Absent Original Scripts, Studios Reel in Lit

Movie execs counting on a flood of scripts after the writers strike wrapped up in February are snug and dry and turning to books and magazine articles instead, Variety reports. Plump with new fiscal-year budgets, studios are snatching up literary pieces faster than in years past; prison escapes, sunken-ship salvage, and offshore drilling are likely subjects of upcoming flicks.

In contrast to the boom years of the late 1990s, studios are paying modestly for books and articles. Many of the earlier projects have yet to become films, tempering optimism about adaptations. Studios say nonfiction material and graphic novels are easier to adapt, and magazine articles can promise vivid detail that translates well to the big screen. (More movies stories.)