Sony Buys Chris Alender’s Mystery Bad Robot Project, Watch His Short Film
Sony Pictures has acquired an untitled top secret project fromJJ Abrams' Bad Robot and directorChris Alender. Lionsgate and STX Entertainment were bidding for the rights but Sony ended up as the winner.Deadlinereports that Sony production president Michael De Luca won the bidding war with “aggressive progress to production language” written in as part of the deal — meaning it will probably happen, and quickly.
You might not recognize the name Chris Alender, because the Florida State University Film School graduate has not yet directed a feature. While this will be his feature film debut, Alender is very accomplished. The Atlanta native founded Soapbox Films, a full-service production facility specializing in original content and marketing — the company was notably responsible forrelaunchingThe Muppets on the internet with a series of viral YouTube videos.
After the jump, you’re able to find out more about the Chris Alender Mystery Bad Robot Project and watch a five minute short film/music video titledEye Of The Stormwhich Alender directed a few years back and got him meetings for features all around Hollywood.
Fleming claims that the mystery Bad Robot project will have a “Cloverfieldfeel and a contained budget and that it involves aliens.Cloverfieldlaunched Matt Reeves and Abrams is hoping to do the same with Alender.”
The project was developed in house at Bad Robot, with several drafts written, the latest byJustin Doble(who served as Matt Reeves assistant onCloverfield, become a script coordinator onFringeand a writer on the short lived Bad Robot tv seriesAlmost Human). Bad Robot has a production deal with Paramount, but the studio wasn’t moving fast enough on the project so Abrams went elsewhere. In addition to a first draft, Alender cut together a sizzle reel and digital look book and even created a five-minute teaser scene that “was an action-heavy precursor to this film.”
Hereis Chris Alender’s short film/music video Eye of the Storm:EYE OF THE STORM by Lovett
