October was a lighter month for spec sales. New Line Cinema and A-Major Media picked up Elliott San’s untitled spec last month. Although details are being kept under wraps, it’s described as a mind-bending genre tale that centers on an Asian-American lead. Meanwhile, TriStar Pictures, Unique Features, and Arlook Group are moving forward with Cooper McMains’ spec The Tip. The thriller follows a waitress who finds herself in a dangerous situation after receiving a $10,000 tip. John Strickland will direct. Robert Zappia’s 2018 Blood List script The Devil’s Light found a home with Lionsgate and Gold Circle Films. The supernatural thriller follows a nun who performs exorcisms while combating a sexist church that believes only priests should be allowed to perform exorcisms.
Other script sales:
– Bret McKenzie has been tapped to write the script and music for the Jim Henson Company’s adaptation of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.
– Evan Spiliotopoulos will write and Dean DeBlois will direct a Treasure Island adaptation for Universal.
– Nick Yarborough to write the Training Day prequel for Warner Bros.
– Park Chan-wook to write and direct the horror-comedy The Ax for Moho Films. The movie will be based on Donald Westlake’s novel.
– Robert Eggers to write and direct The Northman for Square Peg, based on an idea from Alexander Skarsgård.
– John Krasinski to write, direct, and star in Imaginary Friends for Paramount. The story follows a man who can see other people’s discarded imaginary friends. Ryan Reynolds will also star.
– Hillary Seitz will adapt Kate Southwood’s novel Falling to Earth for BRON Studios and Pearl Street Films. Ben Affleck will produce/star.
– Jade Bartlett will script the Doctor Strange sequel for Disney and Marvel. Scott Derrickson will return to direct; Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong and Elizabeth Olsen are set to star.
– In other Disney news: Ted Elliott and Craig Mazin are set to develop the story for the Pirates of the Caribbean reboot.
– And even more Disney: Mikey Day and Streeter Seidel will script the Inspector Gadget reboot for Disney.
– Rebecca Lenkiewicz will write the movie about New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, who broke the Harvey Weinstein scandal, for Annapurna Pictures and Plan B Entertainment.