The spec market, already simmering with some major sales as of late, is heating up yet again heading into the weekend as the buzz around P.J. McIlvaine’s THE MAN ON LINCOLN’S NOSE begins to build.
The thrilling biopic centers on Gutzon Borglum, the iconic, controversial, visionary sculptor whose passion and perseverance resulted in the creation of one of America’s most beloved and enduring landmarks – Mt. Rushmore – while battling an indifferent public, recalcitrant politicians and the Great Depression.
The biopic genre is on fire right now, with stories based on real-life, fascinating characters out of compelling moments in history leading to big sales on the market. David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon sold to Imperative for five million earlier this year, while T.J. English’s The Corporation sold to Paramount and Appian Way earlier this month – both stories based on true events. Even Gutzon himself has become a popular subject as of late, as Amazon recently acquired a pitch from The People V. O.J. Simpson scribes Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski that focuses on the life of the infamous artist.
We can now confirm that the script is into Marc Platt Productions, Scott Rudin Productions, Bleecker Street Entertainment, FilmNation, IM Global, Cross Creek Pictures, Envision Entertainment, Imperative Entertainment, and Michael De Luca Productions. We’re also hearing that some big name talent out of Lighthouse Management may be coming on board very soon.
Things are just getting started here, so we’ll keep you posted as this story unfolds…
McIlvaine is repped by Mark Lawyer of Markerstone.
