Amy Rice’s “The Independent” begins with an intriguing thought experiment: What if John Cena ran for president as a well-intentioned, hyper-charismatic third-party candidate who promised to temper Republican insanity, bypass Democrat inaction, and altogether liberate America from the crypto-fascist corporate interests that have made this country too cancerous to govern? What if — this rather star-studded Peacock original movie teases in its opening flash-forward — that candidate so effectively reconciled the red/blue divide that he was leading the polls just days before the general election?
Those are tantalizing questions, made all the more so by the degree to which Cena’s wannabe himbo-in-chief — a former Olympian who’s now riding a best-selling manifesto called “A Declaration of Independence” all the way to the White House — is both likable in the extreme, and also believable in spite of his inexperience. Evan Parter’s script alludes to the fact that another political...
Those are tantalizing questions, made all the more so by the degree to which Cena’s wannabe himbo-in-chief — a former Olympian who’s now riding a best-selling manifesto called “A Declaration of Independence” all the way to the White House — is both likable in the extreme, and also believable in spite of his inexperience. Evan Parter’s script alludes to the fact that another political...
- 11/1/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The script for “The Independent,” a political thriller with a few key plot twists and turns, was on The Black List around 10 years ago as a screenplay that had not been produced but had gotten some favorable attention.
Since it is a very topical piece that revolves around a presidential election, screenwriter Evan Parter must have had to re-write it considerably to make it fit the current political landscape; his basic structure is fairly solid and his characters are well chosen, but all of his dialogue consists of the sort of hyperbolized declarations of plot exposition that only gets by on guilty-pleasure TV shows.
The first scenes of “The Independent” drop us into the middle of a drama involving third-party presidential candidate Nate Sterling (John Cena), and we are expected to take in a large amount of information in a very short period of time. This opening sequence is so...
Since it is a very topical piece that revolves around a presidential election, screenwriter Evan Parter must have had to re-write it considerably to make it fit the current political landscape; his basic structure is fairly solid and his characters are well chosen, but all of his dialogue consists of the sort of hyperbolized declarations of plot exposition that only gets by on guilty-pleasure TV shows.
The first scenes of “The Independent” drop us into the middle of a drama involving third-party presidential candidate Nate Sterling (John Cena), and we are expected to take in a large amount of information in a very short period of time. This opening sequence is so...
- 11/1/2022
- by Dan Callahan
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
You can’t fault Peacock for its timing, dropping The Independent just a week before the all-important 2022 midterm elections. Nor can you quibble with the thriller’s grounding in our contemporary political reality, in which an inexperienced celebrity candidate can vault from long shot to frontrunner simply by offering a seemingly viable exit from America’s entrenched two-party stasis, with one side fueling the country’s rage while the other “sits on its hands and whines about it.” Whether election-fatigued audiences will have an appetite for this slick but superficial depiction of moral elasticity in politics and beleaguered truth in journalism remains an open question.
This first narrative feature from documentary director Amy Rice (HBO’s By the People: The Election of Barack Obama) is sturdy enough by the standards of most direct-to-streaming movie premieres. But that’s admittedly not a high bar to clear.
You can’t fault Peacock for its timing, dropping The Independent just a week before the all-important 2022 midterm elections. Nor can you quibble with the thriller’s grounding in our contemporary political reality, in which an inexperienced celebrity candidate can vault from long shot to frontrunner simply by offering a seemingly viable exit from America’s entrenched two-party stasis, with one side fueling the country’s rage while the other “sits on its hands and whines about it.” Whether election-fatigued audiences will have an appetite for this slick but superficial depiction of moral elasticity in politics and beleaguered truth in journalism remains an open question.
This first narrative feature from documentary director Amy Rice (HBO’s By the People: The Election of Barack Obama) is sturdy enough by the standards of most direct-to-streaming movie premieres. But that’s admittedly not a high bar to clear.
- 11/1/2022
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Peacock has landed the rights to stream “The Independent,” a political thriller that stars John Cena, “Succession’s” Brian Cox, Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), and Jodie Turner-Smith (“Queen & Slim”). The film from Relativity Media and director Amy Rice will skip theaters and stream exclusively on Peacock beginning next week on November 2, just ahead of midterm elections.
