Has anyone read this, I am curious what his storyline was. Wheddon has been somewhat ungenerous towards Penn in interviews.
Zak Penn's Avengers Script
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
A lot of people have been pretty ungenerous towards Penn in interviews. But I guess that's okay, because he tends to return the favor.
There's a "Creative Screenwriting Magazine" podcast for X-MEN: THE LAST STAND that's about an hour and a half, maybe more. He seems to take criticism pretty poorly, especially when people would talk favorably about the previous, X2. Penn takes credit for a great deal of what eventually became the second X-MEN film, which seemed counter to the documentaries and commentaries on that film's home video release.
I had the opportunity to talk to someone involved with the writing of X2, and asked about Penn's contribution in relation to the comments he'd made. I was told "Do you want to see a Zak Penn script? Watch THE LAST STAND. That's a Zak Penn script."
In regards to Penn's storyline for THE AVENGERS, I assume (and that's all this is - an assumption) that the broad strokes were probably similar. The team is assembled, Loki is the villain, the helicarrier makes an appearance, etc. etc.
But as someone who has been actively following Joss Whedon since season one of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, it's pretty clear that the finished film is a Joss Whedon product. From dialog to characterization (particularly Black Widow and her function beyond just looking pretty in a skintight black suit) to the running gag that every time Loki pontificates it opens him up for immediate (and sometimes painful) failure, it's textbook Whedon through and through.
Just so it doesn't seem like I'm ragging on Zak Penn, I will say this: LAST ACTION HERO is a ton of fun.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
He's Marvel's favorite screenwriter - his fingerprints are on all of the scripts. X-MEN 3 probably isn't a good example, since Simon Kinberg was on that - but (except for the uncredited) he's the only writer on the Ed Norton HULK (well, I'm sure Ed Norton did his pass).
My guess is that Penn did all of the early drafts before they hired the director... who did his draft. Because Weadon didn't get a co-story credit as well, the story beats probably remained exactly the same.
And why should Penn kiss Whedon's butt in interviews when Whedon trashes Penn in every interview? This is standard director trashing original writer stuff so that more of the spotlight is on him. Wait until someone does this to your script...
Short answer: No, don't have it.
- BillLast edited by wcmartell; 05-27-2012, 01:36 PM.Free Script Tips:
http://www.scriptsecrets.net
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
Originally posted by wcmartell View PostMy guess is that Penn did all of the early drafts before they hired the director... who did his draft. Because Weadon didn't get a co-story credit as well, the story beats probably remained exactly the same.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
According to reports, when Norton rewrote Penn's script he wasn't allowed to change certain things, as sets were already being built and locations finalized. However, Louis Leterrier has even said that he wrote much of, if not all, of the dialog and the dramatic emphasis of the film is all his.
But evidently Norton didn't change enough to fight off arbitration.
As for his "fingerprints" being on all the movies, they're not - he got THE AVENGERS because X-MEN: THE LAST STAND made a lot of money. He was promptly rewritten completely by Whedon. He has no involvement in the rest of the Marvel Studios movies, beyond the aforementioned INCREDIBLE HULK.
Originally posted by wcmartell View PostAnd why should Penn kiss Whedon's butt in interviews when Whedon trashes Penn in every interview?
Even with only a "Story by" credit on AVENGERS he's making a ton of movie as it breaks record after record. So, seriously - good for him.Last edited by SteveLilley; 05-27-2012, 06:29 PM.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
Originally posted by Jules View PostDo you get residuals/points if you only have story credit?
Nice tidy sum for sure! But remember that 25 percent of residuals is then only 25 percent of 1.2 percent of the gross producer profit for all profits after first run.
But it should add up to seriously big money over time.
D.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
Originally posted by dmatthew View PostYup. You sure do. I think it's like 25 percent of total writer residuals credited.
Nice tidy sum for sure! But remember that 25 percent of residuals is then only 25 percent of 1.2 percent of the gross producer profit for all profits after first run.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
Originally posted by wcmartell View PostHe's Marvel's favorite screenwriter - his fingerprints are on all of the scripts. X-MEN 3 probably isn't a good example, since Simon Kinberg was on that - but (except for the uncredited) he's the only writer on the Ed Norton HULK (well, I'm sure Ed Norton did his pass).
My guess is that Penn did all of the early drafts before they hired the director... who did his draft. Because Weadon didn't get a co-story credit as well, the story beats probably remained exactly the same.
And why should Penn kiss Whedon's butt in interviews when Whedon trashes Penn in every interview? This is standard director trashing original writer stuff so that more of the spotlight is on him. Wait until someone does this to your script...
- Bill
Looks like Whedon is Marvel's favourite screenwriter now, since they hired him to write/direct Avengers 2 and mastermind all the movies that will lead up to it, as well as develop a Marvel TV series.
And I suspect the elements that stayed the same were the ones dictated by Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk in their set ups for Avengers. Whedon came on board long after they had been released so he had to keep his script consistent with them, and therefore Penn's script. Loki as villain, cosmic cube, alien attack, Hulk being able to focus his rage, Cap being new to this era etc.
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
As JCGary said, "Points" and "Residuals" are two different things. Any profit participation is beyond WGA control and separately negotiated...
Residuals are a WGA requirement and there are so many different ways they are figured: Foreign distribution fees, copyrights, cable and broadcast TV airings, VOD, DVDs, etc... etc... -- Basically every different platform triggers a residual of some kind.
It doesn't matter how many writers worked on a project -- only those who receive story or screenplay credit get them. Which is why credits are so important. It breaks down thusly:
70% of resids go toward screenplay (to the individual credited or shared equally among all credited)
30% go toward story (again, divided by however many have credit)
So in the case of Avengers, we can figure that Joss is getting 85% of the residuals and Penn is getting 15%
Again those percentages are of the total residuals generated from all the various distribution platforms. They have nothing to do with points or initial payments for writing services.
First writers on a WGA contract are always guaranteed a minimum of shared story credit (see Aaron Sorkin's views on this -- they're hilarious). So even if subsequent writers change 100% of everything in the script, the original writer will still get shared story --
(see Low Dweller/ Out of the Furnace as an example) -- even the title and character names are different and yet Ingelsby will still get shared story because the script evolved from his original into something that has nothing left from the original... Not a word, not a comma, nothing. Would be awesome if it won an Oscar. Technically, Ingelsby would be granted a statue and allowed on stage for something he didn't write a single word of. (see Reitman's bitterness re: sharing the stage with Sheldon Turner)
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Re: Zak Penn's Avengers Script
Originally posted by JJBones View Post(see Low Dweller/ Out of the Furnace as an example) -- even the title and character names are different and yet Ingelsby will still get shared story because the script evolved from his original into something that has nothing left from the original... Not a word, not a comma, nothing. Would be awesome if it won an Oscar. Technically, Ingelsby would be granted a statue and allowed on stage for something he didn't write a single word of. (see Reitman's bitterness re: sharing the stage with Sheldon Turner)
HH
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