![]() ![]() The former head of Malibu comics created the billion-dollar Men in Black franchise, which also began its life as a graphic novel. Rosenberg isn’t new to the business of turning comics into movies. ![]() The reason, Foley said, is work-for-hire writers don’t typically receive any ownership of the work. Despite numerous phone messages, Rosenberg would not comment on any issues regarding Cowboys & Aliens.)Īny subsequent movie profits will go to those directly involved with the Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Studios film, including director Jon Favreau and producers Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg. However, they’re expecting to see a boost in book-royalty cheques because, naturally, the movie will have inspired new readers.(Van Lente received his first royalty cheque in July, and Foley received an advance against royalties after working for Platinum in 2007. “All I cared about was the chance to write professionally and I just thought, from the title, Cowboys & Aliens is just a no-brainer great idea. “I signed my contract as a young kid who was dirt broke and had no significant credit to his name,” he said over the phone from his New York home. Nowhere near screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, whose films, including Star Trek and Transformers, have generated over $3 billion.Īlthough Foley said his contract stated that his name would be included in the screen credits, Van Lente said his contract didn’t. But Foley kept his hopes up that when the movie premiered in July, he would see his name in the credits. From the onset, they knew whatever they wrote would be used to pitch Hollywood producers the same story.įive years later, the IMDb credits nine people including Rosenberg for the screenplay, but none of whom are Foley or Van Lente. The interactive media company hired Foley and Fred Van Lente, now with Marvel comics, to write the graphic novel. The opening, written entirely by Foley, sets the stage for the conflict between the aliens and the humans along with an over-arching theme of manifest destiny.īoth the movie and graphic novel were actually the brainchild of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, film producer and CEO of Platinum Studios. But Foley wasn’t then (and isn’t now) expecting to see a cent of ticket revenues.Ĭowboys & Aliens is a straight-to-the-point comic, so fast-paced it already reads like a screenplay. At the time of our interview in May, when, to his chagrin, I purchased the Old West sci-fi, the film was expected to be one of the highest grossing movies of 2011. But you can also check out these, if you want.” He passed along two other graphic works, the Holiday Men and Parting Ways, both teeming with intricate black-and-white artwork and large sections of dialogue, and both noticeably more low-budget.īut Cowboys & Aliens stands apart from his repertoire in another way: Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig starred in the US$163-million big screen adaptation. Foley led me to a rack of comics, but stopped before pulling the glossy hardcover from the shelf and warned: “It’s not really indicative of my work. I had just asked if I could buy his graphic novel, Cowboys & Aliens and, when he started to shake his head, I suspected the shop was out. Hair slicked back, he surveyed me with a raised eyebrow. Photography by Aaron Pedersen/3TEN Illustrations by Josh HolinatyĬomic book writer Andrew Foley was standing behind the front counter of Happy Harbor Comics on Jasper Avenue, where he works three days a week. ![]()
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