“The Independent” follows a young journalist (Turner-Smith) who discovers a conspiracy involving a U.S. Presidential candidate that could change the election and the fate of the country in an election in which America would be poised to elect either its first female president or its first viable independent candidate (Cena). Turner-Smith’s character teams up with a legendary journalist (Cox) to unravel the political conspiracy surrounding the election.
Rice directed the film from a script by Evan Parter. Executive producing “The Independent” are Laura Grange, Julia Stuart, Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena,...
“The Independent” follows a young journalist (Turner-Smith) who discovers a conspiracy involving a U.S. Presidential candidate that could change the election and the fate of the country in an election in which America would be poised to elect either its first female president or its first viable independent candidate (Cena). Turner-Smith’s character teams up with a legendary journalist (Cox) to unravel the political conspiracy surrounding the election.
Rice directed the film from a script by Evan Parter. Executive producing “The Independent” are Laura Grange, Julia Stuart, Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Cena,...
- 10/26/2022
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Next Productions, a subsidiary of sales agency The Exchange, has boarded production, financing and sales of concentration camp survival and escape drama Untold, with Oscar-winning director Aaron Schneider attached to direct.
Untold is based on the autobiography I Escaped From Auschwitz by Holocaust survivor and documenter Rudi Vrba. Next Productions and parent company The Exchange have jointly optioned feature script and book rights.
Award-winning actor Alex Wolff is set to star as Vrba and casting is underway for other major roles, ahead of a potential early 2023 shoot.
Schneider’s recent credits include Academy Award and Bafta-nominated Apple TV World War Two drama Greyhound starring Tom Hanks, while the director won the Oscar for the best live-action short in 2003 for Two Soldiers.
Vrba’s memoir has been adapted by Black List screenwriters Evan Parter and Paul Hilborn in partnership with producer Ben Shields Catlin at Story in the Sky,...
Untold is based on the autobiography I Escaped From Auschwitz by Holocaust survivor and documenter Rudi Vrba. Next Productions and parent company The Exchange have jointly optioned feature script and book rights.
Award-winning actor Alex Wolff is set to star as Vrba and casting is underway for other major roles, ahead of a potential early 2023 shoot.
Schneider’s recent credits include Academy Award and Bafta-nominated Apple TV World War Two drama Greyhound starring Tom Hanks, while the director won the Oscar for the best live-action short in 2003 for Two Soldiers.
Vrba’s memoir has been adapted by Black List screenwriters Evan Parter and Paul Hilborn in partnership with producer Ben Shields Catlin at Story in the Sky,...
- 8/24/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Feature films are feature films After Yang, Poker Face, Aisha and The Independent.
UK pay-tv broadcaster Sky has unveiled its slate of original programming for the rest of 2022, including four new Sky Original feature films.
Among the new titles is Kogonada’s After Yang, which premiered at Cannes Un Certain Regard last year and stars Justin H. Min, Collin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith.
The line-up also includes Russell Crowe’s second directorial outing Poker Face, which sees him star opposite Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. Arclight Films kicked off worldwide sales this week at Cannes.
Third...
UK pay-tv broadcaster Sky has unveiled its slate of original programming for the rest of 2022, including four new Sky Original feature films.
Among the new titles is Kogonada’s After Yang, which premiered at Cannes Un Certain Regard last year and stars Justin H. Min, Collin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith.
The line-up also includes Russell Crowe’s second directorial outing Poker Face, which sees him star opposite Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. Arclight Films kicked off worldwide sales this week at Cannes.
Third...
- 5/17/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Deadline has learned that Emmy-winning The Handmaid’s Tale actress Ann Dowd has joined the Amy Rice-directed political thriller The Independent, which Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures have also acquired North American rights on.
The movie stars Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Brian Cox (Succession), and John Cena (Suicide Squad) and is written by Evan Parter. The pic is currently shooting in New York and scheduled for a theatrical release in 2022.
Set during the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows an idealistic young journalist (Turner-Smith) who teams up with her idol (Cox) to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands. Cena and Dowd play opposing Presidential candidates. Dowd, who was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award this week for Mass, replaces Kathy Bates who departed the production due to scheduling conflicts.
Said Lex Miron,...
The movie stars Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Brian Cox (Succession), and John Cena (Suicide Squad) and is written by Evan Parter. The pic is currently shooting in New York and scheduled for a theatrical release in 2022.
