Spec Script Deal: “Hit the Gas”

Paramount Pictures acquires thriller spec script “Hit the Gas” written by Chris McCoy. Via Deadline:

Paramount Pictures has preemptively purchased Hit the Gas, a spec script from Chris McCoy for Neal Moritz to produce.

Described as a propulsive thriller, the film’s logline is under wraps. Tania Landau will oversee for Moritz’s Original Film, with Vanessa Joyce overseeing for Paramount. We’re told the script when out last week to studio-based producers, with no attachments. Moritz immediately sparked to the material and got the studio to preempt the script in 24 hours.

This deal is unusual in two respects. First, the script sold without any attachments. It went out “clean” to the town and sold within a week. This is how it used to be back in the hay day of the spec script era. Not so much nowadays. Second, the fact Paramount acquired it amidst all the speculation the studio is about to be sold is intriguing. Apparently, they are still in business.

McCoy is repped by UTA and the Gotham Group.

To read my 2012 interview with McCoy, go here.

By my count, this is the 8th spec script deal of 2024.

There were 7 spec script deals year-to-date in 2023.