PETER LANDESMAN TO WRITE AND DIRECT SCOUT COMICS “THE RECOUNT", KADINCREATIVE & MOTOR CONTENT TO PRODUCE
Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA (November 29th, 2021) – As announced EXCLUSIVELY on DEADLINE.com , Peter Landesman (Concussion, Parkland, Felt) has come on board to adapt and direct Scout Comics best-selling comic series THE RECOUNT into a feature film for Don Handfield's Motor Content (The Founder, Knightfall) and Jonathan Kadin's KadinCreative (Cinderella). Nick Jones Jr. will co-write with Landesman.
The fictional political thriller penned by US army veteran Jonathan Hedrick, was published by Scout Comics in November of 2020 on the eve of the most contested election in modern history and despite its fictional and apolitical stance -- seemed oddly clairvoyant in its dark portrayal of a nation on the brink. Blending the political intrigue of House of Cards and the horror of The Purge, “The Recount” is a realistic action-thriller set in an unsettlingly recognizable American political climate.
When the US President is assassinated by one of his own security detail, a Secret Service agent must protect the Vice President at all costs from a vast, dangerous conspiracy. With nowhere to turn and no one to trust, these two women with completely opposing beliefs must work together to fight back and preserve what’s left of American democracy.
Landesman and Kadin previously worked together on Sony’s CONCUSSION starring Will Smith, which Landesman wrote and directed and Kadin oversaw as the studio’s Executive Vice President. Prior to that, Landesman and Handfield worked together on political thriller KILL THE MESSENGER starring two-time Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner for Focus Features which Landesman wrote and Handfield Executive Produced. Landesman went on to write and direct PARKLAND, about the aftermath of the assassination of JFK, the aforementioned CONCUSSION as well as FELT starring Liam Neeson.
“As storytellers, we’re struggling to capture not just this fraught political moment, but what it means, and will mean, for our immediate futures.When I read this graphic piece, it made me yearn for the days when character and integrity had value, and what would happen when you pack that into an imperative to survive, not just to live, but to lead. I want this movie to look like what many of us are feeling” said Peter Landesman
Handfield added, “THE RECOUNT struck me because it really hammers home both the incredible divisiveness of our times, as well as the fragility of our democracy - all without taking a political 'side'. On one level it's an engaging political thriller, on another, a hellbent action ride, but ultimately, it's a cautionary tale about two women with opposing political viewpoints coming together to save America. I can think of no better filmmaker to adapt this book than Peter Landesman, who has written & directed some of the best political thrillers of our time.”
“Given the current sociopolitical climate, this story couldn’t be more relevant. And Peter is the perfect director to not only deliver a fantastic movie that feels authentic, but do so in a way that entertains everyone – no matter what side of the aisle they’re on,” said Kadin in a statement.
Handfield, Kadin, Landesman and Scout Comics will produce through their respective banners, with Motor Content’s Jordan Moore serving as an Executive Producer.
Handfield is also a partner and board member of Scout Comics, and was instrumental in bringing the series to Scout for publication and got involved early in its development.
Jonathan Kadin is repped by Craig Emmanuel at Paul Hastings Handfield is repped by Dale De La Torre of Jacobson, Russell, Saltz, Nassim & De La Torre. Scout Comics is repped by Mosaic. Nick Jones Jr. is repped by CAA and Brillstein Partners.
ABOUT KADINCREATIVE:
KadinCreative is a film and television production company launched by Jonathan Kadin, with the company’s first production of Cinderella at Sony Pictures and released on Amazon Prime in September 2021. KadinCreative has multiple projects in development including the action-adventure Skyward, based on Image Comics’ Eisner Award-nominated series. Prior to launching this new company, Kadin oversaw more than thirty films as an executive for Sony including such hits as 21 Jump Street, Step Brothers, and Moneyball.
ABOUT MOTOR
Motor is a content engine focused on Film, TV and Intellectual Property headed by Don Handfield, producer of The Founder starring Michael Keaton and co-creator of History Channel’s Knightfall. Motor has TV projects in development with Paramount + / Westbrook Entertainment, LionForge, and Armory Films. On the film side, the company is producing Switched On at Focus Features with Marc Platt based on the best-selling memoir by John Elder Robison, and a film adaptation of the US remake of the #1 grossing horror film in Vietnam Housemaid being adapted by Academy-Award winner Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious) with Deon Taylor (Black & Blue, Intruder) attached to direct.
ABOUT SCOUT COMICS
SCOUT COMICS has a catalog of over 250+ original comic titles and is one of the fastest growing publishers in the industry. Scout has properties in development with top studios like Amazon and ABC, production companies like Starburns Industries (Rick & Morty) and FilmNation (Arrival, The Founder) and with the talent from blockbuster movies like Black Panther and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Scout is distributed by Diamond, Lunar and Universal in the direct market, and by Simon & Schuster in the bookstore market. The company recently launched a toy division called TRACKER, and COMIC TAGS, a new collectible card and groundbreaking way to collect digital comics.
ABOUT NICK JONES, JR.
Writer/producer Nick Jones Jr. is a Sundance alum and Marine Corps veteran. Jones Jr. wrote on the Hulu series, Casual. He also served as Head Writer for the critically acclaimed Netflix series, Yasuke. Jones Jr. has previously developed projects for Netflix, Paramount Players, Fremantle, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Significant Productions, and 3BLACKDOT.
ABOUT JONATHAN HEDRICK
Jonathan Hedrick is army veteran and comic book writer/creator born and raised in Brevard County, Florida. His current work includes the zombie one-shots Freakshow Princess & Freakshow Knight (from Second Sight Publishing), a superhero story called Capable. His prescient and taut political thriller The Recount was one of Scout’s best-selling comics. In addition to being a writer, Jonathan is a licensed radiologic technologist. He resides in Melbourne, FL with his cat, Tessa.
