UPDATE: Yahoo Board OKs $1.1B Deal To Acquire Tumblr … 
Cannes: Sony Classics Wins Stateside Rights To Asghar … 
‘Fast & Furious 6′ Breaks Records In … 
Specialty Box Office: ‘Frances Ha’ Triumphs As … 
‘Saturday Night Live’ Season Finale Posts … 
‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ $164.5M Global: Lower … 
Cannes: Backup Media, Memento Bring Heat To Fest Helmer Jim … 
Cannes: Sundance Selects Acquires Dardenne Brothers’ … 
Cannes: Wrekin Hill Acquires U.S. On Gabriele … 
Bill Hader’s ‘SNL’ Stefon Farewell: Video 
Cannes: The Weinstein Co. Books ‘Suite … 
BBC Confirms ‘Doctor Who’ Season 8 
Finally, Cannes Dealing! Radius-TWC Nabs Director’s … 
Hammond On Cannes: Wet Fest’s Official Competition … 
‘Vampire Academy’ Adds ‘Modern … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Shark Tank’ Finale Up, … 
Cannes: Worldview Options Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn … 
UPFRONTS 2013: The Overachievers 
‘Mike & Molly’ Creator Mark Roberts To … 
Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts Set For … 
Hammond On Cannes: Weinstein Brings Out Stars For 2013 … 
BREAKING: In a mid-six figure deal, Universal has acquired The Disciple Program, a spec script by first time screenwriter Tyler Marceca, in a package that has Mark Wahlberg starring and producing with Stephen Levinson. Morton Tyldum, who recently helmed Headhunters, is attached to direct. The spec is described as a Manchurian Candidate-style thriller in which a man’s wife dies and he discovers that it was no accident and investigates the murder. Multiple bidders chased the script.
Marceca got on the Hollywood radar quickly with his first script. He entered it in a screenwriting competition months ago, and the script got spread around Hollywood and producers and studios liked what they saw. He got hundreds of phone calls, but had no representation. He met around and signed with WME, Anonymous Content and attorney David Fox. They pulled back the script so that it could be honed and so that the agency could package talent around it.
Universal made the hit Contraband with Wahlberg starring and Levinson producing, and now the studio has another project with the star. Universal is also releasing Ted, the Seth MacFarlane-directed comedy that stars Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, for July 13 release.
Loading ...
Just wanted to say that this is an excellent opportunity for Tyler, and I would also like to mention Scriptshadow. This little script review site was the one that discovered Tyler and his script, and sent him out into the world. Without that site, this probably would not have happened, not to take away from Tyler’s excellent talent.
I hope Scriptshadow can show us a lot more great amateurs and unleashed their talent. I also look forward to what Tyler will do in the future.
http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/
No disrepect, but without Carson Reeves pushing this onto producers radar via Scriptshadow, this doesn’t ever see the light of day. Worth mentioning.
Carson Reeves? I think you mean Christopher Eads.
Good material always finds it’s way out. It had already received momentum in competition from what I heard.
Congrats to the writer. Always great to hear of a breakout success!
Mazin? Is that you?
Good material always finds its way out my arse. That’s like saying rich people work hard and poor people are lazy.
If not for scriptshadow, this would have never came to be.
Did someone over there write it? If not, then this is crazy talk.
Don’t forget that prescient screenwriting blog Scriptshadow (http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/) fanned the flames of Marceca’s hot script several months ago, building heat on the project.
Good for Tyler. I love stories that prove outsiders can still break in if they craft a great script.
Carson Reeves/Scriptshadow — Please give it a rest. We know you can’t write, you’re a nerd on the Internet who is taking way too much credit for this kid’s success. It’s unseemly.
I don’t know Carson Reeves/Christopher Eads from Adam, all I know is I first heard of this script via his blog. However, as someone mentioned above, good material rises to the top. So it’s safe to speculate that Tyler Marceca’s script would have been discovered regardless.
Therein lies the rub. Strange how “insiders” forget they, too, were outsiders.
Come to think of it, except for the progeny of “insiders,” EVERYONE was an outsider.
Further still, an insider can even become an outsider again.
Hats off to Tyler Marceca… first heard about this project over on Script Shadow.
Congrats to all those involved with the project. The Disciple Program is a winner.
Congratulations to Tyler Marceca. I know a lot of people are excited about his success, not the least of whom is Carson Reeves, who deserves full credit for getting Hollywood to take a look at this script.
Well done to both of you.
Haha The good news is Universal won the bidding war, the joke is it’s for Mark Wahlberg– because the world is champing at the bit for a new Wahlberg vehicle.
Hahaha… My thoughts exactly. And isn’t he attached to like 50 projects? Does this have strong progress to production language in the deal? If not I got five bucks says it never gets made. Cuz the script was okay and competently written. But seriously nothing special.
Agreed — the first act of the script was pro quality (though mainly because it stole several key scenes directly from well known movies), but it really fell apart after that. The real “disciple program” is all the people who were ready to call this the best script ever before they even read it, solely because of all ScriptShadow’s advance hype for it. Yes it’s better than most amateur scripts, however if “Carson” doesn’t go all out promoting this thing then it doesn’t go anywhere. Still, whatever we say about the quality of the work it is great for all aspiring writers that a total unknown can have this kind of success.
Great, now we’ll never hear the end of “Carson Reeves.” Can’t he drop the fake name already?
Because everyone in Hollywood uses their real names?
When you critique and publicize writers’ early drafts, then hide behind a fake name, that makes you a coward.
The writers whose early drafts he picks apart have their real names on the covers.
+10 points for Ivy
Dude, criticized my draft. Every studio in town wanted it, every critically acclaimed director wanted it
But Chris Eads and his stunning lack of taste or talent could have deep-sixed it.
