Editor’s Note: As we saw last weekend from Deadline’s coverage of Jay Baker losing his position as longtime CAA agent after sending manager Jewerl Keats Ross a Menace II Society movie clip depicting a crack addict willing to perform a sexual favor because he was so desperate to feed his habit, we are in a moment of heightened sensitivity that leaves everyone in Hollywood standing upon a trap door that can be triggered by a single insult or misdeed. We aired all sides of the story, from the email that an offended Ross sent to Baker in response to the clip (which prompted CAA to fire him) to a strong apology by Baker for being tone deaf in sending that clip in the first place. We at Deadline thought we were done with the story, until we got a note from Dwayne Barnes, the actor who played that role.
- 3/30/2021
- by Dwayne Barnes
- Deadline Film + TV
Jon Watts is hardly the first up-and-coming filmmaker to be plucked from the indie film fold to helm a big-budget, high-stakes blockbuster. Nevertheless, the “Spider-Man: Homecoming” director was still surprised when Marvel came calling after his second film, “Cop Car,” screened at Sundance in 2015. Over the past few years, hiring first- and second-time directors to direct massive tentpole features has become standard procedure, from Colin Trevorrow to Josh Trank, Marc Webb to Gareth Edwards. When Watts got the call, he geeked out.
“I was so excited to just go to Marvel,” Watts said. “I actually still the visitor’s pass that they gave me to just get on the lot and everything. I wasn’t expecting any of this. It’s like when Bart Simpson goes to New York and he goes to the Mad Magazine headquarters.”
Read More: ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Review: Marvel Has Finally Started To Figure Out The...
“I was so excited to just go to Marvel,” Watts said. “I actually still the visitor’s pass that they gave me to just get on the lot and everything. I wasn’t expecting any of this. It’s like when Bart Simpson goes to New York and he goes to the Mad Magazine headquarters.”
Read More: ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Review: Marvel Has Finally Started To Figure Out The...
- 7/5/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Barry Jenkins is about to become the next big thing, but he’s been here before. “Moonlight,” which he wrote and directed, has been celebrated as the year’s major discovery and the ultimate achievement in modern black filmmaking. That’s nothing new for Jenkins: Eight years ago, the director faced similar acclaim on a smaller scale with his 2008 debut, “Medicine for Melancholy.” However, the lag between his first two features is a testament to Jenkins’ quiet determination — and to a culture that had yet to catch up. It takes time for the world to recognize a genuine vision.
“I think a filmmaker like me isn’t on the outside in the same way that I was in 2008, even though the work itself feels very, very outsiderish,” he said. “It’s completely fucking crazy, because it didn’t used to be that way.” While “Moonlight” marks Jenkins’ transition into a major artist,...
“I think a filmmaker like me isn’t on the outside in the same way that I was in 2008, even though the work itself feels very, very outsiderish,” he said. “It’s completely fucking crazy, because it didn’t used to be that way.” While “Moonlight” marks Jenkins’ transition into a major artist,...
- 10/19/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Updated With Full List Of Scripts, Writers, And Reps: Catherine The Great, about the rise and life of the famous (sometimes notorious) 18th-Century Russian monarch, was the top vote-getter among 70 scripts chosen for the 2014 Black List of the year’s best un-produced scripts. The screenplay, by Los Angeles writer and producer Kristina Lauren Anderson, was announced as part of an hour-plus process on Twitter and YouTube this morning.
Each of the 70 screenplays on this 10th annual list was chosen by a group of 250 development executives, agents and other Hollywood insiders as among the year’s best un-produced scripts in a process overseen by Franklin Leonard of http://www.blcklst.com. Anderson’s screenplay received 51 votes.
Other notables in the list include writer/actor/director Kenneth Lonergan with Manchester-By-The-Sea, which is being produced by Matt Damon and Chris Moore. Randall Green had two scripts make the list, The Swimsuit Issue and Cartoon Girl.
Each of the 70 screenplays on this 10th annual list was chosen by a group of 250 development executives, agents and other Hollywood insiders as among the year’s best un-produced scripts in a process overseen by Franklin Leonard of http://www.blcklst.com. Anderson’s screenplay received 51 votes.
