RE THE MILLERS, Rawson Thurber‘s upcoming New Line project. Bateman’s former ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT co-star Will Arnett was previously attached to star in the comedy, which centers on a drug dealer who creates a fake family to assist in a giant smuggling job.
