Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has acquired for Syfy Films Lights Out, a Jay Frasco screenplay and the rights to the manuscript of his unpublished sci-fi thriller novel. While waiting to hear from publishers, Frasco adapted his manuscript into the screenplay and has notched his first spec sale.

Details of the story are being kept under wraps, but the story focuses on an teenage boy trapped in his house with his sister when a deadly intruder enters the home, and mysterious events occur during the captivity. Frasco, who most recently set-up his thriller The Rising at Bold Films, also wrote the family film Puddle Jumpers for The Animation Company and producer Brian Manis. Frasco is repped by APA, attorney Darren Trattner, manager Dannie Festa and lit agent Jennifer DeChiara. Maybe the publishing crowd will give Frasco’s book another look.

Since Syfy Ventures partnered with Universal on Syfy Films in late 2010 with the intention of generating genre projects a cut above the Mansquito-esque staples of the Syfy Channel programming, Syfy Films has been percolating several promising feature products. They include a feature adaptation of Game Of Thrones author George R.R. Martin’s superhero anthology Wild Cards, which they hope will  launch a franchise.