Other notables in the list include writer/actor/director Kenneth Lonergan with Manchester-By-The-Sea, which is being produced by Matt Damon and Chris Moore. Randall Green had two scripts make the list, The Swimsuit Issue and Cartoon Girl.
- 12/15/2014
- by David Bloom and Jen Yamato
- Deadline
This year’s Blood List has named the 13 best genre scripts around town, and in its sixth year the annual screenplay contest is expanding its scope to include hot books, TV pilots, and young scribes ripe for signing. Taking top honors in 2014 is sci-fi thriller Bird Box from The Thing and Final Destination 5 scribe Eric Heisserer, an apocalyptic tale of a woman trying to lead her children to safety – all three blindfolded – after monsters descend on earth that turn people insane on sight. Universal set Heisserer to adapt the manuscript from Josh Malerman in 2013 for Mama helmer Andy Muschietti. Previous Blood List alumni include Black Swan, Stoker, Warm Bodies, and the upcoming Blumhouse thriller The Boy Next Door.
Like the Black List naming the top unproduced screenplays circulating around Hollywood, the genre-focused Blood List taps exec votes to determine each year’s best unmade horror, sci-fi, and thriller scripts.
Like the Black List naming the top unproduced screenplays circulating around Hollywood, the genre-focused Blood List taps exec votes to determine each year’s best unmade horror, sci-fi, and thriller scripts.
- 10/31/2014
- by Jen Yamato
- Deadline
There is either a couple of football fans or Jerry Maguire/Moneyball with this year’s most liked unproduced screenplay. Close to 300 hundred film executives provided with the Black List creators a top ten of their favorite screenplays of the year and the consensus first overall pick (with 65 votes) comes from the recently featured in Variety (10 Screenwriters to Watch 2012) tandem of Rajiv Joseph & Scott Rothman and their drama which has nothing to do with enlisting in the armed forces. Draft Day – about the day in the life of a fictitious Buffalo Bills Gm appears to currently be in turnaround — which only means I expect to see this greenlight perhaps a little later than sooner – worth noting: top spot almost guarantees that the film will indeed go into production (2006, 2010 and 2011 are the exceptions.) Among the more alluring logline subjects we find on the list, I’d be keen on reading the...
- 12/18/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Synchronicity Entertainment is announcing its arrival in genre films with three horror films with impressive pedigree in Cooties, Due Process and Smiley on its debut slate. Cooties is to star Elijah Wood, Due Process will star John Cusack, and Smiley is already completed and on demand, and was reviewed here. Peruse the press release below!
Los Angeles, California (October 30, 2012) – Synchronicity Entertainment, the new genre film production and international sales label launched by Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel’s The Solution Entertainment Group has unveiled its debut slate of three new feature films including: the horror film Cooties from the co-creator of the Saw franchise and Insidious writer Leigh Whannell and Paranormal Activity 1 – 4 producer Steven Schneider; the thriller Due Process starring Golden Globe nominee John Cusack (High Fidelity); and the completed psychological thriller Smiley, it was announced today by Ruzanna Kegeyan, Synchronicity’s President of International Distribution.
Executive produced by...
Los Angeles, California (October 30, 2012) – Synchronicity Entertainment, the new genre film production and international sales label launched by Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel’s The Solution Entertainment Group has unveiled its debut slate of three new feature films including: the horror film Cooties from the co-creator of the Saw franchise and Insidious writer Leigh Whannell and Paranormal Activity 1 – 4 producer Steven Schneider; the thriller Due Process starring Golden Globe nominee John Cusack (High Fidelity); and the completed psychological thriller Smiley, it was announced today by Ruzanna Kegeyan, Synchronicity’s President of International Distribution.
Executive produced by...
- 11/6/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Synchronicity Entertainment, the new genre film production and international sales label launched by Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel.s The Solution Entertainment Group has unveiled its debut slate of three new feature films including: the horror film Cooties from the co-creator of the Saw franchise and Insidious writer Leigh Whannell and Paranormal Activity 1 . 4 producer Steven Schneider; the thriller Due Process starring Golden Globe nominee John Cusack (High Fidelity); and the completed psychological thriller Smiley, it was announced today by Ruzanna Kegeyan, Synchronicity.s President of International Distribution.
