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EXCLUSIVE: 20th Century Fox had acquired Riders On The Storm, a pitch for an action film that will be written by Sean O’Keefe. The story follows a sophisticated heist crew that pulls off high-end robberies during severe weather events. The deal was worth mid-six figures. Davis Entertainment’s John Davis and John Fox are producing with Richard Leibowitz of Union Entertainment. The project originated as a video game concept hatched by Richard Wickliffe.
Union Entertainment was going to turn it into a vidgame, but instead it morphed into the feature pitch that had several studios interested when ICM pitched it. O’Keefe split up with writing partner Will Staples, but they are working together on a rewrite of the Lorenzo Carcaterra novel Apaches for Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney. They also wrote World’s Most Wanted for Neal Moritz and Universal and an Alaskan adventure movie for Walden Media and producer Mark Johnson. O’Keefe is managed by Brian Lutz.
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This reminds me of the unproduced “Gale Force” that Renny Harlin was once slated to direct. In the last millennium.
goddamn that’s a good idea
My thoughts exactly. Nice work, Sean.
I read this exact idea as a spec 15 years ago and it never sold. Shows you how everything old is new again if you wait for a generation change in production executives.
Yeah, there was a spec that WB had – a one-word title – about a heist crew that pulls off jobs in the middle of natural disasters that, while not perfect, had GREAT sequences and this same basic cool idea. And i hear you/agree on the “everything old is new again” of it all…
Sooo silly – The Pink Elephant.
Interesting. This was the Title of James Cameron’s draft of “Point Break”, about “a sophisticated heist crew that pulls off high end robberies during”… surfing season.
‘Point Break’…with tornadoes! [Why am I having flashbacks to 'The Player'?]
It’s better and more creative than that blatant remake of ‘Point Break’ that someone else is attempting…
Specs are hot hot hot these days. A renaissance of the spec market, if you will.
only this isn’t a spec, is it? it’s a pitch
A sophisticated heist crew that waits for inclement weather…? I’m living in a fantasy world.
It sounds like a great videogame!
…but a lousy film.
Um…I don’t think that crew would be getting much work. Sounds dreadful.
I don’t think it’s called a heist if you steal things during a disaster. That’s called looting. Big part of a heist movie is getting the audience to sympathize w/ criminals. Stealing things while people are losing their homes and/or lives… might be an uphill battle.
Pretty sure they won’t be risking their lives to loot televisions from mom & pop stores – perhaps the empty banks?
As long as the lead says, “One more big score and I’m out,” it will be awesome!
Everything will be going fine and then the loot will be carried of by a twister – insane!
This is exciting. I’m going to go write an “homage” to it right now!
Hadie, What planet do you live on? The spec market is the worst it’s been in two decades. A few sales here and there does not translate into “hot” in any language. And the specs that sell, except for the a handful sell at prices that are far below the average of previous years. Just like the rest of the economy, the spec market is a vestige of what it once was.
I’ve got a new title for this movie:
SHIT STORM.
O’Keefe is the man, anyone can tear down a logline as lame or derivative, if you have a writer with the potential to pull it off then you know you’ve got a shot — and they do.
Dear God,
So glad you have time to post on DH. Talk about a slow Friday, huh? I hope you’re not too bummed “kitchen nightmares” has been Pre-empted by the World Series, which I’m guessing you know the winner of? Please don’t tell me you don’t or this whole “everything happens for a reason” schtick goes out the window. I remember this exact idea for a spec going out years ago and remember Sean as a production exec for Moritz way back. Assume you’ve decided now is the time for this groundbreaking film? And you will make ut better by sending 10000 tornadoes out on to the prairie this spring to make it believable? Just wondering.
I love it, think it sounds great! Also, think negative comments come from jealousy and building themselves up by putting others down…so sad.
exact same plot done (lame) on CSI MIAMI a few years back.
Sounds intriguing and has the potential of lots of action and special effects. Nice pitching!!!1
Feel bad for the poor guy who pitched this at Austin a few years back…great script and great pitch!