Marvel Studios starts up a film Writers Program
Marvel is doing some great things these days. As you know they have a handful of films that will be coming out in the next few years which include, 'Iron Man 2', 'Thor', 'The First Avenger: Captain America', and 'The Avengers'. They also have several other properties that have movie potential, one I am really looking out for is 'Dr. Strange'. But it looks like they have a plan to start pumping out movie scripts left and right. According to Deadline Hollywood Marvel has started a writers program. What they plan on doing is hiring a staff of more than a half a dozen film writers, puttiong them in a office and putting them to work on movie scripts.
I think this could be a really good idea. Marvel film will constantly be worked on. If they decide to move on a film the will have a script up and ready to go. They will most likely bring in a head screenwriter to polish things up, and work on the drafts that will be pumped out by the new writing team. With a program like this they are going to pull way ahead of Warner Bros and DC Comics film development. They may not be able to keep up.
Apparently no Marvel comic book writers are allowed to apply for the new program. DLH reports that the terms of the program:
"are apparently more onerous than the terms of the Disney Writers Program. Before the writers are even allowed to come in and meet, they must sign a non-disclosure agreement and a 70-page, non-negotiable contract. Among other things, the contract gives Marvel ownership over everything the writers create during the one year term of [the] deal, plus a first look and last refusal to any and all projects the writers have previously written or will write for 24 months in the future."
Wow. Sounds pretty intense. It will be really interesting to see if anything good comes out of the program. I don't see why not, there will be a lot of talents coming in and out of that place. I wonder how much it will pay.