Fox picked up Brian Duffield’s spec Underwater, a thriller following a crew after an earthquake destroys their underwater station. Fox also bought Ascension, a sci-fi spec written by Shannon Triplett focusing on a scientist after Earth’s gravity disappears. Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) to possibly produce and direct. Focus Features acquired Matt King’s drama/thriller spec Boomtown about a sinister criminal conspiracy in North Dakota oil boom country. And New Line optioned Gregg Rossen and Brian Sawyer’s female-driven heist spec Met Gala Heist.
Other script sales:
– Dennis Kelly to pen the sequel to World War Z, based on an earlier draft by Steven Knight.
– Olivia Milch has been tapped to write an all-female remake of Ocean’s Eleven. George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh to produce, Gary Ross to direct, and Sandra Bullock to potentially star.
– 42 to produce the thriller In Darkness, written by Anthony Byrne and Game of Thrones‘ Natalie Dormer. Dormer to star, Byrne to direct.
– Universal picked up Ori Guendelmann and Rob McClelland’s 2015 Blood List script Bump.
– Bryce Kass’ Lizzie Borden script found a home at The Playtone Company and Artina Films. Will feature Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny.
– Paramount picked up Luna Park, a sci-fi heist script by Jason Fuchs. Doug Liman will direct. Tom Cruise to star.