Collider recently caught up with blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer during a press junket for National Treasure 2, when the subject of the big screen version of Ubisoft's Prince of Persia came up. Bruckheimer tells Collider that Persia is set to begin shooting this June. Unfortunately it all hinges on whether the writer's strike has been resolved, since Bruckheimer admits that the script is far from complete, saying, "we have a screenplay, we're just starting to develop the look of it" -- which roughly translates to "my assistant has made some notes while playing the game," I'm guessing. The original plot of the game centered on Prince Shahraman, who is tricked into unleashing a plague on his land and gains the power to control time. Of course, there is also the usual video game goal of rescuing a princess.
Back in November, Chris had reported that Harry Potter director Mike Newell had been offered the job. Well, it seems that Newell is officially on board since Bruckheimer told the site, "We hired a very interesting director, Mike Newell, who did one of the Harry Potter's and also did Donnie Brasco and he's a very inventive, ingenious director and I think he's going to bring something really special to it." The film is expected to work in some of the plot elements of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
The third person action game released by Ubisoft back in 2003 was a huge fan favorite. Combined with the outright suckiness of most video game flicks, there is a lot for Newell to overcome if he wants to make sure that audiences are happy with the final product. Two more sequels to the game were released in '04 and '05, so there is plenty of opportunity for additional films. Considering Bruckheimer's fondness for franchises, there is a real possibility we will be seeing more of the Persian Prince in the years to come.
Well friends, the WGA strike rages on. And on. And like the old Christmas song says: "It doesn't show signs of stopping." The Broadway strike briefly crippled New York City's economy, but it was over in nineteen days. The WGA Strike is on day #38. That's week #6. That's month #2. And there's no end in sight. We're reaching the point where people are going to start losing homes, if they haven't already.
Do you know the old joke about the aspiring actress who was so naive she slept with the screenwriter to get ahead? There's a lot of truth there. Screenwriters don't get near enough respect. That may be coming to light more now that the strike is on, but it's been going on for decades. It's gotten so bad that a lot of the huge blockbusters start filming without a completed script! Like, a lot of them.
Can you name me five screenwriters? OK, five screenwriters who don't also direct? In movie reviews, your average critic will gush about how great Brad Pitt's performance was for five paragraphs, then mention the screenplay in passing, if at all. Guess what? All those pretty words coming out of Mr. Pitt's pretty mouth originated somewhere. Directors and actors tend to get all the credit for a movie's success. Unless a movie sucks, then it's -- "Who wrote this garbage?" Where is the love?
If a movie is a salad, then the screenplay is the lettuce. You can throw all the bacon and cheese and croutons in a bowl that you want, but if you don't have a strong, solid base of high-quality lettuce? My friend, you don't have a salad. With me throwing out razor-sharp analogies like that, I think you can tell that you've come to the right place for writing advice.
Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of The Write Stuff!
Thanksgiving is always rough on a screenwriter. You're usually seeing a lot of friends and family, and while they (candied) yammer on about their accomplishments, you have to start all of your sentences with: "We're still waiting to hear on that one..." and "Our agent says we're really close..." and "Grandma, let me explain the WGA strike to you one more time..."
But there is a great deal to be thankful for this year. On Monday, still happy and groggy from a weekend of gorging, representatives from the WGA and the AMPTP will resume talks. Ideally, each side will come away happy and we can end this strike. From a personal note, my writing career was right on the verge of kicking into high gear when the strike was announced, and I certainly don't want to lose that upward momentum. And looking at the bigger picture, we're a month away from Christmas here. Who wants to see not just writers but everyone who works in and around the entertainment industry desperately struggling to pay the bills? The grips, the gaffers, the assistants, the dry cleaners...these people are out of work, too.