Set during the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows an idealistic young journalist (Turner-Smith) who teams up with her idol (Cox) to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands. Cena and Dowd play opposing Presidential candidates. Dowd, who was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award this week for Mass, replaces Kathy Bates who departed the production due to scheduling conflicts.
Said Lex Miron,...
- 12/15/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar winner Kathy Bates and former WWE star John Cena (F9: The Fast Saga) are joining Brian Cox (Succession) and Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) in political thriller feature The Independent.
Set during “the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history,” the movie will follow an idealistic young journalist (Turner-Smith) who teams up with her idol (Cox) to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands. The Suicide Squad star Cena and Misery and Richard Jewell star Bates both play Presidential candidates.
The Black List script is due to film in November of this year in NYC. Director is Amy Rice (By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama), who is currently wrapping documentary Broadway Rising. Pic is written by Evan Parter, who is currently writing the untitled John Dean movie with Chris Pine for Amazon.
Set during “the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history,” the movie will follow an idealistic young journalist (Turner-Smith) who teams up with her idol (Cox) to uncover a conspiracy that places the fate of the election, and the country, in their hands. The Suicide Squad star Cena and Misery and Richard Jewell star Bates both play Presidential candidates.
The Black List script is due to film in November of this year in NYC. Director is Amy Rice (By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama), who is currently wrapping documentary Broadway Rising. Pic is written by Evan Parter, who is currently writing the untitled John Dean movie with Chris Pine for Amazon.
- 9/24/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Upcoming political thriller The Independent has added a second duo of big name stars.
John Cena and Kathy Bates have joined the feature, first announced by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month from Toronto, and will star alongside Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang, Queen & Slim) and Brian Cox (Succession, Manhunter).
Financed and sold globally by The Exchange, the film comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising) working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter (currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine).
Set in the final weeks of ...
John Cena and Kathy Bates have joined the feature, first announced by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month from Toronto, and will star alongside Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang, Queen & Slim) and Brian Cox (Succession, Manhunter).
Financed and sold globally by The Exchange, the film comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising) working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter (currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine).
Set in the final weeks of ...
- 9/24/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Logan Roy is moving into politics.
Succession‘s Golden Globe and Emmy-winning patriarch Brian Cox is uniting with fast-rising British star Jodie Turner-Smith — recently seen in A24’s Cannes-bowing sci-fi After Yang — for the political thriller The Independent.
The feature comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising), working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter, currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine.
Set in the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows ...
Succession‘s Golden Globe and Emmy-winning patriarch Brian Cox is uniting with fast-rising British star Jodie Turner-Smith — recently seen in A24’s Cannes-bowing sci-fi After Yang — for the political thriller The Independent.
The feature comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising), working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter, currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine.
Set in the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows ...
- 9/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Logan Roy is moving into politics.
Succession‘s Golden Globe and Emmy-winning patriarch Brian Cox is uniting with fast-rising British star Jodie Turner-Smith — recently seen in A24’s Cannes-bowing sci-fi After Yang — for the political thriller The Independent.
The feature comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising), working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter, currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine.
Set in the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows ...
Succession‘s Golden Globe and Emmy-winning patriarch Brian Cox is uniting with fast-rising British star Jodie Turner-Smith — recently seen in A24’s Cannes-bowing sci-fi After Yang — for the political thriller The Independent.
The feature comes from Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice (HBO’s By The People: The Election of Barack Obama, upcoming doc Broadway Rising), working from a top ranked Black List script penned by Evan Parter, currently writing the upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled John Dean Feature, set to star Chris Pine.
Set in the final weeks of the most consequential presidential election in history, The Independent follows ...
- 9/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Finance firm Orogen Entertainment is partnering with sales agency The Exchange to create a stand-alone development and movie production company Next Prods., which has a slate of projects in development.
The partnership, which will have a three-year term, will develop at least 15 film projects. It will be headed by Caddy Vanasirikul of The Exchange.
Among the projects in development are “The Independent,” with a screenplay by Evan Parter (Amazon’s untitled Chris Pine Watergate project), and to be directed by Amy Rice (“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama”). It is being produced with Anonymous Content and Park Pictures.
