December 2020 Script Sales
WONDER WOMAN 3, a remake of REVENGE OF THE NERDS, and some interesting spec scripts – looking at script sales from December 2020 can help us predict what the industry might look like after the pandemic.
Joaquin Phoenix Teases New Joker Role
Joaquin Phoenix has been teasing potentially playing the new Joker in Todd Phillips’ upcoming Joker origin film. Phoenix has refused to rule out the possibility of the Joker and has said “I don’t know… it could be an interesting character, I don’t know,”
Phoenix would certainly be a great choice for the role, but while the project is still in development we can continue to speculate.
I’d love to see an older Joker with the likes of Willem Dafoe or Mark Hamill (who voices Joker in many animated iterations of the character). Hamill has even said before that he’d be interested in portraying a live-action version of the Joker. Who would you like to play the clown prince of crime the next time he shows up in Gotham?
Read more on Phoenix’s response here: http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/joaquin-phoenix-won-t-talk-joker-role-but-admits-it-could-be-interesting-200
ScriptPipeline’s November 2017 Script Sales review
Tarantino to do his thing with Charlie Manson, while DC has The Rock and a writer set for BLACK ADAM. As we wind down to the industry Christmas break, the script sales in November step it up with some very interesting pieces of news.
A Hitchcock-esque sci-fi, thriller, Sandra Bullock in a medicinal marijuana con story and much more. There’s plenty of room for sci-fi and techno styled spec scripts as reported in Script Pipeline’s November 2017 Script Sales – and that could provide an opening for you. With STAR WARS re-heightening the interest in sci-fi, the genre has had a bit of a renaissance (see ARRIVAL and PASSENGERS).
But the eye-catching news is elsewhere…
Quentin Tarantino is set to write and direct (the Tarantino way) about the Charles Manson murders – that seems right up Tarantino’s street. After the success of AMERICAN CRIME STORY season 1, which dramatized the O.J. Simpson trial, it seemed only a matter of time before a story about Manson came about. But with this being Tarantino’s first biopic, it’ll be interesting to see what comes of this…
Finally, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson not only has his DC film role, but also a writer for the script. The BLACK ADAM film set in the DCEU seems a-go… but for how long? Will this be a stand-alone film? Will this even get into production? The Rock has been pushing for this for a while now, but I don’t see a good outcome coming from this…
Check out the other script sales news from November with Script Pipeline here. What will December bring for script sales?
View our review on the Octboer script sales here.
© WriteMovies 2017. Exclusive to WriteMovies – To syndicate this content for your own publication, contact ian (at) writemovies dot-com.
First Look: JUSTICE LEAGUE Review
In this JUSTICE LEAGUE review, Jamie White gives his verdict on DC’s superhero team-up and why he’d be more optimistic about seeing more DCEU films in the future…
I love DC. Their characters are rich, the storylines can be tragic, entertaining and enjoyable. I hate the DC expanded universe (DCEU). It’s been dull, gloomy, just not very comic booky, and although JUSTICE LEAGUE was a step in the right direction, it still had major problems.
The big issue is the fact that this film had two directors – Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon. Both have directed comic book films before, but both have very different styles – in fact, they’re almost polar opposites. Snyder definitely appreciates the visuals of comics more, while Whedon is all about tone and style, and while you’d think that would be a great match it really, really isn’t. These two directors’ styles clash horribly throughout the film that you can pinpoint when one scene is Snyder’s and when one is Whedon, and this makes the film feel very disjointed.
The first half of the film especially. There is no focus, no thread from one scene to another. It’s all just stuff happening. Then something else happens. But there’s no connection. Or rather, it’s a building being held together with sticky tape – the connection is there, but it’s weak. The film does pick up from around the halfway mark when a certain super man comes into the fold – it feels like we finally have a proper protagonist with more character depth. The film gains direction when Superman becomes a factor in the story, which it didn’t have before.
Now, this doesn’t redeem the film entirely – it just becomes a fairly average film with a lack of tension and consequences. Still a step in the right direction, I guess. I didn’t hate the film, but I didn’t like it. A lot of the action was poorly edited, the jokes didn’t land, and the character chemistry was just not there yet (it only really existed with Clark (Henry Cavill) and Lois Lane (Amy Adams) who of course have shared the most screen time as these characters in the DCEU.)
