Early word on three new scripts
At any given time there are tons of horror scripts circulating in Hollywood waiting for a home. And lately, in the journalism game, it has become fashionable to get the word out about some of these scripts – even though they might not ever get bought or even made. Regardless, I find it fascinating to see what’s out there, especially in a climate where familiarity sells (remakes) and sequels remain profitable. So, welcome to “On the Horror Market” – an occasional column where we’ll look at what’s out there.
Up first today is Dormant. Written by Ryan Spindell and Joshua Mikel, the script is said to be set in a nursing home and is “in the vein of Shaun of the Dead.” To date, Spindell has directed a trio of horror short films. His latest, The Window might be a tease of what’s to come in Dormant as the film is also set in a nursing home. It concerns an elderly man who will do anything to get to his roommate’s bedside window, his link to the outside world. The Window and Dormant could be similar, or Spindell might just be into nursing homes for some reason.
His writing partner on Dormant, Josh Mikel is both an actor and concept artist.
Next we have Copper Creek. Jeff Hammer and Chris Grimley apparently channel Silver Bullet for their story set in a Rocky Mountain town. Yes, a werewolf is involved when the residents start getting picked off one-by-one and communication to the town is cut off (even cell phones? Smart werewolf!). An alcoholic ex-sheriff leads the survivors in a fight for their lives while a doctor tries to find a cure for the “plague of violence.”
Lastly, writer Jeremy Phillips is out on the town with Fred’s Dead, a project to be produced by Rebecca Green and Abram Makowka. The crunch: A lonely, socially awkward, 20-something guy digs up dead bodies from the local cemetery in order to “make new friends” and throw a keg party in his attic. However, the party gets out of control when the dead bodies are accidentally turned into zombies. Layered in is a John Hughes type love story between our lonely hero and the love of his life, who he accidentally kills and turns into a sarcastic ghost, as they work together to save the local town before it’s destroyed by hordes of the undead.
Interesting, the story asks for us to side with a loser who exhumes bodies.
There you have it, folks. If any of you out there know of scripts legitimately on the market, feel free to drop me a line with details!
Source: Ryan Turek, Managing Editor
