Mandate Pictures buys spec script “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman” from writer Matt Drake. Per SlashFilm:
Mandate Pictures just announced that Shia LaBeouf would star in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, the feature directorial debut of award-winning commercial director Dante Ariola (check out some of his commercial work in our commercial director spotlight). The original screenplay was featured on the 2007 Black List (a Hollywood insider listing of the top unproduced screenplays of the year) and is written by Matt Drake, the scribe behind Tully (which was nominated for four Independent Spirit awards including Best Screenplay and Best Feature) and Todd Phillips’ Project X. Here is the official plot synopsis for the romntic action film:
Charlie Countryman (LaBeouf) was just a normal guy…until he fell in love with the one girl who will probably get him killed. When Charlie meets the absolutely irresistible Gabi she’s already been claimed by Nigel, an insanely violent crime boss with a gang of thugs at his disposal. Armed with little more than his wit and naïve charm, Charlie endures one bruising beat down after another to woo Gabi and keep her out of harm’s way. Finally his exploits of blind valor create such a mess that he’s left with only one way out; to save the girl of his dreams, must Charlie Countryman die?
The sale was announced on April 29th, 2010.
Drake is repped by Original Artists.
By my count, there have been 21 spec script sales in 2010.
But.. but.. Joe Eszterhas says NEVER use the word Death in a screenplay title!
It's an interesting script. Was a blacklist script.
It's kind of a genre bender. I really wonder how they are going to deal with the mixed tone.
They need to do a huge rewrite on this one. The plot is muddled, the voice over of Zsa Zsa Gabor (I kid you not) gets annoying by the end and the love interest character, one dimensional.
Proceed with caution Shia!
Hi! Does anyone know whether they have found "Gabi" or not? Can I still audition for the role? I'm a Hungarian-American 20 year old girl, and I live in Budapest.