What I will say though is this: I was not excited to see this film, BUT it has given me some of Superman’s (newfound) hope that the franchise will improve. Let’s see what you’ve got DC…
© WriteMovies 2017. Exclusive to WriteMovies – To syndicate this content for your own publication, contact ian (at) writemovies dot-com.
Time for Superhero Films to Stand Alone?
After the less-than-super Summer Box-Office, the power and attraction of superhero films may be declining. Some are suggesting that the expanded universes are on their way out and that stand-alone superhero films are back in (see this article). Jamie White discusses this potential new trend for superheroes…
This summer has shown some signs of this. LOGAN is pretty much a stand-alone in its own right and has little connection to the rest of the X-MEN universe really. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 hasn’t shown much of a connection to the wider MCU (yet) either – and has a strong enough team not to need one.
Even looking at WONDER WOMAN, this was set way way out of the way from the already established DC universe. Maybe this was to distance it from the terrible DC films released recently to give DC the option to do stand-alone only films in the future.
Can standalone superhero films re-fill Hollywood’s empty summer theatres?
There have even been strong rumors that DC is considering a Joker origins story starring Leo DiCaprio and produced by Martin Scorsese – which I am not cool with. But, this does kinda indicate that Warners and Disney could be tempted into stand-alone films with no connection to their current universes.
Now, this does not mean they will stop milking their expanded universes, but this could present an opportunity to writers…
There could be the chance that more studios will be persuaded into producing superhero films that have no existing relation to Marvel or DC. We’ve all seen the praise for LOGAN for breaking the superhero mold, and there could be a chance that more of these types of films will be produced.
Let’s quickly look at the best stand-alone superhero film, or should we say films, arguably ever… THE DARK KNIGHT trilogy. This isn’t even thought of as a standalone trilogy, but there’s no connection to the expanded DC universe, and it would be almost criticizing the films to call them superhero films – they’re anything but really.
This trilogy takes Batman and the superhero genre to the most realistic and thematically mature place it’s ever been, and its success, both commercially and critically, speaks for itself. It’s realistic, it’s tragic, it’s pessimistic and noir-esque – it’s an all-round excellent subversion of the genre while still paying homage to it. With the mention of films that are sorta stand-alone (GUARDIANS, LOGAN, WONDER WOMAN) we forget that the stand-alone hero used to be the norm, and that pulling together all those worlds adds so many separate suspensions of belief that any failings of the movie are amplified. And let’s face it, two out three of those films above are in the top 10 best superhero films ever. It’s a little odd then how Hollywood is only just catching on to this again, especially with franchises like Bond and Indiana Jones not needing expanding universes to carry them.
So, THE DARK KNIGHT trilogy can be seen as the ultimate example of the promise of stand-alone superhero films, and if Hollywood can exploit this angle properly… it could be amazing.
We’ll likely just end up seeing the odd Joker origin film (sigh) but audiences are hungry for variation in their supers. Hell, who wouldn’t want to see more imaginative and original superhero stories?!
© WriteMovies 2017. Exclusive to WriteMovies – To syndicate this content for your own publication, contact ian (at) writemovies dot-com.
Our pick of the web for July 2017 – From the @WriteMovies Twitter Feed!
Our pick of the web for July 2017 – From the @WriteMovies Twitter Feed!
