Chapman brings 'Junk' to Bel Air
Pic is treasure for WB
Warner Bros.-based Bel Air has paid $400,000 against $1 million for the rights to the hotly contested "Junk," an animated musical about a junkyard of old car parts that come to life.
"Junk" is the brainchild of British-born Gary Chapman, who arrived in California seven years ago virtually bankrupt.
His screenplay begins in the 1930s in an old junkyard strewn with abandoned vehicle parts. When a truck is struck by lightning, the parts come to life as a motley crew of animated characters. In time they embark on a quest in order to find a new sense of purpose in their lives.
The characters break into song every so often, covering "most idioms of North American music," according to Chapman.
Execs loved junk
Studio interest stirred once execs got a peek at Chapman's models of his junk characters, which include such delights as "Private Parts," "Diesel Dog," "General Surplus," "O' Tool," "Cash" and "Turbo" -- a car that wants to track down its owner to find out why it was dumped.
Chapman says his intention is to highlight how quick modern society is to abandon people or objects it no longer deems relevant. "These (characters) wake up in a modern world that has rejected them," he explains.
Disney was the first studio to make an offer for "Junk," but Bel Air/Warner Bros. and DreamWorks principal Jeffrey Katzenberg soon stepped in to declare their interest.
While Disney has the firmest foundation in animated and multimedia feature production, Reuther was the most aggressive in pursuing Chapman, who for his part said that he felt most at home at Bel Air. "I like the cut of his jib," the Manchester-born Chapman quipped of the Bel Air boss.
WB: 'Junk' for 'Jam'
"Junk" also represents a major undertaking for Warner Bros., which has been keen to find properties to follow up 1996's "Space Jam," which grossed shy of $100 million in the U.S. but proved a merchandising boon to the studio.
Reuther was excited about the merchandising prospects for "Junk," and WB merchandising execs have already been briefed on the pic.
Like "Jam," "Junk" will be a mixture of CGI animation and live action, with the emphasis on the former. Reuther hasn't selected an effects house yet.
The Bel Air chairman will produce the film (probably through WB's animation division), with Chapman scripting and co-producing. The novice writer also wrote the song lyrics, but not the music. There's no director as yet, but whoever gets the gig will work closely with Chapman to realize his particular vision, Reuther said.
Bel Air exec VP of production Alex Schwartz will oversee the project for her company.
Chapman's career trajectory has been unusual. The son of a bus driver from Manchester, Chapman was illiterate until he was 15. Upon his arrival in California, he got work decorating San Diego discos. He has worked in various artistic and design capacities ever since, but is now focused on screenwriting.
Chapman was repped on the deal by the Endeavor agency and attorney Melanie Cook.