Also on the slate is “Middle Man,” being written by Peter Steinfeld, and produced with Red Hour, Votiv Films and Needle’s Eye Prods.
Another project is “Stooges,” by Quinn Beswick, Josh Margolin, Benjamin Smolen and Nikolai Von Keller. The film, described as a “reimagination” of the 20th Century Fox’s “The Three Stooges,...
The partnership, which will have a three-year term, will develop at least 15 film projects. It will be headed by Caddy Vanasirikul of The Exchange.
Among the projects in development are “The Independent,” with a screenplay by Evan Parter (Amazon’s untitled Chris Pine Watergate project), and to be directed by Amy Rice (“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama”). It is being produced with Anonymous Content and Park Pictures.
Also on the slate is “Middle Man,” being written by Peter Steinfeld, and produced with Red Hour, Votiv Films and Needle’s Eye Prods.
Another project is “Stooges,” by Quinn Beswick, Josh Margolin, Benjamin Smolen and Nikolai Von Keller. The film, described as a “reimagination” of the 20th Century Fox’s “The Three Stooges,...
- 3/1/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
At the virtual Cannes market, the Exchange is pre-selling political thriller “The Independent,” the narrative feature debut of twice Emmy-nominated director Amy Rice, starring “The Big Sick” star Kumail Nanjiani. Variety spoke to Rice about the film.
In “The Independent,” America’s first viable independent presidential candidate is poised for victory when an idealistic journalist uncovers a conspiracy, which places the fate of the election and the country in his hands.
Rice, whose credits include HBO’s “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” is scheduled to shoot the movie next year. The screenplay is written by two-time Black List scribe Evan Parter, who is writing the upcoming Amazon Studios Original feature about former Nixon administration staffer John Dean, starring Chris Pine.
Rice, who describes herself as a “political junkie,” says: “It is rare these days to come across such a thought-provoking political thriller, so the second I finished...
In “The Independent,” America’s first viable independent presidential candidate is poised for victory when an idealistic journalist uncovers a conspiracy, which places the fate of the election and the country in his hands.
Rice, whose credits include HBO’s “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” is scheduled to shoot the movie next year. The screenplay is written by two-time Black List scribe Evan Parter, who is writing the upcoming Amazon Studios Original feature about former Nixon administration staffer John Dean, starring Chris Pine.
Rice, who describes herself as a “political junkie,” says: “It is rare these days to come across such a thought-provoking political thriller, so the second I finished...
- 6/25/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Producer Ben Shields Catlin has teamed with Black List screenwriters Evan Parter and Paul Hilborn to develop a feature adaptation to I Escaped From Auschwitz memoir by Rudi Vrba. It details Vrba’s experience in a concentration camp as well as his harrowing escape.
In 1942, Vrba was deported to Auschwitz at the age of 18 from his hometown in Slovakia. He became connected to the underground resistance within the camp where he and his friend Fred Wetzler devised an ingenious escape plan. In the Spring of 1944, they broke out of the prison, just as the Nazi’s Final Solution was heading into its deadliest months. Once free, Vrba and Wetzler set off an epic manhunt for them through nearly 100 miles of treacherous Nazi territory, being tracked by SS search parties desperate to hunt them down. After multiple close calls, they made it back home to Slovakia where they would write...
In 1942, Vrba was deported to Auschwitz at the age of 18 from his hometown in Slovakia. He became connected to the underground resistance within the camp where he and his friend Fred Wetzler devised an ingenious escape plan. In the Spring of 1944, they broke out of the prison, just as the Nazi’s Final Solution was heading into its deadliest months. Once free, Vrba and Wetzler set off an epic manhunt for them through nearly 100 miles of treacherous Nazi territory, being tracked by SS search parties desperate to hunt them down. After multiple close calls, they made it back home to Slovakia where they would write...
- 4/14/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s film news roundup, Kumail Nanjiani has been cast as a journalist, Daisy Ridley boards Imax’s “Asteroid Hunters,” “Best Summer Ever” leads off a festival, Shelley Duvall gets an honor and “Dark Harvest” lands at MGM.
Project Launch
Kumail Nanjiani will star in the political thriller “The Independent,” which is being introduced to buyers by The Exchange at the Berlin Film Festival.
He will portray a journalist who uncovers a conspiracy, which places the fate of the election in his hands with America’s first viable independent presidential candidate poised for victory.
