20th Wins Kevin McMullin Short Story ‘BOMB’; Ridley Scott Attached To Direct London-Set Action Thriller For Scott Free To Produce

Mike Fleming Jr

15 December 2023 at 1:39 pm·2-min read

EXCLUSIVE: In what might be the last big one in a flurry of pre-holiday material auctions, 20th Studios has bought the Kevin McMullin short story BOMB, an action thriller with franchise potential and a killer role for a young actor. Ridley Scott has attached to direct, with his Scott Free producing. McMullin will write the script.

This was a very competitive landscape with 10 bidders, including Apple, Netflix, Sony and Warner Bros. Deal closed at low-seven figures for the short story and the writing deal. Ultimately 20th prevailed when Scott attached to direct, and due to Scott Free’s relationship with McMullin.

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Scott and Scott Free’s Michael Pruss are producing. The filmmaker is coming off the hit Napoleon and is at work finishing Gladiator 2. BOMB would come a ways down the line, since it has to be scripted and developed.

The short story is a template for an action thriller in the vein of Dog Day Afternoon and Speed. Frankie Ippolito is a hostage negotiator called into duty the night before his wedding in London. A man who has parked himself in a construction site in Piccadilly Circus is standing on a newly uncovered, unexploded bomb from WWII. He tells local law enforcement he will only speak with Frankie, and this sets off a chain of events in which Frankie is drawn into an overnight struggle to stop the bomber with whom he has a past.

McMullin’s feature Low Tide was released theatrically by A24, and his First Harvest script landed on the Black List. He has written original features for Amazon and adapted the fantasy manga Made in Abyss for Sony. He is the founder of the production shingle Boy & Star in NYC/LA.

Scott Free’s Sam Roston and Rebecca Feuer brought the project to the company and also will serve in producing capacities. Justin Brown negotiated on behalf of Scott Free.

Colin Greten and Catherine Hughes will oversee for the studio.

McMullin is repped by WME, managed by 2AM, and lawyered by Goodman, Genow, Schenkman. WME reps Scott.

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