So send your good vibes to the negotiating table on Monday. And if you think there's nothing you can do, you're wrong. You can electronically sign this petition to the AMPTP, which starts: "We, the undersigned, fully support the strike of the Writers Guild of America, and agree with the WGA's stated goals of obtaining just and fair compensation regarding revenues generated through "new media". The petition currently has 57, 695 signatures, which is extremely impressive. Won't you add yours?
Jonathan Kesselman wrote and directed The Hebrew Hammer, a comedy about an Orthodox Jewish Blaxploitation hero (Adam Goldberg) who saves Hanukkah from the evil offspring of Santa Claus (Andy Dick). The film has become a cult favorite, and you should add it to your holiday viewing list this year. In addition to being a successful screenwriter, Jonathan teaches Writing Comedy for Film and Television at Yale University. He has some great tips for aspiring comedy writers.
Cinematical:When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Jonathan Kesselman: I always loved writing. When I was in the 5th grade, I was pulled out of my class and put onto the 12th grade yearbook staff writing copy. For a while, I thought I wanted to be a journalist. In college, I majored in Psychology -- neuroscience was my field. I realized that I didn't like slicing rat brains. I remember really searching for what it was that I wanted to do with my life. And I had always been obsessed with movies. I remember having this existential crisis pre-graduation, and then seeing a documentary on Your Show of Shows, and it hit me that I was put on this earth to make fun of people.
Cinematical:So you threw the rat in the air triumphantly...
JK: I ate the rat -- tasty! Yeah, I graduated, and decided I wanted to go to film school. I eventually went to graduate school at USC for film production.
It's Write Stuff time again, and what a crazy time to be a writer! As I'm sure you've heard, on Cinematical and everywhere else, the Writers Guild of America has officially gone on strike. There's not much I can say on the subject that hasn't been better said already-- check out great statements from writers Judd Apatow (Knocked Up), Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Shawn Ryan (The Shield) -- but I am in complete and total support of the strike.
This isn't rich people trying to get richer, as it may seem to a casual observer. Only a handful of writers command the incredible salaries you read about on sites like this one. This strike is about writers wanting only what is fair, now and into the future. Writers get no respect these days. Even a casual film fan can name hundreds of actors and 20 or 30 directors with ease, but how many screenwriters can they name? Plain and simple, without screenwriters those actors have nothing to say. Those directors have nothing to direct. Movies and television would cease to exist, unless The Bachelor 38 is your idea of quality entertainment. These are working people just like anyone else, a Hollywood area code doesn't change that. Their demands are far from outrageous, and it's time to give these talented men and women the respect they deserve. You can find me on the picket lines this week.
Moving on to less stressful matters, let me pop open the old mail bag for three questions from commenter Jim...
I've accumulated a huge backlog of questions in the few weeks I've been doing The Write Stuff. Today, I open up the old mailbag and start dishing out some answers.
Jen asks:
Looking forward to reading the column! Here are a couple of topics about which I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts:
-screenwriting/film school and how useful and necessary it is -writing for TV versus the big screen, and the pros and cons
To answer your first question, the value of film school sort of depends on the individual. I majored in Film Production and took some screenwriting classes. The screenwriting classes were incredibly useful, and are a great way to find out if writing is something you really want to do and can do well. If I had gotten crappy grades on my scripts, I'd probably be doing something else right now. As for my Film Production major, I haven't used the knowledge I gained there much, but should I ever want to make the leap to directing, you better believe those skills will come in handy. I can tell you that for a screenwriter, a Film Studies major would probably be more useful than Production. Watching the great films and discussing what makes them great is only going to make you a stronger writer. Of course, a Netflix membership is a lot cheaper...
And though I've had some experience in both television and in writing features, I'd direct you to my interview with Adam F. Goldberg. He's had major success in both fields, and gave a wonderful answer to your question.
Welcome back to The Write Stuff, Stuffers! Hope you found last week's interview helpful and entertaining. Adam's closing thoughts coincided beautifully with what I had planned for this week's post. A lot of you have questions about getting an agent and making contacts, and that's all important and we'll get there. But a majority of you just want to know how to come up with an idea and get started. Read on...