Our @WriteMovies Twitter feed has been sharing lots of exciting things giving our tips of the best new articles, insights and offers for screenwriters and producers on the web. And in case you’ve missed anything there, here is our pick for July 2017…
- Why Hollywood is ready for subtle storytelling at last. Part 2: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA’s complex Protagonist – https://writemovies.com/hollywood-ready-subtle-storytelling-last-part-2-manchester-seas-complex-protagonist/
- “If you’re having trouble getting started with your script, pick scenes from your story you WANT to write — any scenes — and write them.” – https://twitter.com/GoIntoTheStory/status/881246029953331203
- This Inside Out Screenwriting Video Challenges the Age-Old Advice “Write What You Know” https://www.themarysue.com/this-inside-out-screenwriting-video-challenges-the-age-old-advice-write-what-you-know/
- Star Wars: Someone Is Selling The Last Jedi Script http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-someone-is-selling-the-last-jedi-script
- So-called comedy desperately needs a script https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/movies/so-called-comedy-desperately-needs-a-script-432397353.html#sthash.vhYzdLQW.uxfs
- WriteMovies Spring 2017 Screenwriting Competition – Final Results – https://writemovies.com/writemovies-spring-2017-screenwriting-competition-final-results/
- Civil War, Kingsman Writer Calls Spider-Man: Homecoming Marvel’s Best Movie http://comicbook.com/2017/07/07/civil-war-kingsman-writer-calls-spider-man-homecoming-marvels-be/
- Script Development Key to Resurgence of Central, Eastern European Film Biz http://variety.com/2017/film/global/karlovy-vary-script-development-as-key-central-and-eastern-european-film-industry-1202488381/
- ‘Spies Like Us’ and the Two Best Pages of Screenwriting Ever https://filmschoolrejects.com/spies-like-us-two-best-pages-screenwriting-ever/
- Writing Tips and Submissions Tips – https://writemovies.com/writing-tips-submissions-tips/
- Why Hollywood is ready for subtle storytelling at last. Part 3: The ARRIVAL of a new, subtler wave in cinema? – https://writemovies.com/hollywood-ready-subtle-storytelling-last-part-3-arrival-new-subtler-wave-cinema/
- Disney’s Aladdin getting a script re-write http://www.criticalhit.net/entertainment/disneys-aladdin-getting-script-re-write/
- Paramount Buys Joe Epstein Script For Darren Aronofsky http://deadline.com/2017/07/darren-aronofsky-joe-epstein-paramount-pictures-project-1202130433/
- Black List, Women in Film Set Female Writer Labs, Young Adult Script Fellowship http://variety.com/2017/film/news/the-black-list-and-wif-female-writers-1202498281/
- A hidden piece of the ‘Game of Thrones’ season 7 premiere script reveals how the White Walkers could invade Westeros http://uk.businessinsider.com/game-of-thrones-hound-sandor-fire-white-walkers-2017-7?r=US&IR=T
- Two New ‘Harry Potter’ Books to Be Published in October http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/two-new-harry-potter-books-be-published-october-1022438
- Meet our Spring 2017 Screenwriting Contest Third Placed Winner: BURNER by Bob Canning! https://writemovies.com/meet-our-spring-2017-screenwriting-contest-third-placed-winner-burner-by-bob-canning/
- Stallone Teases a Drago, Adonis Showdown in ‘Creed’ Sequel Script He Wrote http://ew.com/movies/2017/07/24/stallone-drago-adonis-showdown-creed-sequel-script/
- EXCLUSIVE: Is Mark Bomback writing the Ben Affleck-Less BATMAN? http://splashreport.com/batman-script-matt-reeves/
- Meet our Spring 2017 Screenwriting Contest Second Placed Winner: THE FACTION by Kevin Karp! https://writemovies.com/meet-our-spring-2017-screenwriting-contest-second-placed-winner-faction-by-kevin-karp/
- Bobby Lee Darby and Nathan Brookes – Our new Elite Script Consultants https://writemovies.com/bobby-lee-darby-nathan-brookes-new-elite-consultants/
- ‘Games Of Thrones script stolen’ as hackers target HBO http://www.burytimes.co.uk/leisure/showbiz/15445075.___Games_Of_Thrones_script_stolen____as_hackers_target_HBO/?ref=twtrec
- ‘The Princess Diaries 3’ Has A Script, Meaning Fans Are That Much Closer To An Actual Movie https://www.bustle.com/p/the-princess-diaries-3-has-a-script-meaning-fans-are-that-much-closer-to-actual-movie-73598
- Writing an Educational Script? Tips from a New York Emmy Award-Winning Scriptwriter https://www.voices.com/blog/writing-an-educational-script-a-new-york-emmy-award-winning-scriptwriter-gives-her-tips/
- ‘Deadwood’ Movie Update: HBO Exec Praises David Milch’s ‘Terrific’ Script http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/deadwood-movie-david-milch-hbo-1202507726/
Our pick of the web for January & February 2017 – @WriteMovies Twitter!
Our pick of the web for January & February 2017 – @WriteMovies Twitter!
Our @WriteMovies Twitter feed has been sharing lots of exciting things giving our tips of the best new articles, insights and offers for screenwriters and producers on the web. And in case you’ve missed anything there, here is our pick for January and February 2017… (more…)