Thread by @mrtonylee

So reading about how @neilhimself torpedoed an old (and terrible) #SANDMAN script reminded me of a meeting in San Diego about 12 years ago, when I met with producers who wanted to option HOPE FALLS as a film.

And, as it's Friday, I thought I'd tell you about it.

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Obviously, no real names or companies mentioned. And I will point out right here that this, although is a rollercoaster story, is not the only time producers have gone off the rails with my work when suggesting ideas.

It's pretty much the norm.

Okay. Let's begin.

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In 2008, @DanBoultwoodEsq and I created HOPE FALLS for @Markosia. It's a story about a woman, Helen, murdered and buried in a shallow grave in a small mining town (the titular Hope Falls) 20 years ago, who returns, two decades later, looking like she hasn't aged a day.

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During the story, we learn she's hunting down the four men who did this to her - one who was to blame and the three friends who became accessories - with each one dying via supernatural means.

Because Helen isn't human.

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Helen's an angel, free-falling towards hell because her quest for revenge can't be stopped. And another angel, Michael, is sent to stop her. During this, though, he realises there are discrepancies, and that she was supposed to be murdered. There's a heavenly plot here.

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I won't give away more, but the whole point is 20 year old Helen is killed by McClusky, then 19 and now 40, the town's richest man / mill owner. And, when she returns, he brings dark forces in to stop her getting her revenge.

Got that? good. So... the pitch.

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We meet in the Omni Hotel, outside the SDCC convention. Two excited producers who 'love' the story, 'love' the whole thing and want to option it.

Obviously, I'm over the moon.

We sit down over coffee, and we talk.

Eventually, they mention they have 'notes'.

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The first note, is that they worry that people won't get she's an angel, even though she has wings and is LITERALLY CALLED AN ANGEL.

'Okay,' I reply. It's early, we're going to have moments like this. 'What do you suggest?'

'Maybe she's not an angel.'

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'Okay,' I reply. 'What is she then. Demon?'

'No, no,' hands are waved. 'We mean maybe she's human.'

'As in still alive?'

'Yeah. Maybe McClusky didn't finish her off.'

I frown at this. 'She escapes?'

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They're very excited I get their idea. I don't. I point out this means Helen is also 40 now. They hadn't considered this. I ask how Michael the angel fits into this now, and they don't really know. I ask how the supernatural villain who helps McClusky fits in.

They smile.

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'Ah,' they explain. 'We thought about this. What if we don't have a villain helping McClusky. What if... and hear me out, the supernatural villain IS McClusky?'

I'm okay with this note. It actually fits a little better with the story. Until they add

'And he's the DEVIL.'

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I pause. I sip my expensive cocktail they bought for me. I fight the urge to down it.

'The Devil?' I ask. 'Like in Lucifer?'

nod nod

'He's McClusky?'

nod

'For twenty years?'

nod

'And he's a mill owner now?'

They pause.

I start to wonder if they even read the book.

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'So let me get this straight,' I said, 'your idea for the adaptation of HOPE FALLS is to have Helen, a human, escape being murdered by the Devil, hide for twenty years and then return to kill him. No angels, no supernatural villains, just that?

'Yes,' one of them smiles.

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'We feel the best comic adaptation in recent years was CONSTANTINE. Did you see it? So good.'

'Oh yes, so good,' the other says.

I ask if they've read the HELLBLAZER comics. They reply no, they've never read the comics.

'But Keanu's in it,' they explain slowly to me.

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By now I realise this isn't the film I want to see, and I also learn they already have a script, sent in by a friend they can adapt into this version of HOPE FALLS.

I finish my drink, thank them for their time and leave.

We don't sign with them in the end.

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Now, years later, HOPE FALLS still hasn't been made into a film. It's been optioned, we have workable screenplays, but the planets never aligned. And I could have made some good money, over a decade ago, selling it to these producers.

But it wouldn't have been my story.

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And that's the point of all this; if you have an IP or a creation people want, you can either let them bastardise it and take the money, or hold on and risk waiting for better people.

I will always take door number two. Sure, I've lost money from it--

But I kept my soul.

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Well, as @neilhimself just exploded this, a quick mention that Hope Falls is on Amazon and Comixology if you want to read it, and please go buy @DanBoultwoodEsq's stuff as he's awesome and deserves all the hugs and awards in the world.

amazon.co.uk/Hope-Falls-Ton…

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