1) Watch a ton of movies and read a lot of scripts.
Sure, you watch a lot of flicks already, but you need to become an active viewer. Ask yourself questions. Who is the protagonist? Who or what is the antagonist? What does the lead character want? What obstacles are standing in his or her way? How does he or she overcome them? What are the characters saying in a given scene? What are they thinking? Are these two different things?
If you're watching a comedy and it makes you laugh, how did it make you laugh? Whether it's sparkling dialogue or a kick in the balls, there's an art to it. Are you scared watching a movie? Why? Cheering the climax of a film? What got your fist in the air? See what I'm saying? And you can learn something from every film, good or bad. If you're watching a movie that sucks, why does it suck? What did this screenwriter do wrong? If it's a thriller and you're bored, why are you bored? Once you pinpoint it, you'll know what to avoid when you sit down to write your script. Try it with the next movie you watch -- really watch, and ask yourself questions.
And even better, get yourself some scripts. They're available all over the internet and at most libraries. How can you write a script if you've never read one? Study your favorites. This will help not only with story construction but also formatting, which we'll get to in the coming weeks.
Note: This is the premiere entry in a new, weekly Cinematical feature focusing on the art of screenwriting. Welcome!
"That movie sucked! I could write something better than that!"
How many times have you walked out of a film saying those very words? Well, why don't you put your money where your mouth is, Buster Brown? If you can write something better, then by all means -- write! Writing is one of the few professions you can just do. You don't need lots of fancy equipment, you don't need lots of money, you just need a computer (heck, pen and paper will do) and an imagination. It's fun, it's free, and if you're really good at it, you could make a ton of money and get to sit in your underwear while you work. And really, isn't that the American dream?
"But Patrick," you're probably asking. "Where do I start? How do I know what to write about? How will I know if my stuff is good? And who the hell are you, anyway?"
Friends, I'm here to answer all of those questions and much, much more. "The Write Stuff" is a brand new column here at Cinematical devoted to the art of screenwriting. Every other Wednesday, I'll be giving writing advice and tips, answering your questions -- talking shop. On alternate Wednesdays, I'll be interviewing major Hollywood screenwriters about their craft (next Wednesday the interview series kicks off with Adam F. Goldberg, co-writer of the highly anticipated Fanboys, and the upcoming film adaptation of classic cartoon The Jetsons). Ideally, this dual approach will give you two valid perspectives -- one from the writer trying to make it, and one from the writer who's already made it.
It has been 15 years since the release of Abel Ferrara's controversial film, Bad Lieutenant, but the LA Times reports that Producer Edward R. Pressman is looking to update the film by using, "...the raw material of the original film and weave it into 21st century, post- 9/11 New York". The original starred Harvey Keitel as the unnamed NY policeman, a drug and gambling addict who finds redemption while investigating the rape of a nun. The film was written by actress-model Zoë Tamerlis Lund and Abel Ferrara. The producers brought in Billy Finkelstein last year to rework the script, with the working title, Bad Lieutenant '08. Finkelstein has turned in scripts for a variety of crime TV; including Law and Order and NYPD Blue. Some the changes that Pressman and company have planned for the script are the addition of a back story of the lieutenant character, as well as finally giving their lead character a name: Terence McDonough.
While the original was famous for shocking audiences with scenes of misogyny, drugs, violence, and all kinds of bad behavior, Finkelstein told the LA Times that, "I don't know that the same sorts of things that caused us to sit up and take notice 15 years ago are necessarily gonna have the same effect now." The man has a point, but it doesn't get much more disturbing than Harvey Keitel doing full-frontal nudity. Neither Keitel or Ferrara are attached to the film, but Pressman said that he has spoken to both of them about the update. So what do you think? Is Lieutenant due for an update? Or will this be just another in a long series of bad remake ideas?
