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A vigorous spec auction ended late Friday night with Sony Pictures paying mid-six figures for Agent OX, a Daniel Kunka script about a human spy on an alien planet. Neal Moritz is producing. Deal closed at 7:30 West Coast time. Producers all over town took the spec into different studios, including Peter Chernin at Fox, Walter Parkes at DreamWorks, Benderspink and Brad Weston at Paramount and Marc Platt at Universal. Moritz settled matters by paying about $300,000 out of his discretionary fund. Kunka’s repped by ICM.
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Spy on another planet? ‘Total Recall’ much?
$20 says this will be in 3D.
That vague description actually brought up the distinct premise immediately to your mind and you’re shrugging this script entirely now?
“Avatar” much? I’m being facetious. I agree with American
Sounds like another project which will never get made.
I hope this doesn’t go the same route LOGJAMMERS did. That was one of the hottest spec sales of it’s time. Roger Strull really knew what he was doing when he took that out.
From the writer of 12 Rounds. Wow. The other studios were smart in passing.
With a snarky, cheap comment like that, Quaid, you’d better have had two spec sales this year and a couple movies in the pipeline.
This place sounds more and more like the Ain’t It Cool News talkbacks every day. And that ain’t a compliment.
Better than from the writer of NOTHING doucherocket, at least he has a movie under his belt. I don’t even know the guy. But like 50 says… let the haters hate and watch the money pile up.
I do know the guy. And he’s great. Just had his first kid and started writing this script while the wifey was pregnant. They’re wonderful people.
It does “sound” like something to be wary of… But. I read it and knew it would sell. It’s actually pretty cool. And I usually just come on here to hate… But I have to give props on this one.
Read it. Liked it, but only sort of. Thought that the core concept was cool, but the story as a whole was very on the nose. I’ve read a LOT that’s very similar. Curious if this will ever get made.
I’ll second that, Burton. Just finished the script and it was good, not great. Had a solid hook (human spy on alien planet who must warn earth before alien invasion) but lacked any twists throughout, which made the read feel straight-ahead. A bit like a reverse Avatar, with earth being the strip-mining target this time and the alien romantic interest helps the human spy complete his mission and save earth. The major question mark is who is the audience for this? Without a complete overhaul of the script, the budget shouldn’t go beyond 60 – 70 mil if the producers want to see any profit.
Nobody knows anything.
- William Goldman
Who would have anticipated the audience for Black Swan? Black Swan was a Black Swan. You don’t predict these things. Its random. They’re unpredictable events.
Budgets of course need to be considered and make stupid financial decisions but u can’t overthink shit. If Neal Moritz loved the script and it wasn’t a piece of shit.. u go for it. He obviously knows something since he’s making bank off 5 Fast and Furious movies. But then if it tanks Sony gets left holding the bag (see: Stealth).
The headline is misleading it should be Moritz buys script for Moritz if he spent his discretionary fund then Sony didn’t actually buy it for him they gave him money long ago to use as he sees fit. Also at that price it doesn’t sound like much of an auction with all those other producers wanting to do it shouldn’t this have gone for a lot more money?
Good point. 300k is not much for such a big idea in a hot auction. Spin, spin, spin… But good for the writer. Sounds like a fun idea – and it’s great to see that specs (and pitches, recently) are back. Keep the deals coming, Hollywood!
Moritz paid $300k in addition to what SOny was contributing.
Keep the spec sales coming!!!
Jesus People havent we had enough with Aliens and Sony Pictures. Let them get through with the aliens on this planet in MIB3
before we deal with them on another planet in a galaxy far far away.
Take a breath-and stop the madness in making these movies and remakes of others. Others that were even just made in the last decade-Dragon Tatoo…come to mind. I would like to see a movie a simple movie about the Wisconsin Budget Struggle-characters, greed, political intrigue, men women fighting for principle-but wait there is one side that are aliens–forget it. 2030BTD
Your premature misguided impression of my post is ironic.
Adam Weinstein is a genius – two spec sales in two weeks. He thinks it’s 1996
Sounds a bit recycled, but if Moritz was willing to pony up there must be something there. Good for the writer and good for specs.
I read it last night and thought it was fantastic. Felt like Jason Bourne on an alien planet. Moritz is crushing it this week with Battle Los Angeles opening + Fast Five trailer + hot spec pickup.
I don’t get it. All we know from Mike’s piece is “human spy on an alien planet” and people are comparing it to Total Recall (which it’s nothing like) or saying that they’ve read/seen all sorts of stories just like it, or that it sounds “recycled.” All from a six word one-liner. I guess I’m just not cynical enough for this business.
there are those who have access to the script and have actually read it. perhaps you are cynical enough.
And perhaps I have read it.
It’s just that a lot of the dismissive comments seem to be by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
The problem isn’t the Jason Bourne stuff, it’s the completely unimaginative alien world stuff, complete with cliche authoritarian characters and a stock romantic interest. Give me something interesting and original, folks.
It’s actually a lot more like the underrated Gary Sinise-Vincent D’Onofrio movie IMPOSTOR the more I think about it.
Speaking of specs, whatever happened to “Medieval” at Fox (Regency)?
Moritz spent$300k in addition to what sony paid . . ..
So, what is the movie about, since you read it? Is it really a take on Total Recall, which is in pre-production by the same producer?
Too bad the writer didn’t make it into a novel. The bidding would have gone up much higher if he did.
But any spec sales nowadays is good news.
Mark— are you name dropping that loser manager from his parent’s basement in Encino?
LO to the L
when reading all of these cynical/nasty pots, have to wonder: do any of you actually work real jobs in this business or are you jealous wanna-bes? sign me, curoius
Go specs!
I walked out of Battle LA this week. I never walked out of a movie before in my life. The cinematography was to barf for. It was that faux-amateur Cloverfield shaky-camera in-your-face stuff. Trendy, but p-poor. I kept hoping it would get better, but I ran out of patience before it did.
And the same guy is going to direct THIS film? I say, no thanks.
Oh y’all need to stop pissing and moaning. A spec got sold in this environment. Maybe you should get to typing your scripts instead of kvetching here out of jealousy. Who cares whether or not it’s good – it’s sign that something other than franchises are being looked at again. HELLO THAT’S A GOOD THING.