Executive produced by The Solution who is arranging the financing for two of the new films, Synchronicity is handling the international distribution rights for the slate and will introduce the films to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.
Starring Elijah Wood, Cooties is produced by top horror film producer Steven Schneider, who is behind the hugely successful Paranormal Activity franchise including the latest installment,...
Executive produced by The Solution who is arranging the financing for two of the new films, Synchronicity is handling the international distribution rights for the slate and will introduce the films to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.
Starring Elijah Wood, Cooties is produced by top horror film producer Steven Schneider, who is behind the hugely successful Paranormal Activity franchise including the latest installment,...
- 10/31/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The 2011 Black List, the Top Unproduced Screenplays of the year has been released. The best unproduced screenplays from The Black List 2011 is compiled by votes from over 300 “execs, agency guys, and high-level assistants. Titled The Black List, the compendium highlights both established screenwriters and up-and-comers, and has served as a launching pad in the past for projects like Juno, Lars and the Real Girl, and (500) Days of Summer. Last year’s list included Margin Call, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Hunger Games, and Snow White and the Huntsman.”
Regarding the validity of The Black List, things to keep in mind:
some of these screenplays have already been acquired and are already in development, though…none will have entered principal photography by December 31, 2011. Also worth pointing out is that, as in previous years, there have been rumors that some of the participants have been accused of using the Black List to promote their own clients or friends.
Regarding the validity of The Black List, things to keep in mind:
some of these screenplays have already been acquired and are already in development, though…none will have entered principal photography by December 31, 2011. Also worth pointing out is that, as in previous years, there have been rumors that some of the participants have been accused of using the Black List to promote their own clients or friends.
- 12/13/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
The Black List of 2011 continues with the second-half of the list showcasing the screenplays that received the most number of votes.
Remember, this is a list voted on by Hollywood professionals of what they personally believe to be the best unproduced screenplays written in 2011. You might recognize titles for movies that are in development. That's fine by The Black List rules; the only condition that the screenplay must meet is that it's not being filmed within this calendar year. For Black List 2011 selections like Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, that makes it valid for Black List inclusion.
If you've missed the first half of the list you can find it here.
13 Votes:
The Accountant by Bill Dubuque
The Treasury Department pursues a brilliant, autistic accountant who doubles as an assassin and “problem-solves” with precision in more ways than one.
Agency: Paradigm
Agent: Trevor Astbury
Management: Zero Gravity Management
Manager: Eric Williams...
Remember, this is a list voted on by Hollywood professionals of what they personally believe to be the best unproduced screenplays written in 2011. You might recognize titles for movies that are in development. That's fine by The Black List rules; the only condition that the screenplay must meet is that it's not being filmed within this calendar year. For Black List 2011 selections like Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, that makes it valid for Black List inclusion.
If you've missed the first half of the list you can find it here.
13 Votes:
The Accountant by Bill Dubuque
The Treasury Department pursues a brilliant, autistic accountant who doubles as an assassin and “problem-solves” with precision in more ways than one.
Agency: Paradigm
Agent: Trevor Astbury
Management: Zero Gravity Management
Manager: Eric Williams...
- 12/13/2011
- by Patrick Sauriol
- Corona's Coming Attractions
The 2011 Black List has arrived online and there are a bunch of the hottest scripts in Hollywood. Some have already been picked up by studios, while most are still unproduced. Here is the press release: The Black List was compiled from the suggestions of over 300 film executives, each of whom contributed the names of up to ten of their favorite scripts that were written in, or are somehow uniquely associated with, 2011 and will not have begun principal photography during this calendar year.
This year, scripts had to receive at least six mentions to be included on the The Black List.
All reasonable effort has been made to confirm the information contained herein. The Black List apologizes for all misspellings, misattributions, incorrect representation identification, and questionable 2011 affiliations.
It has been said many times, but it's worth repeating:
The Black List is not a "best of" list. It is, at best, a "most liked" list.
This year, scripts had to receive at least six mentions to be included on the The Black List.
All reasonable effort has been made to confirm the information contained herein. The Black List apologizes for all misspellings, misattributions, incorrect representation identification, and questionable 2011 affiliations.
It has been said many times, but it's worth repeating:
The Black List is not a "best of" list. It is, at best, a "most liked" list.
