Briefly: When a pissed off adult decides to exploit a loophole and compete in a children’s spelling bee, he’s got to have some antagonists. Who better than Allison Janney and Phillip Baker Hall? That’s who Jason Bateman just cast in his directorial debut, Bad Words, which starts filming in Los Angeles this week. Bateman play the lead in the film and will also be joined by Kathryn Hahn, Ben Falcone and Rohan Chandz. The script was written by Andrew Dodge. Expect this comedy sometime in 2013. [Deadline]
Jason Bateman is about to make his feature directorial debut and by God, he’s earned it. The long time comedic actor had some up and downs early in his career but has been at the top of Hollywood comedy casting calls for the past several years, starting with Arrested Development and up to last year’s Paul, Horrible Bosses and The Change-Up. He’s directed a bunch of TV episodes but Variety reports he’ll now be both star in and direct the indie comedy Bad Words, a Black List script by Andrew Dodge. Bad Words tells the story of bitter adult who uses a loophole to enter a spelling bee for children. Read more after the jump. Read More »
Posted on Monday, December 12th, 2011 by Angie Han
Each December since 2004, studio executive Franklin Leonard has compiled the best unproduced screenplays of the year, as voted by hundreds of execs, agency guys, and high-level assistants. Titled The Black List, the compendium highlights both established screenwriters and up-and-comers, and has served as a launching pad in the past for projects like Juno, Lars and the Real Girl, and (500) Days of Summer. Last year’s list included Margin Call, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Hunger Games, and Snow White and the Huntsman.
It should be noted that the headline is somewhat misleading — some of these screenplays have already been acquired and are already in development, though according to Leonard none will have entered principal photography by December 31, 2011. Also worth pointing out is that, as in previous years, there have been rumors that some of the participants have been accused of using the Black List to promote their own clients or friends. Finally, as Leonard reminds us each time, “The Black List is not a ‘best of’ list. It is, at best, a ‘most liked’ list.”
Regardless, we can always rely on the Black List to stir up conversation among both industry insiders and outside spectators alike, so without further ado, hit the jump for the complete 2011 list.
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