OK, I get it. Eventually every single video game will be turned into a film, and I mean every video game. Game Daily: BIZ reports that the classic 1982 platform game Jousthas been selected for the big-screen treatment. The film is being produced by CP Productions, which is comprised of Area 51 producer Christine Peters and Michael Cerenzie (Blackout). CP is dedicated to producing films for the "under-25 filmgoer", and their slate is mainly horror and sci-fi, along with some other classic video game adaptations. Joust centered on an ostrich-riding knight who would do battle with waves of bad guys on a series of platforms suspended over a pit of lava. It might have been simplistic, but is still considered one of the best by fans of classic arcade games. Released in 1982 by Williams Electronics for Midway Games, Joust has made its way to most video game platforms even as recently as for the Xbox 360.
Since there isn't all that much to work with in terms of story and character, Peters told Daily, "We took one element of the game and the brand itself and built a whole new world around it for the film". Matt Gotleib has already finished a script for the film and it is being described as "Gladiator meets Mad Max". The film would be set in a futuristic Las Vegas, but there is no word on whether our hero will still be astride an ostrich (or emu) this time around. CP is also planning on releasing a graphic novel by Steven Elliot Altman of DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics fame, that will be based on Gotleib's script. There is also the possibility of a new series of games that would build off his story. Paramount Pictures has been reported to have a first look deal with CP Productions for the film, so stay tuned for any updates that come our way.
Since most people expect don't expect much from video game flicks, it can't come as much as a surprise that the big screen version of Castlevania has already been sent back to the drawing board. Back in 2005, Paul W.S. Anderson had signed on to write and direct, and up until January 2007 he was still committed to the project; promising a spring start date for production. But the lure of Anderson's next project, Death Race, must have been strong, since he dropped Castlevania to work on it full time.
Bloody Disgusting is reporting that Rogue Pictures has hired Ian Jeffers to completely re-work the script and Sylvain White to helm the flick. White was the director behind the straight-to-video horror I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, and the teen dance flick Stomp The Yard. Jeffers is relative newcomer, and Death Sentence was his screen writing debut.
Well, we might be getting a big screen version of DC Comic's Justice League sooner than we thought. Robert Sanchez at IESB reports that sources at Warner Bros. confirm that "execs behind the Justice League of America want it to be in production as early as February/March 2008 to be ready for a summer of 2009 release." Last June, Erik reported that a completed script for the film had been turned in by Kiernan and Michele Mulroney. IESB's sources now say Warner was so happy with the result, the studio decided to set an early start date for the film.
We've already heard talk that George Miller (Mad Max) will be signed to direct, but, the big question still remains: With new installments of Batman and Superman on the way, will WB be able to create a crossover with Christian Bale and Brandon Routh reprising their respective roles? Routh seemed more enthusiastic about the idea than Bale, but if WB is in a rush to get Justice League off the ground, the studio will have to start making some decisions. Casting Routh or Bale could cause serious delays with either a potential third Batman film or the next Superman film, The Man of Steel -- which are two pretty big franchises for WB to gamble with. On the other hand, Justice League could launch a franchise all its own. Plus, the film offers the chance for tie-ins with upcoming big screen versions of Wonder Woman and The Flash. So far nothing is official, so stay tuned for JLA updates as they come our way.
When it was finally confirmed that Rachel Weisz had opted out of the latest installment of The Mummy franchise, it was not a good sign that the new film was going to recapture a little of its former glory. Bloody Disgusting got the scoop that Universal has finally secured their cast for the third film in the series -- technically it's the fourth, but I never really counted The Scorpion King. Weisz had long since been replaced by Maria Bello and the film had already started production before this last round of casting was announced. Already confirmed was Brendan Fraser reprising his role as Rick O'Connell. But the latest additions to the cast include John Hannah -- reprising his role as the bumbling brother in-law Jonathan (the only actor aside from Fraser who's returning), Anthony Wong, and Alex Pettyfer. The cast also includes Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, and Luke Ford as Fraser's son. The story this time centers on adventure-seeker O'Connell and his son as they unearth the cursed first Emperor of China (Li).
