Alignment sold to Fifth Season and Makeready after a frantic negotiation that closed near midnight

A deal that reads like the plot of its own script

Fifth Season and Brad Weston’s Makeready banner preemptively acquired Alignment, a spec script by previously unrepped writer Natan Dotan, in a deal reportedly worth 1.25 million dollars against 3 million if the film is produced, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s account of the sale. Dotan had no representation until roughly a week before the deal closed.

A negotiation that unfolded in real time at an industry party

Much of the final dealmaking reportedly took place at The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Gen event, with representatives from both sides stepping outside repeatedly to take calls before the agreement closed near midnight, according to The Ankler’s detailed reporting on the negotiation.

A script tapping directly into Hollywood’s current anxieties

The AI-themed thriller arrives amid intense industry debate over artificial intelligence’s role in filmmaking, a subject generating both genuine creative interest and considerable unease among writers watching the technology’s rapid development.

Fazit

A near-instant seven-figure deal for an unknown writer is exactly the kind of story that keeps the spec market’s old mythology alive. For more deal coverage, visit The Hollywood Reporter. For lighter British commentary elsewhere in our network, see The London Prat’s Harry and Meghan Plan UK Return.