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DreamWorks has big plans for Alex Pettyfer. He’s the star of I Am Number Four, the adaptation of the James Frey novel that is envisioned as the start of a film franchise when it’s released February 18. The studio has locked Pettyfer into another vehicle. DreamWorks acquired Shunt: The Story of James Hunt, a book by Tom Rubython. Pettyfer will play James Hunt, the British racing driver who won the Formula One World Championships in 1976 and whose charm turned the whole country on to the sport. DreamWorks is out to high-end writers. Pettyfer will produce with John Palermo, who is also a producer on the Darren Aronofsky-directed Hugh Jackman-starrer Wolverine and is also producing Incareron, which just got Taylor Lautner attached as star.
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Smart people, those DreamWorks folks — cultivating the new generation of movie stars. Very nice.
Well, you can call it “cultivating” or you can call it “anointing” an unknown kid most of the ticket-buying public has never heard of.
I mean, they’re launching a franchise for this kid? Hiring high-end writers for projects to tailor roles for him? And this kid has opened what movie exactly? WHO THE HELL IS THIS KID???
Yeah, yeah, he’s “hot in town,” etc…etc…
Well, he ain’t hot among the people who buy tickets to movies. Easy does it, DreamWorks. What do you say we see how “Beastly” opens before you anoint this kid the next Leo or Shia.
Perhaps you should watch the Alex Pettyfer movies released so far. That might answer some of your questions:
a) Tom Brown’s Schooldays
b) Stormbreaker (US-Title: “Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker”)
c) Wild Child
d) Tormented
yeah they all bombed! Especially Alex Reider! It was supposed to be a franchise, but it didn’t work out! Dreamworks is really pushing this guy, but maybe they should’ve waited a few weeks after the alien movie comes out! Imagine if that movie bombs too!
He is the next big thing man. They all trying to grab a piece of him in my opinion is clever! I watch some of his work, Tom Brown (which I thought was great acting for a kid that age!) and I also watched Tormented which was completely different role, a bad guy I thought he is pretty good at that too. Of course I watched I am number four. Well I do not have to even mention that he is good, because it is quite obvious if you hit a Google search “Alex Pettyfer” . He is 20 years old and good looking. I don’t think they have a good reason not to like him!!!
By the way I still think he has to get use to Hollywood a little bit more. Most Brits have that problem. Hollywood is a lot different from Brit movie industry and I think all the attention might well.. freak him out.
being a poser does not make u an actor except in word only.
Is it possible that the people who worked with him at Dreamworks on I Am Number Four were inpressed enough by him to want work with him again? I’ll tell you this: the problem with Hollywood right now is not that they take too many chances, it’s that they take too few. Yep, Dreamworks is gambling on a newcomer who has never opened a movie. Leo and Shia never opened a movie either… until they did.
and which movie has Shia opened all on his own exactly? Yeah, NONE!
Very smart, but who is that driver? Le Mans, Grad Prix they never worked, so good luck, book him again before it opens
This “kid” is one of the most arrogant, narcissistic, individuals I had the displeasure to meet. Zucker/Ovitz rule apply.
Yeah I’ve met him too — NOT a cool guy — pretty arrogant and angry and unmannered. But I’m sure he’s polite as fuck to Steven and Stacy.
he’s very handsome but a british formula one driver from the 70s…? that’s a bit obscure come on
idiots, those people at dreamworks. assuming this guy will be a star. Someone isn’t a movie star simply because Stacy says so. very stupid.
why is Dreamworks developing a career for this wooden actor?
Looking forward to Shunt. Should be an interesting story.
Again like Lautner, studios investing in a young guy who’s totally unproven as a bankable star and isn’t that great at acting yet, if ever. So odd. Cultivate stars yes but don’t force them into being. Though at least Lautner seems like a fairly grateful kid, where as Pettyfer is a notorious tool.
James Hunt’s story will make a great movie! Alex is perfect for the part. Actually – this is Alex’s idea. He has been working on it since he was 15 years old. Alex is also a racecar driver.
Agreed. They resemble in both appearances and personalities.
don’t believe everything this kid says or that you read he said elsewhere. he’s is 100% full of sh*t
Too bad he’s a jerk to his “girlfriend”, co workers, & service staff. Nice going. Can’t wait for his career to end. #notsoonenough
James Hunt is a cool guy.
love palermo! the guy has great taste.
He’s serviced by Thor. They’re in that club.
What does – “He’s serviced by Thor. They’re in that club.” mean?
I am lost in translation..
Dear Mike -
- just to clarify something, because research is kind of important, and throwaway lines like yours help further the industry standing of a scumbag like Frey.
