EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse has acquired the rights to adapt the New York Magazine article “Worst Roommate Ever” about a serial squatter and murderer in what will be the first project developed simultaneously for both film and television at Blumhouse. Chris Morgan from the Fast & Furious franchise is on board to develop the feature.
The story, written by William Brennan — who will serve as an executive producer on both projects — is about Alex Miller who let Jed Creek into her Philadelphia apartment, not having a clue he was actually Jamison Bachman, a notorious serial squatter and the ultimate Craigslist nightmare. In an expensive and frightening ordeal that dragged on for months, Bachman slowly laid claim to Alex’s apartment, using his intricate knowledge of tenancy laws to stay one step ahead of her. He kicked down doors, attacked her and left her feeling unsafe in her own home.
On the feature side, the story will be developed by Chris Morgan Productions and Blumhouse with Morgan and Jason Blum producing alongside Scoop Wasserstein of Scoop Productions. Bea Sequeira, Blumhouse’s VP of production brought the material in to Blumhouse and will co-produce the film. Ainsley Davies, Chris Morgan Productions’ head of Production will also serve as an executive producer.
CMP is in post now on Bird Box for Netflix, starring Sandra Bullock. Morgan is currently writing the screenplay for the Fast & Furious spin-off and served as writer and producer on The Fate of The Furious, which marked his sixth turn as writer for the franchise.
At the same time the feature is being developed, Blumhouse Television, the company’s indie television studio, will develop a TV adaptation with a focus on a documentary series. Mary Lisio, head of alternative and docuseries for Blumhouse Television will shepherd the project on the TV side.
Wasserstein will serve as an executive producer on this one while Brennan will serve as a co-executive producer. Wasserstein recently set up Graham Moore’s Naked Is the Best Disguise, which has been fast tracked for production this fall at Studio 8.
This is not the first time the Blumhouse has taken a film project and developed into a TV property but it came after the success of the film. For example, the 2013 film The Purge from writer/director/producer
James DeMonaco which grossed $89.3M worldwide and launched a feature film franchise, is currently in production for USA/Syfy.
Another project in production is Sharp Objects, a limited series from Marti Noxon and Gillian Flynn for HBO based on Flynn’s best-selling novel of the same name, which stars Amy Adams and is being directed by Jean-Marc Valle.
Brennan, the author of the Feb. 21, 2018 New York Magazine article, is a freelance journalist based in New York and is a former associate editor for The Atlantic. He writes about such topics as government.
Chris Morgan Productions is repped by ICM Partners and attorney Jeff Frankel. Brennan is repped by ICM Partners and Larry Weissman at Larry Weissman Literary. Wasserstein is repped by Iddo Arad at Frankfurt, Kurnit.
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