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Max Barry wrote the novels Syrup, Jennifer Government, and Company, and the serial Machine Man. He also created the online game NationStates and once found a sock full of pennies.

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Sun 13
Feb
2005

Entering the Fortress

Syrup It’s a good-news-bad-news kind of situation, except the good news is all for me and the bad news is all for you. That’s the best kind of good-news-bad-news, so long as you’re me. Which I am. So that’s great.

Here’s the good news. I got this e-mail from Fortress:

I am trying to talk to Siberell about hiring you. We want to give you a shot and want to make sure that Brian is open to making a creative deal.

Brian Siberell is my film agent. So I’m pretty sure this translates as: “Dear Max, Without wanting to invite you to pull down our pants and steal our wallets, we intend to hire you to write the Syrup screenplay.”

My reaction is: “Ohhhhhhh yeah!” I am so fired up to write this thing, I tell you. And now I don’t have to fly to L.A. and kneecap anybody.

The bad news is the sample script I posted on this site, then pulled down at Fortress’s request, is going to stay down. Sorry if you would have liked a look at that. But the idea now is not to expose my naked raw drafts to the world, but to keep things under wraps until I have a script that’s cool and polished and gleaming with edgy goodness. (Which it so will. Hot damn!)

Comments

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Derangon (#1055)

Location: Queensland
Quote: "Howdy?"
Posted: 2551 days ago

(Good thing I already printed it out and now have it hung on a wall, framed and now facing six years in prison.)

Yenzo (#829)

Location: Secret underwater pyramid base in the Pacific
Quote: "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe (Carl Sagan)"
Posted: 2551 days ago

I think it's good news for all of us, because it's gonna make the movie a lot better. And yeah, good thing I saved it in time. :->

Justin Holt (#147)

Location: Rochester, NY
Quote: "www.justinholt.net"
Posted: 2551 days ago

That is great news...

Although, I must admit, I would have liked to read about the kneecaping incident in the papers. You could have stole some of Michael Jackson's thunder!

Great job, Max. I can't wait to read the progress of the script becoming a movie...

shabooty (#637)

Location: D.C./V.A/M.D.
Quote: "I will shake your foundation. I will shake the f**cking rafters. Nobody'll be the same -Danny Bonaduce ....& go visit my blog @: http://www.shabooty.com"
Posted: 2551 days ago

Hey max, congrats...& let us know when we can buy Syrup stocks on HSX.com :)
good times!
-sha-

Jayavarman (#1036)

Location: Connecticut
Posted: 2551 days ago

Aww man. :-( I really would have liked to see your screenplay. Those who have the script, can you send fit to me?
nhstud1216@yahoo.com
I assure you the script will stop there.
Was a voiceover ever decided upon? Six has got to be beyond hot.

Matthew (#16)

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Quote: "Unicorn on mountain top. Wind blowing through mane."
Posted: 2551 days ago

Hopefully it does not have to open up against a Mel Gibson movie. That man is on fire with movies based on books...

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

It better follow the book. Not a bunch of Ad libbing the book.

Not...again...not like "Animal Farm"...

Scott (#354)

Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Quote: "Max Barry tastes like awesome"
Posted: 2551 days ago

I only hope the film version can land Tom Cruise and those other stars in that fantastic "movie." It'd be great to see a cameo... if you need us to Max, I'm sure us, your loyal readers, will head out to hollywood and start screwing everyone in site until they agree to do it. :)

Regardless, congrats! I read the script, but wish I would have saved it also. :-\ Oh well though. I'd ask for someone to send it to me, but I feel that, in some small part, that would be breaking your agreement with Fortress. I'll just wait patiently for the movie to come out.

Chris (#816)

Location: Quebec, Canada
Posted: 2551 days ago

Congratulations, Max! Let's hope that the Syrup movie is a little more successful in Canada than the book, eh? ;P

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

Oh GOD Oh GOD! AIMSPEAK!

*Eyes explode*

We might try to be a little professional. You don't see Max putting smilies in his newsposts.

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

Yeah, sometimes I'm a hypocrite too.

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

I also apologize for my comment earlier.

*bows head humbly*

Leo (#846)

Location: florida
Quote: "Get up you son of a bitch, cause Mickey loves ya."
Posted: 2551 days ago

I was thinking... Do you suppose that you'll encounter some serious legal problems regarding the use of the Coke company (which will inherently lead to the use of Coke trademarks)in the actual Syrup movie? I hope you aren't forced to writeout Coke and the little "New Coke" portion of the story in order to appease the big ballers at Coke. I'm not too keen on international copyright laws, but if shit hits the fan, TAKE IT LIKE A MAN, MAXX.

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

But then he'll...get all shitty.

And a writer isn't any good if he's covered with lawsuits, or shit.

Then his writing will just...stink.

(Pun: Haha...okay...)

Mark McMonagle (#601)

Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Quote: "But it's too late to make any improvements now. The universe is finished; the copestone is on, and the chips were carted off a million years ago."
Posted: 2551 days ago

thats a shame you had to take it down. I had copied it and sent it to differnet film companies. Nah, ,Im only joking. I never.

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2551 days ago

Or else I think you'd be sued.

James (#1022)

Location: England - or similar
Posted: 2551 days ago

Good luck, and don't forget to squeeze those Hollywood bigwigs for every penny they've got.

Cogitation (#836)

Location: New York City
Quote: "Think about it for a moment."
Posted: 2550 days ago

I'm sorry, I missed the explanation where this is "bad news" for us.

Seppuku (Dont call me Chris) (#1056)

Location: Maryland
Quote: "I may have failed you as your hero, but I will triumph as your conquerer."
Posted: 2550 days ago

We don't get to read the script.

The draft script. That at one time was up for all to read. But now is not. It is never coming back.

Bad news.

teh Hack (#931)

Location: Elsewhere
Quote: "Admit Nothing, Deny Everything, Make Counter-Accusations"
Posted: 2550 days ago

Now, if only screenwriters had any degree of creative control over their project...

Don't worry, Max. You may still get to kneecap some brainless Producer who decideds to change @'s name to "Cynthia" to impress the starlet he's trying to woo...

al (#1075)

Posted: 2543 days ago

I'm nervous as hell man. I hope it turns out great. I can't wait. if they give you a hard time pull their necks out and tell them you're in charge now. I'm not nervous about your script... I'm just nervous about them fucking up your script.

-al

Matt Thompson (#980)

Location: Iowa
Quote: "Do you wanna Fukk?"
Posted: 2528 days ago

I can't wait!!!! IT made one helluva book, i just hope the movie does it justice.

Jenny (#1304)

Location: the clouds, i visit so much i decided to stay.
Quote: "Normal is vastly over rated."
Posted: 2462 days ago

Well so far, i have only been able to read the first chapter. (A terrific chapter that you so kindly up for us poor souls to read, who didnt even know about the book before hand, but will be sure to go out and buy it the first chance they get.) anyway, dont let them ruin the story line, ok. Its always a tragidy when a good book is ruined by a poorly done movie version.

Zerbe (#1358)

Location: Pennsylvania, The States
Quote: "I'm just a-goin' to the top-a the hill."
Posted: 2441 days ago

If anyone has the script saved, I would really love to read it. Also, how is it that there has not been an argument over who should play who in the flick yet? I think it's time we begin the heated debate!

Scat: Jason Lee
6: Shannyn Sossamon (oh man, oh man, oh man, she is so hot)
Sneaky Pete: John Cho

Comments are now closed for this post.

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