Look at the comedies he likes. And his remarks about women and female screenwriters is just gross.
Duder, you nailed it.
Chris/Carson has crap taste in comedies. Also trashed one of mine and I’m getting plenty of buzz. Congrats to him, he picked out a good thriller that was already winning contests and getting notice. Whop dee doo.
Writers don’t have to use their real names when they submit their scripts to Scriptshadow. Why have you got such a beef with that site, Ivy?
Um, the pros don’t “submit” their scripts. He takes their scripts without permission. Now, if an amateur CHOOSES to send him a script for one of his half-assed critiques, that’s their business.
This script was submitted to Scriptshadow for ameture review and was discovered by Carson Reeves.
Way to go, Tyler! Hats off, also, to Scriptshadow, champion of amateur writers!
And annoyance to professional ones…
As evidenced by the number of professional writers interviewed on his site. An annoyance to you, perhaps, but not to all of us.
Those professional writers are doing it so they don’t get slammed in the future. You can see how Scriptshadow now takes it easy on projects that suit his interests. It’s basically Payola.
Far more of us dislike our work being distributed and publicly critiqued before it’s finished.
He runs a classless site that hurts working writers.
New writers breaking in do pose a threat to working writers. I like it, reminds me of how hard it was to break into the business in the first place and it forces me to make sure all my stars are out in every script. I do however agree with public critiques of early drafts, if he receives a request not to review until the ‘final’ draft then he should honor it.
David-
“New writers breaking in do pose a threat to working writers.”
It’s not about the threat of new writers. It’s about the threat of a self-righteous blogger critiquing early drafts of artists’ work and putting plot points out into the open.
Nothing to do with new writers.
The joke is on Tyler. Congrats on the sale, but WME screwed you out of a lot of money by pulling back and packaging. The script was hottest when it first came out. I’ve heard the deal is more like low six figures and Universal was on the only one interested after everyone had the chance to get over the hype. Poor management decision, but good for young screenwriters.
He could have had 7 when it first went out. Great job Tyler, good thing you screwed over the people who were in your corner so you could be a WME client and make them money, not the other way around,
Anyone who saw Headhunters would know the director is a great attachment. Looks like Tyler left some bitter and spineless would-be reps in the wake. The kind who would snipe on a public board anonymously. Who are you talking about and what do you mean when you say people got screwed over? Do you mean you bought him a nice lunch and he didn’t in turn sign with you? Put up or shut up.
Tyler knew what he was doing.
He specifically decided that he wanted to do what was most likely to get this movie actually made. Not just sold, gotten him a lot of money, and then never made.
Wow congrats to Tyler. One of the best scripts I’ve read in a long time.
This is a great day for amateur writers everywhere. Props to Carson.
Tyler is an amazing writer, and it isn’t all because of Script Shadow. Tyler worked for three months with The Writers Store (and his coach Mario Moreno) developing the script through the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest. Tyler already had meetings set up as a result of him being the winner, and considering the script, it would have still gone far without that push. As the coordinator for the contest, I can tell you that we knew Tyler’s career would take off – just as it did. Congrats Tyler!
I agree completely with Dana’s comments. Tyler should, of course, get the majority of the credit. However, not enough credit has gone to The Writers Store and Mario. It was the contest at The Writers Store that got the ball rolling. Moreover, Mario is a great coach–both a great guy and expert on the craft of screenwriting.
Wow am I hearing right? An actual tyro screenwriter actually broke through with NO connections/family in the biz/rich backers/frat buddies in the biz, etc.? If so, hat’s off to Scriptshadow.
You’re a moron. He could have had all the advantages you listed but if his script sucked it wouldn’t have made a difference. Talent trumps connections.
It still helps a lot.
Do the words “Wahlberg” “Bidding war” and “mid-six” not add up to anyone else?
didn’t really enjoy this particular script, but I wish the writer the best.
Also, I have to say why no mention of Chris/Carson/whatever the fuck he wants to call himself. The Scriptshadow connection to this script is one of the more interesting things about this story.
Scriptshadow got the buzz going about the script, foolio. Why do you think managers and agents were seeking scripts from Carson post-disciple program review?
So Carson reviewed a script that won a contest and people are wanting to give him credit? How many scripts had Carson “discovered” before then? Oh, that’s right……zero. This site was better when hacks that have no chance of making it didn’t post nonsense all the time.
Agreed. Give credit where credits due.
If the script is as good as Carson is boasting . . . it will be a perfect Mark Wahlberg vehicle. Scriptshadow’s taste in writing is awful.
Do you people read previous comments before you add your own?
Carson Reeves and Script Shadow have been mentioned over and over.
Try reading the comments before you post duplicate comments.
Wait a minute, this script was given the gold seal by a failed, wannabe reality tv star/tennis instructor by day/disgruntled unrepped writer by night Chris Eads?
Now I know this script sucks.
Best part is, the terrible WB reality show he was on for a week, he was labeled “The Misfit” in his high school. He thinks he’s hot stuff now, because wannabe writers and real writers kiss his butt.
But a lot of people still think of him as a misfit blogger. He has awful taste, as others have said.
Wow, what did Carson do to piss you off so much, oow?
I wonder how much Carson Reeves actually had to do with this script selling. All I know is when search for info on the script it’s all connected to ScriptShadow, and Carson Reeves. I wonder if any Hollywood insiders actually visit his site. Either way an amateur writer broke through the thick Hollywood barrier, but it wasn’t me so wah, wah, wah….I’m still miserable.
This reminds me of that awesome Taylor Lautner vehicle that was written by an amateur and sold for a million bucks.
which script is that?
They’re probably referring to ABDUCTION, which sucked. Writer was a musician first. Now he’s a pro and directs too.