Screenwriter’s News for Monday, April 4, 2022

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I skim the trades, so you don’t have to.

  • Oscars: Full List of Screenwriting Winners

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • CODA (screenplay by Siân Heder) (WINNER)

  • Drive My Car (screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe)
  • Dune (screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth)
  • The Lost Daughter (written by Maggie Gyllenhaal)
  • The Power of the Dog (written by Jane Campion)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • Belfast (written by Kenneth Branagh) (WINNER)

  • Don’t Look Up (screenplay by Adam McKay; story by Adam McKay & David Sirota)
  • King Richard (written by Zach Baylin)
  • Licorice Pizza (written by Paul Thomas Anderson)
  • The Worst Person in the World (written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2022-oscars-winners-list-1235119314/

My two-cent takeaway: Many great stories this year. Pro Tip: Dont just watch the movies, read the scripts. 

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‘Call My Agent!’ Showrunner Fanny Herrero Jury President for Canneseries

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/canneseries-2022-competition-jury-1235119137/

My two-cent takeaway: Call My Agent is a highly rated French long-format comedy series created by Herrero. She also has extensive experience writing successful French drama series and a feature. She is repped by Film Talents in Paris, France. 

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Chris Pine Hasn’t Seen a Script for a New ‘Star Trek’ Film, but Is Already a Fan of Director Matt Shakman

https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/chris-pine-new-star-trek-film-1234710127/

My two-cent takeaway: Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate, Snowpiercer, Avatar 2 and untitled Planet of the Apes project) and Cameron Squires (WandaVision) will write the script. An earlier version of the script was written by Lindsey Beers (who has tons of projects in pre-production) and Geneva Robertson (Tomb Raider, Captain Marvel also with a ton in pre-production). Regarding the timing, my guess is the Paramount investor call had a lot to do with it, which is a good thing. 

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Longtime head writer of the Academy Awards Bruce Vilanch weighs in on the slap heard ’round the world, his overall views on the show, and discusses how Elizabeth Taylor once signed off on a mean joke and how Judy Garland paved the way for Chris Rock.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bruce-vilanch-will-smith-oscar-slap-star-born-1235121071/

My two-cent takeaway: If youve followed Vilanch, youll know hes hilarious. Just a quick bit about his take on last week’s Oscars. 

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The Spy Kids franchise is headed to Netflix. The streaming giant is partnering with franchise creator Robert Rodriguez to relaunch and reimagine the property for a new generation. Rodriguez will write, direct and produce the new feature project for Netflix, with news coming 21 years to the day after the first Spy Kids hit theaters back in 2001.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spy-kids-movie-netflix-1235122439/

My two-cent takeaway: Rodriguez is back at it. Of course, this is gonna be fun. Family oriented content is hot right now, including Ryan Reynolds latest The Adam Project, as mentioned in the article. Time to dust off any scripts that fit the bill and sharpen your pencils. 

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‘The Full Monty’ TV Series in the Works at Disney+, Original Cast to Return After 25 Years

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/full-monty-tv-series-disney-plus-1235119426/

My two-cent takeaway: Cant believe its already been 25 years.  The screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy was only in his late twenties when he wrote the script that turned into a movie that grossed over $250 million. Since then, hes gone on to write Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, amongst a slew of others.  This script was his first produced feature and went on to be nominated for an Oscar for best screenplay written for the screen. He later won an Oscar for adapted screenplay for Slumdog and was nominated again for 127 Hours along with Danny Boyle. 

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Snowpiercer Adds Clark Gregg to Cast for Season 4, Names New Showrunner

https://tvline.com/2022/03/28/snowpiercer-clark-gregg-cast-season-4-new-showrunner/

My two-cent takeaway: (Spoilers) Paul Zbyszewski will take over as showrunner. With previous experience on Lost, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Helstrom hes a good fit for a show that has to take a big step away from reality.

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Variety reported that HBO Max is developing a prequel series based on the Stephen King horror novel “It” and its recent film adaptations.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/it-prequel-series-hbo-max-1235218176/

My two-cent takeaway: Jason Fuchs, an actor who also wrote Ice Age 4, Wonder Woman and is in pre-production on The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, will write. 