I AM NUMBER FOUR was essentially written by Jobie Hughes, under a horrible contract that Frey – using the same industry contacts that you have – sold to Dreamworks. Not only that, Frey is currently doing the same to other young, good authors he snatches up with the help of MFA programs and has them slave for him in a fashion that is not only disgusting but also skirting the lines of legality.
While I am perfectly aware that the thrust of your blog entry is geared towards Alex Pettyfer, and you may in that somewhat smug journalistic fashion dismiss this comment because of that, it is rather telling that Deadline New York has reported on book sales and author sales several times but has completely forgotten to mention the story of Full Fathom Five, as it was reported by The New Yorker.
As long as half-truths and outright lies manage to slip into reporting, be it due to negligience or oversight, bottomfeeders like Frey are allowed to continue to prey on those who are unknown.
Yes, Hughes should also have been identified above.
But here are the details you left out –
Hughes was an unknown writer, who still has never been published on his own. The idea came from Frey, they outlined it together, Hughes wrote the first draft, Frey rewrote him then used his contacts to sell the book and movie rights.
And Hughes who again, was a completely unproven unknown, has made over seven figures on the deal.
Not exactly slave labor.
seven figures!! maybe after he sued him. get your facts checked
Uh, so because a writer is unknown they don’t deserve to be paid? They deserve to live with gag orders and forced to write with a pseudonym?
Fact is we don’t know how much Frey did or didn’t write, I’ve read some accounts that he did next to nothing. Obviously he’s going to claim he did quite a bit of it.
Sure, used “used his contacts,” something agents do and only charge 10% for — not 60%. Oh, and they don’t impose gag writers on their writers.
He got paid. Well.
Again, Frey came up with the original idea. They wrote together. And the contract was signed in advance, with the pseudonym and “gag order” a mutual agreement.
Hughes might be a very good writer, but any writer knows that getting their foot in the door is not easy and usually takes YEARS and often luck even for the most talented. Hughes skipped all that and made a boatload of cash. He did this by writing on an idea that wasn’t his, working with a NYT best-selling author, having access to the best agents/lawyers in the world that the other writer earned over years of work.
No one who has struggled to make a living as a writer would consider this a sob story.
hey fact check do you work for Frey? Sounds like you do. Well paid?! Where do you get that..Frey’s contract is 250 dollars upfront with NO PROVISION FOR AUDITING in the contract. total fraud.
I do not work for Frey, but I do have knowledge of the situation. Better than most on here it seems.
The writers make $250 upfront, yes. They’re writing on spec just like they would be if they were writing alone. Then they get between 30% and 40% of ALL profits from the book, including movie rights, etc. The book sold to DreamWorks for high six figures. It’s a NYT Best seller. There are six series books and will probably be movie sales for all of them. That’s A LOT of money.
People can whine about the deal all they want, but getting involved with Frey was like winning the lottery for Hughes. He could’ve spent his late 20s like most writers do – writing on the side while tending bar or working some other miserable job and praying he can get his stuff to one agent who will read it. Instead he’ll make over seven figures thanks mostly to the original concept, writing and connections of his mentor. Not bad for a late-20s writer who still hasn’t been published on his own. Jobie is a talent, no doubt, but there’s absolutely no way he was taken advantage of or is a victim.
You are basically just finding lots of different ways of saying: “Hughes was a nobody, and should just be grateful for what he got. Other struggling writers have it worse.”
Yeah well, that’s fine if you think that. But a lot of people feel like writers (and workers in any creative field) deserve to be treated fairly and compensated fairly for their work; being better off than you were before or being better off than the rest of the struggling hordes doesn’t mean you should just smile and say thank you as you’re being screwed over by a parasite like Frey.
LadyJane — you misunderstand. What I’m saying is “Hughes got the deal of the century and should be thanking his lucky stars for it.”
Again, this wasn’t his original idea. It was Frey’s, and he brought Hughes in to help write it. Not the other way around. Yes, Frey had some conditions, but who wouldn’t jump at a chance to work on a commercial idea with a best-selling author? Hughes knew the terms of the contract upfront and agreed to them. And again, he’s made over seven figures on this. He certainly wasn’t screwed over.
The hardest thing for an unknown writer is getting their work looked at by agents, publishers and Studios. First time writers NEVER make a fortune on their first deal. You may think that’s unfair, but it’s a reality of the publishing world and Hollywood. That’s why saying Frey screwed over Hughes is ridiculous, first of all they agreed to everything upfront, and second — no first-time writer would EVER make what Hughes has made on IAN4.
The truth is, if this was James Patterson, John Grisham or countless other authors doing this no one would care. Many of them already do. Frey is just a lightning rod for controversy.
btw… James Patterson has a YA series called “Daniel X” which is co-written with several unknown writers. You’ll all be shocked that their names aren’t the same size on the cover. Even worse, I bet they’re not splitting profits 50/50.
