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EXCLUSIVE: The sluggish spec script marketplace will get a jolt today as Hollywood majors battle over a drama that has Hollywood’s highest paid and hardest working teen Taylor Lautner attached to star. I’ve learned the new lit agency Verve sent out the script by its client Shawn Christensen last night — and already two studios are ready to bid when the auction gets going at 9 AM PT today. Called Abduction, WME client Lautner plays a teen who has long felt disconnected from his parents, and figures out why. That unleashes a chain of violent events and enters Bourne territory. Considering he just got on the Hollywood radar because of the Twilight Saga (imagine, he was almost recast before New Moon) and just days ago blew out the candles on his 18th birthday cake, Lautner with his 8-pack abs is the newest and youngest action star in a dizzying volume of movie deals made over recent weeks. He’s already the lead in two major studio superhero franchises — Universal’s Stretch Armstrong and Paramount’s Max Steel — and was paid $7.5 million for the John Moore-directed Skydance Top Gun-esque thrill ride Northern Lights. Meanwhile, Abduction is the first big spec deal for Verve, whose principals came up at Endeavor and then recently left WME. Since Lautner is repped by WME (and Management 360), it looks like Ari Emanuel and company are playing nice with the upstart tenpercentery.
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These movies aren’t out yet and this kid is already overexposed. I can’t wait for the fallout when Hollywood realizes that adults don’t care about this kid and kids only care about him if he’s playing Jacob.
i agree with the first one he wont make it.
I read a copy last night and loved it. This will sell today.
It doesn’t matter if this script is good or not… it will sell because it is a commodity, not a script… then, they’re rewrite it to tailor TAYLOR — which means less dialogue, more wideshots of body — less closeups — and by the time his first movie bombs — then this will have to be rewritten for the next Tween star… but heck! he was almost fired from the first Twilight for superficial reasons, so at least he got to stick it to the execs who wanted to get rid of him.
ooh where can i find it?
This kid’s come a long way from being the guy who was almost recast in New Moon.
this is what happens when Agents rule Hollywood and do packaging. It started to build steam in the 80s and has not looked back sinced. Used to be that real actors were discovered in acting class or came highly recommended for their work off of a stage or via word of mouth amongst other actors and directors.
I know that was years ago but now agents are on steroids, there is no consideration for training,experience or actual acting work and why should there be. Digital technology is such that you could dress up a goat and with quick cutting and fancy camera work, make it into the next sex symbol.
An infantilized pop culture obsessed with ever younger ‘stars’ makes for ripe picking by agents trolling about for the next Hollywood creation. This combined with the new enabling technology and the omniscient publicist and we can look forward to 11 year old pre-pubescent mega-stars within 5 more years.
Taylor who? Sorry I am late to the party. What I see is a boy who looks like a gay man’s pinup fantasy. Strange hairless body not yet filled in, oddly long neck and puggish face. whats’ not to like, sign him!!!
It is beyond ridiculous that every studio is jonesing over this kid who has no proven box office draw outside of Twilight. I’ve given up on creativity or talent meaning anything but from the business standpoint it seems like many people are setting themselves up to waste a lot of money on this kid once he fades post-Twilight.
Way to go Verve, making some good moves quickly
So, basically, everyone in Hollywood is getting a pay cut or unemployment, there’s no acting or writing jobs — but only ONE actor has amassed, I hazard to guess over 30-40 million dollars in commitments to projects, which will probably never get made, or even if they did — would take him YEARS to do… and he barely had a supporting role in the film… well, his abs did. Look what happened to every Harry Potter and Twilight cast member when they did other films… the films barely made a fraction of this. Not that Taylor’s a bad guy, but why he is suddenly THE ONLY GUY?
I’m truly baffled why so many studios are attaching Taylor Lautner to big projects. He’s not a very good actor and has little charisma on screen. Yes, the teen and tween girls like him, but will they like him outside Twilight? I’m guessing not.
I just read and loved the script!
Well, someone had better attach a spiritual guru to the kid’s hip, for every moment he isn’t on camera … or he’ll be washed up before he’s 21.
Forget “Twilight” … the town is the vampire, feeding on the blood of the young, for its prosperity. Hopefully, Lautner’s keepers won’t wholly sacrifice their young to the monster in the town’s pit.
Fame devours at any age, but it’s a glutton for baby blood.
Cant wait to see all his movies fail. The idea that these stupid studio heads think they can transfer his success in the Twilight series over to other projects is laughable.
Verve was started by three ex WME guys; so that explains Ari’s niceness (for now)
JESUS! He is soooooooooooo untalented. Stop giving this dousche roles. (and yes, i am jealous)
I really can’t stand this anymore. I don’t even have the energy to rant. This truly goes to show how disconnected the studios have become.
This town has become so unoriginal, it’s sad.
To everyone that is bitching….
If people would actually pay to go and see quality films, the studios would make them….
It’s a business that’s primary goal, like so many others, is to make money (imagine that!!)….
If anyone’s to blame it’s our culture for spending 100′s of millions on lousy movies, and letting the studios take a beating when they take the risk of making a decent film these days….
BTW, Shawn is the star of the band Stellastar, and also is a heckuva nice guy. Talk about multi-talented…
I don’t care if the movie is good I’ll watch ! NO COMPLAINTS HERE !
While I’m sure studios think this is a sure thing for success, the fact is he’s untested. Twilight came with its own fanbase, and the focus wasn’t even on him. It will be with THESE films where Taylor is tested.
Just in case, I hope he saves all the money from these next 4 films.
The sad part is that the industry is virtually closed to any young actor over 25 who hasn’t got major credits or a major agent. They can’t even get into a casting session. I’m sure there are lots of good reasons (like budgets don’t allow for casting sessions with unknowns) but developing talent is becoming a lost art…especially if you call what is being done with Taylor Lautner “developing talent.”
I guess all actors have left Hollywood
Yes, teen girls swoon over him, so if you have projects aimed at teen girls, go after him. But to sign him for action roles when there’s no evidence that guys will like and identify with him, that is sketchy decision-making.
I’m not saying Taylor is or isn’t talented, but I dare you to find ONE heterosexual male who will pay to see a movie because Taylor Lautner is starring in it.
You show me one heterosexual male who’s trying to get lucky with a girl who wants to see the movie because Taylor Lautner is starring in it and I’ll show you a heterosexual male who will pay to see the movie.
Tween and teen girls like this guy, which guarantees guys won’t. No guy is going to see this fellow in action movies, unless he has something seriously hidden before now in terms of masculine leadership and likability. I don’t see him as a relatively unheralded Bruce Willis astonishing everyone in Die Hard.
More like a Pauly Shore with better abs.
He has great agents, there is no other way he is getting these parts. He was not the reason for New Moon’s success and there is no proof that the twihards will follow him to another movie. Well that aside, he can’t act.
I’m so sick of taylor that I could puke. Scummit forced him down our throats so much for NM that I totally can’t stand the sight of him anymore. Hollywood should take note that the only people who are going to see him in anything else will be teens and tweens. He can’t act and his abs are the only thing he has going for him. Based on other comments on this board I’m not the only one who thinks this way!
He’s too arrogant. He wanted Rob’s level of fame and it’s never going to happen…keep dreaming TL. I had to laugh prior to New Moon he was giving interviews and proclaiming “Edward’s out and I’m in”…well that never happened did it? HA! NM proved he can’t act so I’m not surprised he’s only getting action movie roles. The studios will learn that he’s not a STAR…he’s only an actor and most twi fans are really tired of him. I’m certainly never going to see any other movies he does!