Paramount Pictures set to produce screenplay by Emerson duo

The Hollywood Reporter and Variety are reporting that Paramount Pictures recently picked up a screenwriting pitch from two alumni of Emerson’s Film program, Jacob Emanuel ’08 and William Block ’08.

Meshing the traditional story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame with original ideas, The Hollywood Reporter describes their screenplay as “high-concept action-adventure.”

Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian, who are currently in production on Transformers 3 for Paramount, Red for Summit Pictures, and Salt for Sony Pictures, will produce the project for Paramount. They are keeping the plot line under wraps but the movie is said to be in the vein of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Emanuel took screenwriting classes and did a directed study at Emerson with Department of Visual and Media Arts Assistant Professor Diane Lake. “It’s been terrific watching his steadily upward rise,” said Lake. “[Jake] was an amazing student—gifted and determined to make something of those gifts.”