- 12/13/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
[1] Each December since 2004, studio executive Franklin Leonard has compiled the best unproduced screenplays of the year, as voted by hundreds of execs, agency guys, and high-level assistants. Titled The Black List, the compendium highlights both established screenwriters and up-and-comers, and has served as a launching pad in the past for projects like Juno, Lars and the Real Girl, and (500) Days of Summer. Last year's list included Margin Call, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Hunger Games, and Snow White and the Huntsman. It should be noted that the headline is somewhat misleading -- some of these screenplays have already been acquired and are already in development, though according to Leonard none will have entered principal photography by December 31, 2011. Also worth pointing out is that, as in previous years, there have been rumors that some of the participants have been accused of using the Black List to promote their own clients or friends.
- 12/12/2011
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
As the New Year approaches, we are now getting a look at all the scripts that have been passed on, those unproduced screenplays of 2001, or what is better known as The Black List. This year, like every other year, is compiled from the suggestions of hundreds of film executives, each contributes the names of up to ten of their favorite scripts that were written in, or are somehow uniquely associated with, 2011 and will not be released in theaters during this calendar year. Some of the best scripts have come from The Black List. Films like The Social Network went on to become the best of 2010. Other movie scripts have catapulted writers into stardom. Diablo Cody’s Juno, Nancy Oliver’s Lars And The Real Girl, Scott Neustader’s and Michael Weber’s 500 Days Of Summer, are just some of the screenplays which appeared on The Black List and then were made.
- 12/12/2011
- by Mike Lee
- FusedFilm
Kailey Marsh is a co-founder and literary manager/producer at Faction M with her business partner Nima Maleki. Kailey graduated from the Art Institute of California-Los Angeles and interned for Ozla Pictures (the company behind The Grudge movies, among others) and then worked as an assistant for Steven Jay Schneider, producer of Paranormal Activity. She was an assistant at the management/production company Circle of Confusion before becoming a manager in her own right.
Faction M has most recently been involved in producing the feature film The Day, currently in post-production. Check out the Facebook page for all the details about the film and the teaser.
With the advent of The Black List, a collection of the top unproduced screenplays making the rounds in Hollywood, Kailey invented The Blood List, which compiles the best unproduced horror scripts. She was recently included in a Hollywood Reporter article examining this listing phenomena.
Faction M has most recently been involved in producing the feature film The Day, currently in post-production. Check out the Facebook page for all the details about the film and the teaser.
With the advent of The Black List, a collection of the top unproduced screenplays making the rounds in Hollywood, Kailey invented The Blood List, which compiles the best unproduced horror scripts. She was recently included in a Hollywood Reporter article examining this listing phenomena.
- 5/9/2011
- by Anthony Vieira
- The Film Stage
Though it started as a very insider thing, The Black List has recently become more popular and mainstream. For those who may not know, it's an annual list of the year's best unproduced screenplays as voted on by about 300 Hollywood development executives and high-level assistants. We recently posted the 2010 list [1] and looking back at some previous years (2007 [2], 2008 [3], 2009 [4]), films such as Recount, The Beaver and The Social Network all sat near the top of the list. Skim over any of them and you'll see names of films that are out, are coming out and more. It's a big deal. This year, a new Black List of sorts has come out. Dubbed Viewfinder, it's supposed to do for directors what The Black List did for screenwriters. Viewfinder is a compilation of "the top commercials, shorts and/or music videos of 2010." Several of the directors on the list already have deals or are in production on films.
- 12/17/2010
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
- Call this a post-Oscars afterthought, but I think the inaugural 2005 blacklist for un-produced screenplays is working out to be a fairly good predictor/barometer in discriminating the output of quality films and misfires. The 2005 list (get the full view by scrolling down) had slotted Diablo Cody's Juno as the number two and Nancy Oliver's Lars and the Real Girl as the number three favorites - both were nominated for Best Original Screenplay and we know who won this year. Peter Morgan's The Queen who also happens to be on this list won the previous year. Curiously, filtering through this lengthy list there are a slew of titles that have already hit DVD shelves, or are weeks away from getting a release in theaters and then you have a few that are in various production stages. I was curious in researching some of the top titles, updating those that are familiar,
- 3/10/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
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.