Howdy.
Well, I’ve mostly just finished the first draft of PROJECT SUBWAY, the feature spec I’ve previously teased. I say “mostly” because I’m in the last scene and haven’t figured out the right way to tie a bow on the whole thing. It’s a weird problem to have and one I must confess to having little experience with. Part of the problem is that I deviated from the original outline to add a capstone scene mainly to reveal that the protagonist’s best friend is not as dead as had been previously suggested.
Anyways, it’ll come to me. And this is likely to be the penultimate script of the year for me. (I’m hoping to finish an actor pass of a different movie by the actual end of the year.)
With those caveats in place, here’s a list of all the writing-type stuff I did this past year — specifically, what I call each month’s “deliverables.” Except in cases of significant heavy lifting writing-wise, I’ve avoided including outlines and revisions.
JANUARY
Too Dead To Die (screenplay draft revised with a completely different take)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #2 (comic book script)
Torrent (outline for Volume 2)
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday #1 (comic book script)
PROJECT SPECTRE (screenplay draft revised with a completely different take)
PROJECT SPEED (TV pitch)
FEBRUARY
Star Wars: Dark Droids - D-Squad #1 (comic book script)
PROJECT FEDERAL (TV pitch)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #3 (comic book script)
Too Dead To Die (screenplay revisions)
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday #2 (comic book script)
PROJECT ARTERY (screenplay draft revised with a completely different take)
MARCH
Star Wars: Dark Droids - D-Squad #2 (comic book script)
PROJECT BOTTLE (revised a TV spec with a new C-story)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #4 (comic book script)
APRIL
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday #3 (comic book script)
Star Wars: Dark Droids - D-Squad #3 (comic book script)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Echoes #5 (comic book script)
PROJECT MARBLE (screenplay)
PROJECT GAMEPLAY (screenplay revisions)
MAY*
Star Wars: Dark Droids - D-Squad #4 (comic book script)
JUNE*
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Doomsday #4 (comic book script)
JULY*
Beware the Planet of the Apes (comic book outline)
Deadpool: Seven Slaughters (comic book script for 8-page story)
AUGUST*
PROJECT FROST (revisions to manuscript)
Beware the Planet of the Apes #1 (comic book script)
Pitch for Star Wars comic book mini-series — no codename, yet
PROJECT POULTRY (spec TV pilot)
SEPTEMBER*
Beware the Planet of the Apes #2 (comic book script)
Star Wars: Revelations II (comic book script for 7-page story)
OCTOBER
PROJECT RECURSION #1 (comic book script)
Beware the Planet of the Apes #3 (comic book script)
NOVEMBER
PROJECT ADVOCATE (comic book pitch)
Beware the Planet of the Apes #4 (comic book script)
PROJECT SUMMIT (comic book pitch)
Pitch for major franchise movie sequel
DECEMBER
Script for un-announced 8-page DC Comics story — no codename, yet
PROJECT SUBWAY (spec screenplay)
The asterisks above are, of course, to denote the months when I was on strike as a member of the Writers Guild. Seemed appropriate given that so much of 2023 goes down in the record books with an asterisk modifier.
You may also have noted the inclusion of some heretofore previously unmentioned/unannounced projects and codenames in the list. In some cases, I’d referred to those projects in past newsletters albeit without their codenames. In others, I’ve just been tight-lipped.
THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024
It’s fun to look back on the year (even a blazing dumpster fire like 2023), but it’s even more fun to look ahead. So, with that in mind, here are a few things I’m looking forward to in 2024:
ERUPTION
Michael Crichton was one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, he passed away from cancer in 2008. Consequently, new works from him have been in short supply. You would think they would be in, well, no supply with him being dead and all, but Crichton left behind several manuscripts in different stages of completion.
What looks to be his last one was completed by fellow author James Patterson. I’m not a Patterson fan, but Crichton’s imprimatur and the disaster movie/thriller concept are enough to make me excited. (You can pre-order the book on Amazon and from Bookshop.)
SOMETHING FROM BILLY JOEL?
Speaking of people whose work I’m a fan of but don’t put out new material, we come to my personal hero, Billy Joel. Billy’s last album of pop music came out in 1993. His last album of original material (classical music) came out in 2001. The last song he wrote and released came out in 2007. In other words, the pickings have been slim.
The other night, however, he answered by figurative and literal prayers by teasing “something new” for 2024. I don’t know if it’s an album, a song, a piece of instrumental music, but whatever it is, I’ll take it.
DUNE - PART 2
What can I say? I loved Part 1 and I simply can’t wait for the sequel. You can check out the latest trailer here.
CIVIL WAR
With the possibility — if not likelihood — of either Trump returning to office or Biden defeating him yet again only for Trump to complain the election was rigged (again), civil war wouldn’t be out of place on anyone’s 2024 bingo card.
But I’m not talking about the possibility of actual civil war. No, I’m talking about the new film from Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) about a second American civil war. The trailer looks incredible.
CITY IN RUINS
Author Don Winslow retired but he’s going out in style, with a trilogy of crime novels that function as a modern day Iliad. I enjoyed the first two volumes immensely and look forward to the third and final chapter. (Pre-order on Amazon and Bookshop.)
PROJECT ARTEMIS
My friend Greg Berlanti’s feature film Project Artemis (real title TBA), starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum and bows on July 12, 2024. This one feels like a bit of a cheat because I’ve already seen a cut of the film, but having seen it, I’m very much looking forward to others seeing it as well. The plot remains, as they say, “under wraps” but it’s set against the 1960s space race and is, I can assure you, spectacular.
WORK STUFF
And, yes, there is a lot I’m looking forward to work-wise. The Hollywood landscape remains post-apocalyptic, but I’m optimistic that 2024 is the year where things calm down, normalize, and — most importantly — rebuild.
For me, 2024 will see the publication of PROJECT FROST, the culmination of a (not kidding) 10-year process. There’s also a TV project that we’re close to closing the deals on that I’m looking forward to diving into, hopefully, next month.
THANK YOU
Finally, thank you for supporting this newsletter. A great many of you have emailed to encourage this little endeavor and the support means the world to me. I’m looking forward to continuing LegalDispatch in 2024. If there are any features you’d like me to add or topics you’d like me to cover (or avoid), please sign off in the comments. I read them all. (Well, both of them. Kidding.)
Happy Holidays.
Best wishes for 2024.
Be good to each other.
Best,
Marc
12.22.23
Encino, California
Happy holidays! Thank you for sharing all you have on here this year. I haven't seen any of your previous year roundups of stuff you've written, but even with those asterisks, 2023 seems like a pretty good output! I'm looking forward to learning more about Project Artemis. I'm a big fan of Greg's show about a different fictional archer you may have heard of... but I suspect this Artemis has more to do with Apollo if this is about the space race.
If you ever get a chance, I'd love to read more about the TV, movies, and comics that have inspired you, and as a bonus, how (if at all) they fit into your own work.