“Kumail is a great actor with global recognition and he serves as the cornerstone for an incredible ensemble cast that we are excited to announce shortly,” said Brian O’Shea of The Exchange.
Amy Rice, who was nominated for an Emmy for “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” is directing “The Independent” from a script by Evan Parter.
Project Launch
Kumail Nanjiani will star in the political thriller “The Independent,” which is being introduced to buyers by The Exchange at the Berlin Film Festival.
He will portray a journalist who uncovers a conspiracy, which places the fate of the election in his hands with America’s first viable independent presidential candidate poised for victory.
“Kumail is a great actor with global recognition and he serves as the cornerstone for an incredible ensemble cast that we are excited to announce shortly,” said Brian O’Shea of The Exchange.
Amy Rice, who was nominated for an Emmy for “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” is directing “The Independent” from a script by Evan Parter.
- 2/22/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Kumail Nanjiani is set to take on a dramatic role in the political thriller “The Independent,” which is being presented to buyers at the European Film Market by The Exchange, the sales agent’s CEO Brian O’Shea announced Friday.
“The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley” star will play an idealistic young journalist covering America’s presidential election and the first viable independent candidate poised for a victory. But he soon uncovers a conspiracy that places the fate of the election and the country in his hands.
Amy Rice (“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama”) is directing the thriller that comes from a script that appeared on the Black List by Evan Parter.
Also Read: Kumail Nanjiani Eats Cake and Pizza for First Time Since Getting Ripped for Marvel's 'The Eternals' (Video)
Parter will also produce the film alongside Sam Bisbee and Theodora Dunlap of Park Pictures and Anonymous Content’s Ryan Cunningham.
“The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley” star will play an idealistic young journalist covering America’s presidential election and the first viable independent candidate poised for a victory. But he soon uncovers a conspiracy that places the fate of the election and the country in his hands.
Amy Rice (“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama”) is directing the thriller that comes from a script that appeared on the Black List by Evan Parter.
Also Read: Kumail Nanjiani Eats Cake and Pizza for First Time Since Getting Ripped for Marvel's 'The Eternals' (Video)
Parter will also produce the film alongside Sam Bisbee and Theodora Dunlap of Park Pictures and Anonymous Content’s Ryan Cunningham.
- 2/21/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Chris Pine is set to play historical figure John Dean in an upcoming feature film for Amazon. Dean was the White House counsel, and a pivotal cog in the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s. The film will actually consult with Dean himself, who will serve as executive producer on the project. The script is being written by Evan Parter.
Variety gives us the following description of Dean’s role in history, as well as his character:
Billed by the press as a “connoisseur of cover-ups,” Dean became a crucial Nixon whistle-blower by offering testimony that implicated the president in the historic cover-up. In exchange, he served four months of house arrest and plead guilty to obstruction of justice. He’s since written numerous books and serves as a political commentator. In recent years, he’s been highly critical of the Republican party and President Donald Trump.
This is definitely...
Variety gives us the following description of Dean’s role in history, as well as his character:
Billed by the press as a “connoisseur of cover-ups,” Dean became a crucial Nixon whistle-blower by offering testimony that implicated the president in the historic cover-up. In exchange, he served four months of house arrest and plead guilty to obstruction of justice. He’s since written numerous books and serves as a political commentator. In recent years, he’s been highly critical of the Republican party and President Donald Trump.
This is definitely...
- 8/21/2019
- by Jessica Fisher
- GeekTyrant
"Wonder Woman" star Chris Pine has been roped in to play Richard Nixon's lawyer John Dean in a new biopic.
Amazon Studios has acquired the pitch and is developing the project about Dean, a pivotal figure in the Watergate scandal, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?It's splitsville for Sam Claflin, Laura Haddock
The film will trace the life of Dean, who served as White House counsel for Nixon from July 1970 through April 1973.
Producer Bob Cooper is backing the project with his Landscape Entertainment banner along with Billy Ray. Dean will be executive producer of the movie with his manager Rick Berg. Screenwriter Evan Parter is on board to pen the feature.
John Dean, known as the 'connoisseur of cover-ups' in the media, was one of the most important whistle-blowers that implicated Nixon in the Watergate cover-up. In exchange for his testimony, Dean served four months of house arrest and...