Weisz was not the only one who chose not to return for another go round, as director Stephen Sommers also passed. Instead, Universal hired Fast and The Furious director Rob Cohen. The script was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, two writer-producers from TV's Smallville that have worked on scripts for Spider-Man 2 and Shanghai Knights. The production is currently on location in Montreal, Canada, and will also be shooting in China. Rumors had surfaced that the script for the film was less than stellar and that was what had prompted the departure of Weisz. We will have to see if she made the right decision when the film hits theaters Summer 2008.
At this stage, if there isn't a new X-Files movie on the way, then a lot of fans are going to feel pretty gypped. Sun Media has reported that during a panel event with David Duchovny, who played the iconic Agent Mulder in the TV show as well as the first movie, the actor confirmed that he was about to receive his first script for the new X-Files film any day now. The panel event was set up for Duchovny's new cable series Californication as part of the Television Critics Association tour. Duchovny was quoted as saying, "I really am supposed to get the script next week. And I am looking forward to seeing what (Chris) did". Duchovny also went on to say, "Chris (Carter) is going to direct it. Gillian (Anderson) is on board and I'm on board". According to reports, the film would starting shooting in November and would aim for a release in Summer 2008.
It was back in April when Patrick gave us the news that creator Chris Carter would be working with writer Frank Spotnitz on a script, but fans were rightfully skeptical since there have been rumors floating around about a sequel for years. The original series ran on Fox from 1993 to 2002, and the first film was released in 98'. It was a commercial success, but it seemed like a sequel was never going to materialize. Duchovny made it clear that the film would not be the start of a franchise, and that the script was going to be a "one-off" (meaning it would have nothing to do with the previous film or the TV show). Having been fairly obsessed with the show, I can only hope that another film would give Agents Mulder and Scully a more eventful send-off than what the TV finale provided back in 02'. But until the film goes into production, I think we know by now not to hold our breath.
Back in March, Variety reported on a bidding war for the rights to remake John Carpenter's action classic Escape From New York. When the dust settled, New Line emerged victorious and the project was put together as a starring vehicle for 300's Gerard Butler. Now, Ain't It Cool News claims to have gotten a first look at the new script by Black Hawk Down writer Ken Nolan and provides their own review. Since this news depends on how much you trust the sources at AICN, you should probably take most of the review with a huge grain of salt. Also, if you are the type who likes to remain "spoiler-free" you should tread lightly, since they are pretty liberal with the reveals. The original film of course starred Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, an ex-soldier and fugitive who is roped into rescuing the U.S. President from New York, which has been turned into a brutal high-security prison. When news of the remake hit, let's just say that it did not receive a warm welcome from fans or the original Snake -- Russell has since mellowed on the whole thing, but is still far from enthusiastic.
According to AICN's review, the new script manages to keep most of the original film's story and characters while managing to come up with a few ideas of their own, such as flashbacks to Plissken's military career, and an updated political context. The original film was Carpenter's reaction to the Watergate scandal, so the new film is apparently placing Plissken's political dissent in direct connection with the crisis in the Middle East. There are some other changes supposedly on the way, but since the script is still in the draft stage, who knows how much could actually wind up in the finished product?
Collider recently caught up with blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer during a press junket for National Treasure 2, when the subject of the big screen version of Ubisoft's Prince of Persia came up. Bruckheimer tells Collider that Persia is set to begin shooting this June. Unfortunately it all hinges on whether the writer's strike has been resolved, since Bruckheimer admits that the script is far from complete, saying, "we have a screenplay, we're just starting to develop the look of it" -- which roughly translates to "my assistant has made some notes while playing the game," I'm guessing. The original plot of the game centered on Prince Shahraman, who is tricked into unleashing a plague on his land and gains the power to control time. Of course, there is also the usual video game goal of rescuing a princess.
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SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
