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EXCLUSIVE: Max Landis wrote Chronicle, the first installment of the sci-fi feature that has grossed more than $105 million at the box office worldwide since the Fox release opened in early February. Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan, the first Chronicle centers on three high school friends who gain superpowers but find their lives going out of control and friendships tested as they explore the dark side. In April Deadline reported Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment acquired Amnesty, a pitch from Landis that Ron Howard is attached to direct and in January, Disney also nabbed an untitled adventure pic from the young writer. Landis wrote and directed the short The Death And Return Of Superman last year. He is repped by WME and Circle of Confusion.
Max Landis Set To Write ‘Chronicle 2′ For Fox
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The Men’s Warehouse spring line is fierce this year. You’re gonna like the way you look.
Hm. I wonder if the guy knows what he’s doing.
Max should have directed it. Then maybe he could have actually held that awful third act together.
Not if he didn’t write an awful third act.
He must be the biggest douchebag employed in Hollywood. And that’s sayin’ somethin’.
Seen the guy around a lot. Total D-bag.
Gotta give you props for putting your name to this, Gil.
I’m the first one to cite Max Landis’s well-earned, crazy success as a screenwriter, even though his father was a one time A lister. Sure, he was born with his foot in the door, but he’s managed to stay in the room, without his dad’s help, I might add.
What a stroke of brilliance to turn the superhero genre, essentially the Spider-Man story, into a found footage vehicle. How much of this inspired leap of genius should be attributed to director Josh Trank we’ll never know. All that being said, and all due respect paid to Landis…
…yeah, I hear he’s kind of an arrogant douche myself. From watching him in The Death and Return of Superman, you can tell the guy’s a flatout genius. It’s in his manic delivery and impregnable confidence. The kid just *oozes* smarts. And he keeps churning out GREAT idea after great idea.
Apparently, he’s working on a romantic thriller at the moment, don’t know whether it’ll be found footage or not. But I can kind of guarantee it’ll be brilliant.
Max, I know you’re reading this.
So, yes, I’ll give you your props. I just wish you’d be a tad more modest about your accomplishments, seeing as you were born on third base.
p.s. Thanks for giving Power Girl her tit window.
And you’re the biggest douchebag NOT working in Hollywood, Axe.
HILARIOUS. Comment of the day, WOW!
Ha! Well played. also, typo: *sic-fi
Is there something wrong with Max? IE is he developmentally challenged? Or is he just trying really really hard to come off as ‘quirky’ all the time? This is a real question.
I heard he witnessed a pretty gruesome helicopter crash when he was a kid.
Oh, you’re terrible. But inappropriately funny.
WOW! Just WOW! (stifling inappropriate laughter)
I don’t get it. But I want to. Explain?
His father was responsible for the deaths of three people on the set of the Twilight Zone movie. Cocaine is a Hell of a drug!
The guy in charge of the explosions screwed up royally that night. Although he got lucky when the DA gave him immunity to testify against Landis. His testimony proved he was the reason why the explosions went off at the wrong time, took out the helicopter and killed Vic Morrow and the two children. Way to go DA office.
Max is hardly the biggest douchebag in Hollywood. He won’t take that mantle until Oliver Stone finally overdoses.
His father directed the TWILIGHT ZONE MOVIE, where a lead actor was accidentally decapitated in a horrific helicopter crash while filming.
Not forgetting the two underage children also killed.
And don’t forget the 2 child actors that were also killed in the accident.
He really is just that quirky… doesn’t have to try.
Way to go Max!
It’s so awesome when the son of a famous director can break into the business!
You’re the son of someone. You’re just not talented, or you don’t work hard, or you’re stupid. I’d guess two out of three
Yeah, finally nepotism doesn’t prevent a hack from getting work in Hollywood!
While his father may have helped in get a foot in the door, let’s be real. This is a business. The only way he’d be getting the gigs he’s gotten, including “Chronicle” and “Chronicle 2″ is if the people who cut him checks feel they can make money by producing his scripts.
Yes, in person, he can be outrageous and weird – something he revels in. And I won’t even talk about his sartorial choices (sorry Max). All that is simply part of his personality and who he is. That willingness to be who he is, is no doubt one of the reasons he’s such a good writer.
Bottom line is, Family connections will only get you so far. Max got work and continues to get work as a writer because he’s good (translation: COMMERCIAL).
The guy’s a weirdo, but so what? The script for CHRONICLE was good and the movie was good. He deserves to write the sequel and many other projects.