Amazon Studios has acquired the pitch and is developing the project about Dean, a pivotal figure in the Watergate scandal, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?It's splitsville for Sam Claflin, Laura Haddock
The film will trace the life of Dean, who served as White House counsel for Nixon from July 1970 through April 1973.
Producer Bob Cooper is backing the project with his Landscape Entertainment banner along with Billy Ray. Dean will be executive producer of the movie with his manager Rick Berg. Screenwriter Evan Parter is on board to pen the feature.
John Dean, known as the 'connoisseur of cover-ups' in the media, was one of the most important whistle-blowers that implicated Nixon in the Watergate cover-up. In exchange for his testimony, Dean served four months of house arrest and...
- 8/20/2019
- GlamSham
Amazon Studios has nabbed a feature pitch with “Wonder Woman” star Chris Pine attached to play John Dean, a pivotal figure in the Watergate scandal.
The film will follow the life and political saga of Dean, who served as White House counsel for President Richard Nixon from July 1970 through April 1973. Amazon bought the development project from producers Bob Cooper — a veteran Hollywood player — under his banner Landscape Entertainment and prolific screenwriter Billy Ray of Home Run Productions.
Dean himself will serve as executive producer on the project with his manager Rick Berg. Up-and-coming screenwriter Evan Parter, whose scripts have appeared more than once on the annual Black List, is penning the project.
Billed by the press as a “connoisseur of cover-ups,” Dean became a crucial Nixon whistle-blower by offering testimony that implicated the president in the historic cover-up. In exchange, he served four months of house arrest and plead guilty to obstruction of justice.
The film will follow the life and political saga of Dean, who served as White House counsel for President Richard Nixon from July 1970 through April 1973. Amazon bought the development project from producers Bob Cooper — a veteran Hollywood player — under his banner Landscape Entertainment and prolific screenwriter Billy Ray of Home Run Productions.
Dean himself will serve as executive producer on the project with his manager Rick Berg. Up-and-coming screenwriter Evan Parter, whose scripts have appeared more than once on the annual Black List, is penning the project.
Billed by the press as a “connoisseur of cover-ups,” Dean became a crucial Nixon whistle-blower by offering testimony that implicated the president in the historic cover-up. In exchange, he served four months of house arrest and plead guilty to obstruction of justice.
- 8/19/2019
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Imagine Entertainment has set its roster of participants of Impact 2, the inventive program where the company empowers outside voices, “creators,” paying the newcomers accepted to the program to develop TV series and movies under the watchful eye of “shapers,” a group of established industry writers and showrunners. The program, hatched by Imagine co-heads Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, this year got over 4000 submissions from 57 countries covering every continent but Antarctica. Tyler Mitchell runs the program.
The “shapers” in this year’s program are: Stacy Traub, Akiva Goldsman, Doug Ellin, Seth Grahame-Smith, Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney and Sascha Penn.
Here are the newcomers whose work was accepted and who will be paid a stipend to create one new project during the boot camp, before all of the work gets pitched to the town. Traub will oversee:
Writer/actor and Chicago native Aris Mendoza is creating the half hour TV project Blasian...
The “shapers” in this year’s program are: Stacy Traub, Akiva Goldsman, Doug Ellin, Seth Grahame-Smith, Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney and Sascha Penn.
Here are the newcomers whose work was accepted and who will be paid a stipend to create one new project during the boot camp, before all of the work gets pitched to the town. Traub will oversee:
Writer/actor and Chicago native Aris Mendoza is creating the half hour TV project Blasian...
- 4/23/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
We didn’t know it when docu-helmer Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, The Unknown Known) signed up for it last July, but by the looks of several industry players, he might have landed on the best screenplay of the bunch.
The annual “The Black List” unveiled its “favorite unproduced screenplays” of the year, and ranking at the top with a slim margin of a lead was Andrew Sodroski’s Holland, Michigan – a project that should begin lensing in April of next year with Naomi Watts possibly toplining. The second place top vote-getter got a lot more than a set of steak knifes this year. The out-of-nowhere, complete obscurity to huge pay day Section 6 by first time scribe Aaron Berg garnered huge interest towards the end of the year and should be jettisoned into production by the Universal folks – look for big name talent to be attached sometime in...
