The market is heating up today as everyone’s in a frenzy to read MEDUSA AND ATHENA, the hot new fantasy spec out from Paradigm and Benderspink. Described as Maleficent meets Wicked, the YA script presents a new twist on another classic villain, a pitch which naturally has everyone in town drooling at the franchise potential.
Earlier today, we announced the first round of territories, with the spec already into Paramount via Jerry Bruckheimer Films per his deal, Anonymous Content into Disney, Tripp Vinson’s Vinson Films into Fox, Benderspink into New Line Cinema, Todd Garner’s Broken Road Productions into Sony via their first look deal, Weed Road Pictures into Warner Bros., and Scott Stuber into Universal under his Bluegrass Films banner, which has a first-look deal.
Now, our sources confirm that the script has been taken into DreamWorks via De Line Pictures and that Elizabeth Banks’ Brownstone Productions brought into Lionsgate.
Medusa And Athena was penned by up-and-coming scribe Nir Paniry. The YA tentpole spins a new origin story for Medusa the gorgon, the iconic figure from Greek literature whose hair was made of deadly vipers and gaze turned men to stone. The titular Athena refers to the Greek deity of the same name, who was known as the goddess of wisdom, justice, and arts, with the Greek city of Athens taking its name from the character.
Paniry burst onto the scene with his sci-fi/drama feature Extracted, which he wrote and directed, gaining steam when it was nominated for SXSW’s audience award. Extracted starred Grimm‘s Sasha Roiz and Crazy, Stupid, Love‘s Jenny Mollen.
Paniry is repped by Adrian Garcia, David Boxerbaum, and Valarie Philips at Paradigm and Benderspink‘s Jake Wagner.
-SEE AN UPDATED LIST OF TERRITORIES HERE-
Spec is now into:
Anonymous Content into Disney
Benderspink into New Line
Bruckheimer into Paramount
Broken Road into Sony
Brownstone Prods into Lionsgate
De Line into DreamWorks
Stuber/Bluegrass into Universal
Vinson into Fox
Weed Road into Warner Bros.
SEE THE SPEC LISTING HERE FOR MORE INFO!
Stay tuned for more info on this project as it develops!