He certainly comes off like a spoiled, pretentious little fanboy shit. At least in that short he directed.
AHHHH! Max is killing it…. Why are people such assholes when it comes to the success of others?
So you’re not working in Hollywood, I take it.
Chronicle was the worst movie I have seen in a while. God awful. This guy is coasting on his name.
What’s the screenwriting budget on a $15M movie? Better yet, what’s the screenwriting budget on the sequel to a $15M movie that has grossed over $100M worldwide (if you’re hiring the same screenwriter)?
A six-figure payday?
I’d be shocked if Landis wrote the sequel for less than that. (A successful film with a studio hungry for a sequel will certainly pay more to keep the same writer on board.) Christopher Landon and Oren Peli aren’t getting paid peanuts for each successive “Paranormal Activity” sequel…
Chronicle was the best major release of 2012 so far. If this sequel gets made, I’ll be first in line.
oh man just watched his short… what is wrong with him??? FREAK
No, he’s not a “freak”. He’s just forcefully going for a “quirky” look.
Not only that, his lisp is annoying as hell.
where are you people getting the word “quirky”? Zooey Deschanel is forcefully and annoyingly quirky. That is not Max.
hate the short, loved Chronicle. Glad to see he’s writing the sequel and hope that it does hold together better toward the end, although it’s obvious why it went in the direction it it did, studios like action set-pieces. In any case, he may be quirky as shit but I’m a fan.
You know, I was going to post something snarky (as these comment sections seem to tempt so frequently) — and despite the fact that I didn’t care for Chronicle and don’t know Landis — good for a young writer for having some crazy success and getting work. Positive story, period.
Max Landis is the most obnoxious person in the history of Hollywood. I can’t believe he’s tolerated by anyone.
Wowza, the most obnoxious in history? THAT’S A FEAT!…CONGRATS MAX!
Don’t tolerate him, then. Let him work with other people, and they’ll make successful films.
Didn’t he post up outside the Arclight and yell at everyone who saw the movie? How does he get rewarded for that?
I love John Landis too much to hate on Max.
I enjoyed Chronicle but the actual script was not it’s best feature. Too much like an lightweighy version of a superhero flick with emphasis on the lightweight and the presence of too many cliches around the characters – especially Andrew.
Plus the finale was a mess. However, it has a bit of potential. I don’t know if the same writer can bring the improvements needed.
Chronicle had its moments, but was stuffed with way too much self-referential “meta” dialogue w/ endless scenes of annoying characters droning on w/ lines like “Hey, I’m filming!” “Hey, are you filming this?” “Why are you filming?” “Stop filming!” “Hey, look at me, I’m filming!” “Are you getting all this?” et al., ad nauseum – so annoying, shrill, & exhausting – honestly, the whole “found footage” niche genre may have big profit margins, but is already creatively bankrupt, played out, and just plain tired.
I tried to watch Max Landis’ short The Death and Return of Superman on YT but could barely get through it – really? REALLY? He comes off so pretentious and arrogant and flippant and trying waaay too hard to be “quirky” and “hip’ – painful to watch and embarassing, even with his “all-star cast.”
John Landis was a hack director, too – like father like son.
But in Hollywood, nepotism is still the goldnen ticket.
exactly! also the girl they shoved in was so completely unnecessary. she was such a bland character and i’ve yet to figured out what that scene was about with her and matt at the front door of his house.
Your so dumb. the whole purpose for the girl was to: 1) serve as another camera angle (because she was into filming) @) allow for a love interest to be in the movie 3)add for more dialogue 4) give matt the sense of protection he needs
Having unfortunately met Max back when he was an undergrad at UM, I can say that he isn’t forcing that terrible “douchebag weirdo” facade. It’s so pathetically real. Ah, I’ll never forget our first meeting where Max thought outloud to my dear friend about me after I walked away (I later learned), “I haven’t decided if I’ll have sex with her or not.” D-bag. Entitled. Weirdo.
Flavor of the month. I wonder how long it’ll be before he has enough juice to get his old man another job.
Having known Max for a few years now he is extremely smart, and just loves to write. It’s pretty sad reading these comments where people hate on him basically because he was born into a town where he’s found success because of TALENT. You guys do realize that every famous director/writer/producer/actor has kids right? Shut your mouths and be happy for people, geez. He’s not the ‘flavor of the month’…if that was the case this is the longest month evaaaaa…and to bring up his dad in a negative light too? People are such haters, I hope you guys actually find some success to people can talk shit about you on an anonymous message board.