The Black List Update: Picks 5 to 1 of 2007

Next week is when hopeful screenwriters who’ve had one of their scripts circulate the respective production houses are hoping that their screenplay gets a couple of extra bites. Now in it’s sixth year, it’ll also be a time when curious onlookers such as film executives, development people, agents and hardcore cinephiles take a gather at a list that emphasizes quality and original writing. blcklst.com has been all spruced up for the occasion — so you should definitely check back there to see what 2010 will reveal — and if you’re like us and like to revisit Best of Lists of the previous years. Last year over 300 executives contributed their opinion to make up a Black List that had a Muppet Movie (not the Jason Segel project) in the number one spot and The Social Network at number 2. Here are the top vote-getters of 2007.

5. Selma (Votes: 29)
Writer: Paul Webb
Status: In Development

Due to the overwhelming popularity of Precious, Lee Daniels put aside his producing hat and was put in the driver’s seat for this project, and fairly quickly on, a full cast soon followed in Bobby De Niro, Hugh Jackman, Tim Blake Nelson, Cedric the Entertainer, Lenny Kravitz and David Oyelowo – but financing, which was an issue from the start caused not one, but a pair of production cancelations. The “off and on again” status meant that in the interim, Daniels has signed onto other projects (this include The Butler) – so the burner is still on, but we can expect casting changes to occur when this does finally get a confidence vote from investors though I’d bet Oyelowo will be kept as MLK. Currently being circled by The Weinstein Co., this traces the historic Selma-to-Montgomery 1965 march in the Alabama town that marked the political and emotional peak of the civil rights movement featuring Martin Luther King and Lyndon Baines Johnson. The Black List mention landed Webb The Perfect Assassin and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln.

4. Infiltrator (Votes: 35)
Writer: Josh Zetumer
Status: In Development

The great thing about the Black List is has the ability of putting the spotlight on a hopeful writer working in total obscurity. Villain (part of #4 on 2006’s list – read here https://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5924/the-black-list-update-picks-5-to-1-of-2006 ) landed him an agent, he was then thrown into the studio vacuums, named by Variety as a writer to watch out for, and now the scribe could probably afford a down payment on a nice nook and cranny not far from Hollywood. Now called “The” Infiltrator, this tells the story of British soldiers going undercover in the IRA (based on an article in Atlantic Monthly) and it has Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s set up at Warner Bros with David Benioff producing.

3. Passengers (Votes: 38)
Writer: Jon Spaihts
Status: In Development

Science fiction is such a sought-after genre for big studios. Sci-fi writers are even more in demand. Keanu Reeves is set to star in and have his prod co. Company Films produce the spec about a passenger on an intergalactic spaceship who is the only one prematurely thawed out from cryogenic slumber, 100 years before anyone else – but Jon Spaihts appears to have moved onto other space-set projects which include not one, but two Alien film prequels. Spaihts supplemented his income with a rewrite for the alien invasion thriller The Darkest Hour for New Regency Productions and helmer Chris Gorak.

2. Farragut North (Votes: 43)
Writer: Beau Willimon
Status: Pre-Production – A 2011 release not impossible

They always advise those who get into screenwriting to basically write what they know. Playwright Beau Willimon a former Howard Dean staffer put juicy back-room details on paper and “Farragut North“, which will now be known The Ides of March and is set to go into production early next year with George Clooney directing. If I were to be reincarnated into an inanimate object I’d choose to be one of those clinking glasses for spirits — imagine the stories that will be tossed around between actors Marisa Tomei, Ryan Gosling, Evan Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Clooney who also stars.
The original screenplay sees Gosling play a press spokesman for a candidate running in the presidential primary for the Democratic Party ticket. Clooney will play the candidate, a state governor with White House aspirations. In the play, the press agent falls prey to backroom politics, the manipulations of veteran political operatives and the seduction of a young intern. Giamatti plays a rival campaign manager, Tomei plays a reporter for the New York Times, and Wood plays an intern for the campaign. Willimon would go onto be on the Black List the following year with the Charles Dickens adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities and among other things is re-working the remake of a Danish thriller called The Candidate.

1. Recount (Votes: 44)
Writer: Danny Strong
Status: Released on television May 25th, 2008

HBO won 3 Emmys including Outstanding Directing for Jay Roach, and just about every actor was nominated in the acting categories. Ensemble included Kevin Spacey, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr., Laura Dern, John Hurt, Denis Leary, Bruce McGill and Tom Wilkinson.