Of course, none of Patterson’s co-writers have bitten the hand that feeds them. Poor Frey hasn’t been so lucky.
Why is Dreamworks wasting money on a movie about a race car driver that majority of people do not know and have never heard of. Or wasting money trying to promote the career of Pettyfer who is truly a nasty piece of work. Not to mention he does not know how to act.
They’re trying to promote I Am #4. This kid is unknown so his name is not going to sell tickets. They have to keep putting out press releases hyping him so they can possibly recoup their money on the film…a film that has not had one even mediocre trailer come out thus far. I’m sure the studio is scared their Twilight experiment may not pay off.
The Hunt film may never get made and may just be a way to appease the kid [I heard it was part of his overall deal]. As with all actors, they consider him a possible commodity so he better hope he can make them money otherwise they won’t be investing another dime into his career.
Should be interesting to watch.
Wow. Such bitterness.
James Hunt was a top racing driver back in the days when Formula One really was glamorous, downright dangerous and full of real characters. His personal life mirrored his risk taking driving. It’s no wonder his life is being made into a film and Pettyfer looks like Hunt to boot.
Saucer of milk for table nine… meeeoooow.
Figured it out — google James Hunt, he looks just like this guy!
They planned the movie because of the physical resemblance!
HOW DUMB IS THAT??
Or they planned the movie because James Hunt was a guy who won Formula One back when it was the sexiest–and most dangerous–sport in the world, had fights with dozens of men and sex with thousands of women, married a famous model who left him to marry Richard Burton (and broke up Burton’s second marriage to Liz in the process). In 1976, Hunt was a last minute team substitute whose biggest rival was his best friend Niki Lauda. Lauda nearly died in a crash during a race they both were in (Hunt won). Lauda recovered–and they both drove in a final, play-off race for the championship.
Figure they oughta be able to get a screenplay out of all that…
I don’t know where all you people posting here get their information from ?
1.I never met Alex Pettyfer, therefore I don’t have a personal impression of him. However at least in interviews from the time he lived in England he didn’t make a bad impression.
2.I’ve got all his four movies released on DVD so far, and I think he is a very good actor. So I think the plans DremWorks have for him are a good idea.
3.I’ve no idea why somebody might call him “wooden”. When he played “Alex Rider” on “Stormbreaker”, his character required him not to give much away including emotions. This was intended that way and does not allow the conclusion he’s unable to show emotions. Everybody who saw for example “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” should know that.
4.Alex Pettyfer, who wanted to become a race driver when he was young, is dreaming about doing this movie for half a decade. Although I think he will be a great James Hunt, I have my doubts that a James Hunt movie is a subject for the average audience and therefore can be a commercial success at all.
5.Almost everybody knows that the contracts of James Frey’s writing factory are not acceptable. However, there’s not much we can do about it.
Just another waste for Dreamworks. It is no wonder how they got into their huge debt to begin with.
Cant wait to see this. Alex is a big star. You will see. All of you haters saying he can’t act clearly haven’t seen his modeling work. He had over three expressions which means he can act. It also means he can produce too. Producing will be easy for him so stop hating. It doesn’t take years of experience. But if it did, he could still do it. He is the next james dean, don’t believe me? Look at his hair.
XO,
Anonymous Talent Manager
I agree that Alex Pettyfer is a good and experienced actor who had a leading part in almost all movies he ever did (starting in 2004).
But I’m afraid I might have a different position to the other points you mentioned:
a) Being a good model doesn’t mean automatically that the person is a good actor, too. That Alex Pettyfer started a modeling career when he was six years old only means that he is used to cameras and is used to have an acceptable look.
b) I have no doubts that he is able to produce, he’s not stupid and due to his work as an actor he learned a lot about the movie-business. However I’m not sure whether I will like the fact that he spends his time producing behind the camera. I’d rather see him spending his time doing more movies in front of the camera as an actor, for example “Jace Wayland” in “City of Bones”.
I think @Terence Weinstein was being sarcastic.
Can’t that con artist James Frey just go away already? What a loser.
“Then they get between 30% and 40% of ALL profits from the book, including movie rights, etc”
That’s what the contract says fact check….but the contract says the % statement can be AMMENDED At any time at the discretion of FREY with NO AUDITING for the signee. Fact Check you are obviously an employee of frey trying to make the conartist look good. Eric Simonoff should be ashamed of himself for working with such a loser.
Alex is a very intelligent, kind, diligent working actor, and i’m proud of how successful he has become as a young actor thus far. I remember when many people felt the same about Shia Lebeouf and now look how successful he has become. Dreamworks is making a great move by investing in these young actors.
LOL. Uh so he hasn’t screwed you over YET?! He will. He just hasn’t gotten around to it yet.