The annual “The Black List” unveiled its “favorite unproduced screenplays” of the year, and ranking at the top with a slim margin of a lead was Andrew Sodroski’s Holland, Michigan – a project that should begin lensing in April of next year with Naomi Watts possibly toplining. The second place top vote-getter got a lot more than a set of steak knifes this year. The out-of-nowhere, complete obscurity to huge pay day Section 6 by first time scribe Aaron Berg garnered huge interest towards the end of the year and should be jettisoned into production by the Universal folks – look for big name talent to be attached sometime in...
- 12/16/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
With all the mindless sequels and reboots that Hollywood has churned out over the last few years, it’s always nice when something original and well-written can break through and get a studio release. Unfortunately, many quality scripts can spend years without ever reaching the right executive to give it the green light. In an effort to make the process a little bit better, former production executive Franklin Leonard started The Black List in 2004. Today, the site announced its ninth annual list of the best unproduced scripts.
To come up with the list, nominations are received from over 250 executives. If a film gets 6 nominations, it gets a spot on the list. The more executives that nominate it, the higher on the list it is. Production for last year’s top film, Draft Day, is underway with the theatrical release scheduled for April, so there’s a pretty good chance that...
To come up with the list, nominations are received from over 250 executives. If a film gets 6 nominations, it gets a spot on the list. The more executives that nominate it, the higher on the list it is. Production for last year’s top film, Draft Day, is underway with the theatrical release scheduled for April, so there’s a pretty good chance that...
- 12/16/2013
- by Alexander Lowe
- We Got This Covered
What’s poppin’ cool kids! Well, let me tell ya!
In my opinion, the Hottest list in Hollywood to be on, The Black List, has just announced their 2013 winners! The Black List is the best unproduced screenplays of the year, as voted on by over 250 film execs. This year 72 scripts made the cut in the 2013 edition of the yearly ranking compiled since 2004 by baller Franklin Leonard.
Congrats to all the writers that made the list! I’m especially proud of my close dear friend, Latino screenwriter Hernany Perla who made the list!
The winners are…
Mississippi Mud by Elijah Bynum
Patient Z by Michael Le
Make A Wish by Zach Frankel
Randle Is Benign by Damien Ober
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Queen Of Hearts by Stephanie Shannon
Holland, Michigan by Andrew Sodroski
Hot Summer Nights by Elijah Bynum
Dude by Oliva Milch
Pan by Jason Fuchs
Superbrat by...
In my opinion, the Hottest list in Hollywood to be on, The Black List, has just announced their 2013 winners! The Black List is the best unproduced screenplays of the year, as voted on by over 250 film execs. This year 72 scripts made the cut in the 2013 edition of the yearly ranking compiled since 2004 by baller Franklin Leonard.
Congrats to all the writers that made the list! I’m especially proud of my close dear friend, Latino screenwriter Hernany Perla who made the list!
The winners are…
Mississippi Mud by Elijah Bynum
Patient Z by Michael Le
Make A Wish by Zach Frankel
Randle Is Benign by Damien Ober
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Queen Of Hearts by Stephanie Shannon
Holland, Michigan by Andrew Sodroski
Hot Summer Nights by Elijah Bynum
Dude by Oliva Milch
Pan by Jason Fuchs
Superbrat by...
- 12/16/2013
- by El Mayimbe
- LRMonline.com
Withough further ado, the cover of #BlackList2013, designed by Glen Charbonneau. Let's get started. pic.twitter.com/5G0V1kGsXd— The Black List (@theblcklst) December 16, 2013
While Prisoners, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Spectacular Now have generated positive reviews at the box office, they also share one common distinction: They were all recognized on Franklin Leonard’s Black List, an annual compendium of the year’s most-liked un-produced screenplays as determined by the hundreds of executives in Hollywood that spend their lives reading scripts.
Leonard, 35, began the list in 2005 on a lark. As a young development executive about to leave for winter vacation,...
While Prisoners, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Spectacular Now have generated positive reviews at the box office, they also share one common distinction: They were all recognized on Franklin Leonard’s Black List, an annual compendium of the year’s most-liked un-produced screenplays as determined by the hundreds of executives in Hollywood that spend their lives reading scripts.
Leonard, 35, began the list in 2005 on a lark. As a young development executive about to leave for winter vacation,...
- 12/16/2013
- by Nicole Sperling
- EW - Inside Movies
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.