High amount ever paid for a screenplay

[SNAFU]

Anybody know? Any background, anacdotes or links?

I heard STEINBECK'S POINT OF VIEW sold for $8M.

No idea what it's about or what made it worth so much cash.

[JJBones]

The price on that Steinbeck deal had to do with a number of escalating steps involving stuff like production bonus, blind deal for a second script, directing fees (or bonus for NOT directing) stuff like that. Can't remember what the guys actually got for the script... Although, I think it was in the 3 to 4 million range (could be a false memory) but pretty sure the reason they got so much is because Tom Cruise wanted to attach at the time. And other big actors were hot for it as well.

I'm sure somebody's compiled these numbers (pretty sure I've seen it somewhere) but off the top of my head: "Long Kiss Goodnight" -- Shane Black, "Deja Vu" -- Rossio and Marsilii, and "Unbreakable" -- Shymalan...

Those were all in the 4 mill or more range just for the scripts.

Course there's others that include directing fees/ profits/ etc... that probably have paid writers and particularly writer/directors more.

[Rantanplan]

Wikipedia puts the screenplay for TERMINATOR 3 at over 5 M and the script for SPIDERMAN 2 at 10 M (in both cases, story rights cost another 20 M).

Of course those weren't specs though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_budgeting#Examples

There's also a link somewhere on that page for spec sales, including the most expensive scripts that never got produced, but I can't bother to search for it.

[emily blake]

Huh. I always thought the screenplay for Terminator 3 was just "They run a lot and stuff blows up" written on a napkin.

[SNAFU]

I always thought the screenplay...was just "They run a lot and stuff blows up" written on a napkin.

I heard Michael Bay gave them the napkin.

[jtwg50]

Highest official recorded spec sale is $6.5 million for "Deja Vu" by Terry Rossio and Bill Marsilii. A lot of the "big spec purchases" from new writers are actually complex option deals that don't always pan out to the maximum number, or anywhere near it in some cases. This one -- which had to take into account the well-established quotes for both writers even though it was a spec -- was for a real check that will likely never be topped.

[SNAFU]

So pure spec deals mostly in six-figure range? [Excepting superstars like Goldman, R&E, Frank, etc.]

[jtwg50]

New writers with not a lot of heat on the script typically get low-six. If it's a really hot script with lots of interest, $250-500K is pretty standard. If at least two studios really, really want it (bidding war), it's not that hard to get to 7 figures. The trick is in how the deal is actually structured and how quickly you get paid at the various steps. It's never a lump sum. And as previously noted, most deals are actually options masquerading in the trades as sales, thanks to publicists.

[SNAFU]

typically...low-six. If it's a really hot script with lots of interest, $250-500K is pretty standard.

Wow. So...some folks here pulling serious $$$ since they are selling.

Plus assignments, which I hear can be very lucrative.

[Madbandit]

Huh. I always thought the screenplay for Terminator 3 was just "They run a lot and stuff blows up" written on a napkin.


The napkin's framed somewhere.;)

[Rantanplan]

Here's the link for the history of screenwriting salaries, the history of the spec, notable sales, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenwriter%27s_salary

Apparently VARIETY was mourning the end of the spec market way back in 1991, LOL.

[jtwg50]

SNAFU: Per your reference to assignments, yes they are very lucrative for A-list writers. For example, some top writers make as much as $250,000 a week (and sometimes even more) for 1-2 week production rewrites as shooting is getting ready to start in a short time and something's wrong with the script. Others make big bucks by specializing in dialogue polishes or structural fixes. There are a number of examples, but they all pay extremely well.

[tuukka]

Wow. So...some folks here pulling serious $$$ since they are selling.

It's all relative. Say, someone sells a spec script for $300.000 - It might sound like a huge amount of money. But after the agent's fee, lawyers fee, manager's fee, and the taxes, he easily ends up with only 50% of the money. That's $150.000.

And it might be the only spec he manages to sell in a 3-year frame. So he averages only $50.000 a year for that time period.

Which is why writers take a lot of assignments, even if they often get no public credit for their work. But the money is good, and they get to do the work they like to do, and some of those scripts even get filmed.

[Fortean]

$2 million for SHOWGIRLS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114436/combined)!?!

[Slappynipsy]

$2 million for SHOWGIRLS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114436/combined)!?!

which, i think as legend has it, was also originally written on a napkin?

[Harbinger]

which, i think as legend has it, was also originally written on a napkin?

Nope... A soggy tissue!

[Bob Smargiassi]

Nope... A soggy tissue!

Dude... gross.

Though I did LOL