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In 1991, Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho was published. An 80s-set satire about a serial killer, film studios were interested almost immediately. Within on year, producer Edward Pressman had bought the rights.
In the late 1970s, amateur filmmakers George Miller and Byron Kennedy we’re looking to break into the professional industry. Working as a Doctor in a Sydney hospital at the time, Miller fleshed out an idea with Kenndy for a film set in a post-apocalyptic future.
In the early 1960s, successful French author Pierre Boulle was working on his latest novel. A science fiction story set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future, it was called La Planète des singes, translated as Planet of the Apes.
After releasing his classic satire Dr Strangelove in 1964, Kubrick knew he wanted his next project to be a groundbreaking science fiction film. He got in touch with acclaimed sci fi author and futurist Arthur C. Clarke by letter, asking if he wanted to collaborate on a script.
In 1995, Lana and Lily Wachowski had written Assassins. The producer of that film was Joel Silver, and the Wachowskis showed him their new screenplay called The Matrix. Silver loved the script, but not the Wachowskis’ insistence that they direct it themselves. 
In 1967, struggling writer Mario Puzo started penning a new book – an epic crime thriller he called Mafia. Paramount literary scouts came across the manuscript when it was just a 20-page outline and took it to Paramount Vice President of Production, Peter Bart.
The idea of a filming revolving around the two DC icons at loggerheads was first discussed by Warner Bros in 2000. Andrew Kevin Walker then Akiva Goldsman wrote scripts, with Wolfgang Petersen mooted to direct. The project was cancelled by WB in 2004.
2/25 - E.T. 
7 years after the success – and film adaptation of – his 1981 novel Red Dragon, author Thomas Harris published a sequel. It followed an enigmatic character from the first – Hannibal Lecter – and was called The Silence of the Lambs.
The Warriors is based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel of the same name, which was inspired by the classic ancient Greek story Anabasis by Xenophon. Yurick drew on his experiences working in the Department of Welfare in New York City for a gritty portrayal of gang life.
The concept originated from Andrew Bergman's 1971 treatment Tex X, purchased by Warner Bros. for $50,000. It was bought as a vehicle for blacklisted comedian Dick Gregory to lead, but plans soon changed.
Pixar's story began in 1979 when George Lucas recruited Ed Catmull to head Lucasfilm's The Graphics Group. The group was tasked with developing cutting-edge computer technology for the film industry, including digital editing systems and computer graphics exploration.
In the late 1980s, make-up effects guru Robert Kurtzman had an idea for a film - a crime thriller that, midway through, would morph into an action-horror-vampire film. The idea being it would be a great showcase for Kurtzman’s effects company, KNB.
In 1924, Austrian filmmaker Fritz Lang visited New York City for the premiere of his film Die Nibelungen and, struck by the Art Deco architecture, began developing ideas of a tale set in a futuristic city. He pitched it to German production company UFA, and they loved it.
In the mid-2000s, Tarantino was contributing to a book about western director Sergio Corbucci and was inspired to visit the genre himself. He wanted to make “movies that deal with America's horrible past with slavery… but like Spaghetti Westerns, not big issue movies.”
In 1812, German folk storytellers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published a collection called Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Tale 53 was a story of a magic mirror, Evil Queen and young princess. Their final story revision came in 1854, by which point the name of the piece was Snow White.
Following the back-to-back hits of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino was the hottest filmmaker in Hollywood. Preparing for their next film, QT and producer Lawrence Bender bought the rights to Elmore Leonard novels Rum Punch, Freaky Deaky, and Killshot.
In 1980, Frank Abagnale Jr published his autobiography. Telling the story of his life as a criminal and confidence trickster, movie studios were interested very quickly, and the rights to the book changed hands several times…
In 1961, aspiring writer William Peter Blatty appeared on TV quiz show You Bet Your Life. He won $10k, allowing him to quit his job and write full time. He had 4 novels published and moved into screenwriting, penning The Pink Panther Sequel - A Shot In The Dark - in 1964.
In 1941, American novelist Philip van Doren Stern finished his latest book, a Christmas-set story called The Greatest Gift. After two years of being rejected by publishers, the writer had it published as 24-page booklet and sent it to friends and family.
The whole trilogy was filmed across an epic 15-month shoot in New Zealand where all films were shot back-to-back. As such, most of the cast returned from the first film. As did most of the massive 3000-strong production crew.
