By Jeff Sneider
October 29, 2012
‘Fast Five’ filmmaker will produce, possibly direct sci-fi comedy from hot scribes
In a competitive situation, Universal Pictures has acquired the sci-fi comedy spec “Subdivision” from scribes Morgan Jurgenson and Alex Ankeles and attached “Fast Five” filmmaker Justin Lin to produce through his Universal-based Barnstorm Pictures banner.
Lin and Barnstorm exec Elaine Chin championed the script and brought it to Universal, where Lin will develop the project as a potential directing vehicle. Chin will join Lin as a producer on the pic.
Universal’s VP of production Kristin Lowe will oversee the project for the studio.
While the logline is being kept under wraps, “Subdivision” marks the second major spec sale this year for Jurgenson and Ankeles, who sold their sci-fi script “Hyperdrive” to Paramount earlier this year. Mary Parent is producing that pic via her Disruption Entertainment shingle.
Lin, who’s currently directing and producing the sixth installment of Universal’s boffo “Fast and Furious” franchise, is developing a wealth of material including a movie about the L.A. Riots that Imagine is producing for U. He’s also attached to direct Kamala Films’ adaptation of “Lone Wolf and Cub” and an adaptation of David Henry Hwang comic play “Chinglish.” Lin is repped by CAA, manager Dana O’Keefe of Cinetic Media and attorney John Sloss of Sloss Eckhouse Law Co.
Jurgenson co-wrote the indie horror-comedy “Tucker and Dale vs. Evil,” which was acquired by Magnet Releasing in August 2011 after generating strong buzz at Sundance in 2010. He’s currently writing “Dead Already” for Thomas Augsberger at Inferno.
Ankeles, who served as a production exec on Sony’s 2006 pic “Talladega Nights,” has also worked for Disney-based Panay Films,
Jurgenson is repped by APA, manager Jonathan Hung and attorney Robert Szymanski of Eclipse Law Corporation. Ankeles is repped by CAA and manager Aaron Kaplan of Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment.