Amblin Wins Female Action Spec ‘Ruthless’ For Helmer Brad Peyton

EXCLUSIVE: Amblin Partners just won an auction for Ruthless, a female-driven action spec script by John Swetnam that had producers and studios going all week. San Andreas helmer Brad Peyton is attached to direct, and Weimaraner Republic Pictures partners and The Shallows producers Matti Leshem and Lynn Harris are attached to produce along with Tripp Vinson and Jeff Fierson, who’s Peyton’s partner in ASAP Entertainment. Vinson Films’ Tara Farney will be exec producer. The deal was worth mid- to high-six figures, and a lot of actresses are already circling.

The spec came out right as John Wick: Chapter 2 was scoring big at the box office, and buyers found it a close cousin, with a female protagonist. Here’s the logline: When a legendary retired assassin is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, she must return to the life she left behind and complete one final job in order to secure a future for her young daughter. There are twists along the way.

Swetnam wrote Into the Storm, wrote/directed Breaking Through and wrote Step Up All In. He also wrote on Mortal Kombat. This marks the seventh spec script brokered by Paradigm this year. The agency reps Swetnam, along with Industry Entertainment and attorney Adam Kaller. CAA reps Peyton.