EXCLUSIVE: Universal has picked up an untitled family adventure-comedy spec script from screenwriting duo Alex Ankeles and Morgan Jurgenson. Davis Entertainment and 1stAve Machine are producing, with ...

An unknown writer, a fast-rising feeding frenzy, and a true multimillion-dollar deal. It’s enough to make executives or aspiring screenplay authors dream of the heady spec script deals of the 1990s.

Writing a screenplay isn’t necessarily some big mysterious artistic process. For some people who do it successfully enough times, it just becomes work. Flowery literary spices such as “inspiration” ...