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Peacock entered development on a series adaptation of the Robert McCammon horror-thriller novel “Stinger.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/james-wan-stinger-peacock-1235122127/

My two-cent takeaway: Ian McCulloch (Chicago Fire, Yellowstone, and Deputy) will write. Hes repped by Jon Cassir at Creative Artists Agency, who also reps Guy Ritchie. 

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‘Bel-Air’ Showrunners Unpack Will’s Dad’s Secret, Carlton’s Anxiety Disorder and Hilary and Jazz’s Chemistry

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/bel-air-season-1-finale-will-dad-1235220144/

My two-cent takeaway: (Spoiler Alert) Rasheed Newson and T.J. Brady breakdown how they developed the characters in Bel-Air relating to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

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THR’s Winston Cho has the latest from The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman’s battle with AMC over profits from the series. And it’s not good news for Kirkman, as the L.A. judge overseeing the case indicated on Friday that he’s leaning toward ruling that AMC did not reverse engineer its contracts to shortchange the writer.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/robert-kirkmans-walking-dead-profits-case-dealt-crushing-blow-1235123776/

My two-cent takeaway: Its unfortunate that contracts and money have to sour the relationship between writers and producers. 

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After his brother Joel Coen went out on his own to direct The Tragedy of Macbeth, Ethan Coen is also planning a helm his first solo feature. Ethan has teamed up with Focus Features and Working Title for the film, which is currently untitled. He also wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Cooke. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources tell THR that it may be about a lesbian road trip.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ethan-coen-road-trip-movie-1235123552/

My two-cent takeaway: After Ethans relationship with his brother Joel soured after decades of working together, we will finally get an opportunity to see what the baby brother has in store for us, which I bet will impress. 

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  • THR’s Borys Kit has the big scoop on the long-mooted reboot of The Crow, finally securing a director and a lead. After years stuck in development hell, Brit filmmaker Rupert Sanders is directing with It star Bill Skarsgaard playing the vengeful Eric Draven. The film will be a reboot of Alex Proyas’ 1994 film, which was tragically star Brandon Lee’s final movie.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-crow-reboot-bill-skarsgard-1235123704/

My two-cent takeaway: Zach Baylin, who was just Oscar nominated for King Richard (apparently his first feature) is the writer.  He also wrote the screenplay for Creed III, which is in production right now, along with a bunch of other listed scripts that surely will garner attention after his Oscar nomination.

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Five years after it last aired, FX has ordered a second season of its anthology series Feud. The second season will star Naomi Watts, be directed by Gus Van Sant, with Jon Robin Baitz writing and serving as showrunner. The season will be subtitled Capote’s Women and is based on Laurence Leamer’s book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/naomi-watts-fx-feud-season-2-1235123558/

My two-cent takeaway: Jon Robin Baitz (Alias, Brothers and Sisters and The Slap) will write. Hes repped by Brian Siberell at CAA who also reps Edgar Wright, John Lee Hancock, and Peter Craig along with oodles of other writers. 

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  • THR’s man in London Alex Ritman has the scoop Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson reuniting for dark comedy thriller The Kill Room. The Pulp Fiction stars are the big draws for the Yale Productions feature from writer Jonathan Jacobson and director Nicol Paone. The story is about a hitman who accidentally becomes an art-world sensation.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/uma-thurman-samuel-l-jackson-the-kill-room-1235123458/

My two-cent takeaway: This is Jonathan Jacobsons first feature after years of working as a producer and credited as additional crew on Larry Clark and Harmony Korines Kids.  He is not repped. 

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  • ‘Black Bird’ First Look: Apple’s Psychological Thriller Series With Taron Egerton & Paul Walter Hauser Hits July 8

https://theplaylist.net/black-bird-first-look-apple-taron-egerton-paul-walter-hauser-july-20220331/

My two-cent takeaway: Writer Dennis Lehane is developing the show for Apple TV+.

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Bill Hader’s Excellent Filmmaking Adventure

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/bill-hader-interview-barry-snl-anxiety-1235121564/

My two-cent takeaway: Great interview covering Haders experience making Barry. Its interesting that he wrote a show that parallels his life as a person stuck doing something hes good at and struggling to break into what he wants. 

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What’re your two cents?

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