By Tatiana Siegel
February 12, 2007
MTV Films has acquired Jacob Forman’s spec thriller “Handsome Devil” for Kevin Misher to produce.
The screenplay, which sparked a bidding war involving Fox Atomic, New Line Cinema and Universal Pictures, sold Thursday night for mid-six figures. Paramount Pictures will distribute the film.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the story is described as “The Devil’s Advocate” set at a Manhattan prep school. Misher Films’ Swanna MacNair brought the project into the Paramount-based shingle. Carrie Beck will oversee the project for MTV Films topper Scott Aversano.
The deal marks the third consecutive spec sale for Forman, whose “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane” will be released this year by Dimension Films. “Mandy” premiered last year at the Toronto International Film Festival. The AFI graduate also recently set up “Devil’s Swing” at 2929 Entertainment. State Street Prods. is producing “Devil’s Swing,” which is out to directors.
“MTV Films and Misher Films have an amazing record of smart, edgy and aggressive filmmaking,” Forman said. “I couldn’t be more proud. This is a perfect home for ‘Handsome Devil.’ “
Forman is repped by APA, manager Steve Crawford at Nine Yards Entertainment and attorney Rob Szymanski.