Hollywood Turns to Publishers, Publishers Go Two Directions
Hollywood Movie Production Companies, hunting for great and original ideas already well developed and proven, are turning to publishers in increasing numbers. A simple one line post of “dramatic rights available” on Publishers Marketplace often brings a flurry of requests for galley reads from Hollywood, long before the book hits the shelves.
Recently, Max Brook’s World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (ISBN 0307346609), was involved in a “bidding war” between “rivals” Plan B (Brad Pitt’s company) and Appian Way (Leonardo DiCaprio’s company.) Plan B won out.
“Our entire spring 07 line has requests against it,” said James McKinnon, Editor-in-Chief at Kunati Books. “It might be because we deliberately take on controversial and edgy titles, or that we are commercially-oriented, but every one of our books has multiple reads concurrently at various houses.”
Particularly in favor seems to be novels that focus on the zeitgeist or thrillers. One Kunati title, The Game (ISBN 9781601640017), has had more than a dozen requests for reads, according to McKinnon, “probably because it’s an indictment of reality television.” McKinnon also believes Kunati’s book trailers are stirring up movie interest. (Editors Note: see review of The Game trailer in “Book Trailer News and Reviews”.)
A quick glance at our “SPECIAL: Books to Film” column reveals a wide array of books to films deals.
Publishers, meanwhile, head in two distinct directions in their titles mixes. The larger conglomerated publishers tend to focus on big names and sure bets, sometimes at the expense of originality. Other publishers, like Kunati and smaller independents mine the newer talent with the bold ideas.
Does Holywood mine the larger publishers or the independents? Certainly, the larger studios and bigger companies seem to focus on sure bets, optioning rights or making deals on best-selling authors with built-in audiences. The smaller production companies, most attached to larger studios, tend to focus on the newer ideas and fresher voices.
Films and Books Magazine
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