I’ve never seen so many different people having such bad experiences with an up-and-coming young actor. But having experienced this piece of sh*t myself be warned if you do encounter him. He’s very charming but so was Ted Bundy.
And to respond to the comment below; WHY would anyone come here and badmouth someone they don’t know? You don’t have to be on a movie set to have interaction with an actor.
I wonder how many of the people who came here to badmouth Alex Pettyfer have ever met him or know anything about him, let alone how he treats his girlfriend? The fact that one person put the word girlfriend in quotes tells me exactly what her agenda is. I wonder what percentage of the “insiders” who post here have never been on a movie set in their life.
I don’t know Alex personally and can only speak on what I’ve read about him and seen of him in interviews and he does seem like a total prick. What I don’t get is how someone who has always seemed like an intelligent girl (Dianna Agron) is doing with him if he is in fact as much of an ass as everyone says he is. The rumors of her letting him control her career have me dumbfounded. Is she so swayed by his good looks that she’s lost all her sense? I really feel like he’s brainwashed her. Why are so many people giving him so much power in Hollywood when he’s a 20yr old KID who is completely unproven?
@Just don’t get it -
STFU. People like you that need to get hit by a semi truck head on.Figures such a small mind like yourself and others would believe in RUMORS about Alex. Only takes ONE bad apple to spark a fake rumor and gullible delusional puppies like you so naively follow it. Why don’t you wait until you actually meet the man yourself then judge him by some REAL facts. I’ve been a big fan of his and I’m not even being partial. More like what’s he doing with Diana? you have that backwards more on that later.
I like his facets a lot: devil may care, honest, blunt, funny, sarcastic, not overtly prepared in interviews very unique. And people mistake all that for rudeness -truly bemuses me. Unless your Mother Theresa or some “I don’t use curse words” nun. I guess one weakling WOULD find him offensive. I love bad boys like him! He really is hot and rebel like.
Regardless of what ANYONE says here. He’s got great acting potential period! Give it some time as with most things in development. I admit the movies he’s done so far aren’t box office hits and his filmography is quite empty now. But time changes things. One of the marks of a good actor (imo) is one that performs well enough that you forget it’s even a movie instead you believe it to be real. His crying/yelling/fighting scenes in “Tormented” did that for me despite it being a B type formula movie. I think people should pipe down about the guy and leave him alone. What I hate most is that Alex IS passionate about his career you can tell in article interviewS/radio interviews what cast members say about him KEY PEOPLE THAT MATTER actually liked working with him and believe in him. Yet people on this board so easily get caught up in how young he is or he can’t do this and that or he doesn’t have enough movies under his belt nonsense. BULLSH*T!! Those who talk crap about him are either but ugly man b*tches jealous of the guy in some way, some crazy Diana Argon fan who’s so far up in worshiping her worthless a$$ you diss anyone she’s with, OR some lame d*ck bag troll. FU!
Very much waiting for “I am number four” and hope all other movies bomb themselves. The haters know they’ll be paying out of pocket to see him and you know it.
On another note. I would do this guy even if he were a serial killer! The man is a gem. And it’s sad to see him go to waste being with Diana. Just another one of those I need me some fame Hollywood gal with the whole “I look like a sweet wittle girl!” You’re going to love me attitude. WASTE. You know he’ll be dumping her soon.
You are his publicist right?
LOL!! You’re NOT being partial…sure whatever. Think what you want. You’ve got to be joking. What’s he doing with Dianna? i think it’s quite obvious. I find it funny that barely anyone here in the US even knows his name and most people that do know it now is because he’s been dating Dianna. I don’t think it’s a coincidence either. From his reputation I’m sure he saw the value of dating a girl who just happens to be on one of the, if not the, hottest shows in the US right now.
Why Dianna has decided to hitch HER STAR to his wagon is beyond me. He’s doing nothing but dragging her down. It seems like ever since she’s been attached to him, the sweet, beautiful girl that most fans have grown to know and love has turned into a bit of a cranky sourpuss. So way to go Alex, you really have a way with the ladies. I really believed that Dianna was a rising star in Hollywood and on her way to becoming a hot commodity in her age group. Why she decided to become Alex Pettyfer’s doormat is beyond me. I think she’s a naive girl who trusted the wrong guy because he probably says all the right things and acts like her Prince Charming. I do hope she comes to her senses soon and realizes that he’s just a social climbing user and DUMPS HIM!! She deserves way better. She worked hard to get where she is and was making really great choices up until now. Unfortunately, I think I am Number Four will bomb and its sad to me that that may hurt Dianna’s career. As for Alex, who cares, he’s just another pretty face that no one will remember a year from now. As soon as #4 bombs, Beastly will probably go direct to DVD and Alex will be looking to see who he can step on/use next to advance his failing career.