The Film Department, the indie production outfit run by Mark Gill and Neil Sacker, has won a bidding war for “Galahad,” a revisionist King Arthur spec from newcomer Ryan Condal.
Gill and the company’s Robert Katz will produce with Energy Entertainment’s Brooklyn Weaver.
“Galahad” retells the classic story by portraying King Arthur as an aging coward whose young, ambitious Queen Guinevere murders him, then blames the crime on Sir Galahad. Galahad must escape near-certain death, vanquish the forces of evil and return Camelot to its rightful glory.
Gill and Sacker liked that it was based on the well-known legend.
“Our business is so dependent on international sales, and something like this is known around the globe,” Gill said. “It’s also a phenomenally well-written script. It was a nice one to get.”
The deal was in the mid-six figures. The Film Department’s international division will handle foreign sales.
Sacker, Michael Goguen and Adam Marshall are executive producing. Amanda Coplan will co-produce.
Film Department launched in the summer with the plan to make from four to six movies a year. The writers strike initially threw a wrench in that strategy, but the company intends to ramp up activity, with the goal of acquiring 25-30 scripts and projects a year to fulfill its goal.
The company is not worried about a possible actors strike.
“Now that SAG will offer a waiver to companies like us, we know we can shoot in the summer and the fall,” Gill said.
[b]
As such, the company hopes to begin shooting in July on “Law Abiding Citizen,” a thriller that Gill, Sacker and Katz are producing with Gerard Butler’s newly launched shingle Evil Twin, which the actor runs with longtime manager Alan Siegel.[/b]