Area 51

Genre: Science Fiction.

Studio: New Line Cinema.
Production Company: New Line Cinema.

Project Phase: Script Stage.

Who's In It: Unknown.
Who's Making It: Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore (Screenwriters; Steve Tisch, Kearie Peak (Producers); Gary Goodman, Barry Rosen, Ford Lytle Gilmore, John Byers (Producers, undetermined).

Premise: Unknown.

Release Date: Unknown.

Comments: Unknown.

Rumors: Unknown.

Scoop Feedback:

May 4, 1997... [Project announcement sent by Christian, Joe Hanna, 'widgett' and 'Robnhud'.]

'Robnhud' frequents AOL's message boards, where co-writer Moore had this to say about the project:

"We have been talking with New Line for several months about this project. It was a bit of a challenge to come up with an angle to turn the game into an interesting story, but I think we've got a pretty cool take and New Line is enthusiastic about our idea, so we're going to do it." [ Scoop sent in by 'Robnhud'.]

October 21, 1997... "This movie ws shopped around to just about every screenwriter in Hollywood before these two got the assignment. A real bogus project no one wanted to touch with a ten-foot pole... but Moore and Braga can't afford to be choosy." [Sent anonymously.]

October 26, 1997... An reader using the pseudonym 'A Producer' would like to set the record straight in regards to the scoop sent October 21. "First off, your feedback of 10/21 is wrong on multiple counts," the person told us. "After we acquired the rights to the game last year, we went through the normal routine of dealing with lit agents and writers with whom we already had working relationships. Writers including, but not limited to, the likes of Les Bohem, James Wong & Glen Morgan, and Jerry Brown."

The project was "never 'shopped around to every screenwriter in town.' ", as the anonymous October scooper accused. According to this new scooper the process moved more quickly than usual, "as we were very impressed with Ron and Brannon's take on the material and the angle they had for a movie. That's why we went with them, and it's not as if we didn't have other name writers interested in doing the project."

The person also retorted to the comment about Moore and Braga "can't afford to be choosy."Well, that's laughable. Ron and Brannon were just coming off of Star Trek: First Contact when we began talking with them -- a film that was number one when it opened and went on to become the most successful Trek film of all time." [Ed. note - well, almost. FC grossed just under $100 mil domestically and was the second-highest grossing Trek film (just behind Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home) But we're nitpicking... ] "They both got studio deals after that film came out, and were being chased for lots of other projects."

The 'producer' also helps round out some details on the project's supervision. It's Steve Tisch, not Tish (as in producer of Risky Business, Forrest Gump, and the upcoming American History X); so the correction has been noted. Other producers on the film, of varying capacity, include Gary Goodman, Barry Rosen, Ford Lytle Gilmore, and John Byers.

And the story? "Oh, and while your 5/4 feedback mentions Ron talking about 'the game,' there still seems to be a little confusion when I talk to people about this....Yes, the movie is based on the Atari arcade game 'Area 51.' If you've played the game from start to finish, you should be able to figure out a little about where the movie will take us..."

And with that, the scooper was done. Savvy readers will always know to take scoops reported anonymously with a grain of salt, as in the case of the October 21st scoop. Recently we were told the Six Million Dollar Man project is deader than Steve Austin's discarded limbs...but after mentioning this to our sources in Los Angeles, they reported quite the opposite. It just goes to show you that mis-information (and even disinformation) can be spread on sites like CA however unintentionally we go about posting it. [Thanks to 'A Producer' for voicing their side of the story.]



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