Crisis in the Hot Zone
Encyclopedia
Crisis in the Hot Zone was the title of a 1992 non-fiction
article by Richard Preston
in The New Yorker
. It chronicles the story of how the U.S.
government
believed a deadly virus had entered the United States.
The article was later expanded into the 1994 book The Hot Zone
.
s for the film rights. The rights were sold to 20th Century Fox
and producer
Lynda Obst
on the understanding that as a woman she would be able to treat the lead character — a female government scientist — with respect. Having paid a seven-figure sum for the rights, Obst in turn paid screenwriter James V. Hart
US$500,000 to adapt it to the screen. Ridley Scott
was hired to direct for US$4 million plus 5% of the gross revenue
. Jodie Foster
was chosen for the lead role and was to be paid US$4 million plus another 5% of the gross.
Meanwhile, one of the losers in the auction, producer Arnold Kopelson
, announced that he would make his own virus movie, to be based on a spec script
by Laurence Dworet
and Robert Roy Pool, writers of the unproduced screenplay The Ultimatum. The script was purchased for US$250,000, after which Ted Tally
— Academy Award-winning screenwriter
of The Silence of the Lambs — was paid an additional US$500,000 to give the script a "thriller edge." Kopelson even offered Scott the chance to direct his virus movie, an offer Scott angrily rejected.
Fox became concerned with the rising cost of Hot Zone; they wanted a strong male lead to play opposite Foster. The part of an environmentalist was rewritten as a star role for actor Robert Redford
, who would be paid US$7 million plus 7% of the gross. Foster complained that her part had now been diminished and the script was again rewritten. Redford complained that now his part had been diminished. Unable to reach a compromise, Redford and Foster both left the now-US$45 million project.
Kopelson released Outbreak in 1995 starring Dustin Hoffman
(in a role originally intended for Harrison Ford
) and directed by Wolfgang Petersen
. Preston criticised the producers for turning the virus into Jaws
, but the US$50 million film was a solid international success.
Obst tried to restart Hot Zone with Robin Wright-Penn — hot from her Golden Globe nomination for Forrest Gump
— and then with Emma Thompson
, but the idea had lost its edge after Outbreak
.
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
article by Richard Preston
Richard Preston
Richard Preston, born August 5, 1954 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., is a New Yorker writer and bestselling author perhaps best-known for his books about infectious disease epidemics and bioterrorism, although he has written other non-fiction works...
in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
. It chronicles the story of how the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
believed a deadly virus had entered the United States.
The article was later expanded into the 1994 book The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone
The Hot Zone is a best-selling 1994 non-fiction bio-thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses...
.
Movie of Crisis in the Hot Zone
The article created a bidding war between rival movie studioMovie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
s for the film rights. The rights were sold to 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
Lynda Obst
Lynda Obst
Lynda Rosen Obst is a feature film producer. She was born in New York and is a graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, CA. She worked as an editor at The New York Times before moving to Los Angeles with her then-husband David Obst...
on the understanding that as a woman she would be able to treat the lead character — a female government scientist — with respect. Having paid a seven-figure sum for the rights, Obst in turn paid screenwriter James V. Hart
James V. Hart
James V. "Jim" Hart is an American screenwriter and author.-Career:He wrote the 2005 children's novel Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth, a prequel depicting J. M. Barrie's villain Captain Hook, the nemesis of Peter Pan, when Hook was a youngster...
US$500,000 to adapt it to the screen. Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
was hired to direct for US$4 million plus 5% of the gross revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
. Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
was chosen for the lead role and was to be paid US$4 million plus another 5% of the gross.
Meanwhile, one of the losers in the auction, producer Arnold Kopelson
Arnold Kopelson
Arnold Kopelson is an American film producer.Among his credits are Platoon, Seven, Outbreak, The Fugitive and The Devil's Advocate.-Biography:...
, announced that he would make his own virus movie, to be based on a spec script
Spec script
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
by Laurence Dworet
Laurence Dworet
Laurence Dworet, M.D. is an American screenwriter.In 1990, he and his writing partner Robert Roy Pool sold their spec screenplay The Ultimatum for $500,000 against $1,000,000 if a film was made. It was the story of terrorists who plant an atomic bomb in an American city and threaten nuclear...
and Robert Roy Pool, writers of the unproduced screenplay The Ultimatum. The script was purchased for US$250,000, after which Ted Tally
Ted Tally
Ted Tally is an American playwright and screenwriter.-Screenwriter:Born William Theodore Tally in North Carolina, Tally was educated at Yale College and the Yale School of Drama, and has also taught at each of them...
— Academy Award-winning screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
of The Silence of the Lambs — was paid an additional US$500,000 to give the script a "thriller edge." Kopelson even offered Scott the chance to direct his virus movie, an offer Scott angrily rejected.
Fox became concerned with the rising cost of Hot Zone; they wanted a strong male lead to play opposite Foster. The part of an environmentalist was rewritten as a star role for actor Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
, who would be paid US$7 million plus 7% of the gross. Foster complained that her part had now been diminished and the script was again rewritten. Redford complained that now his part had been diminished. Unable to reach a compromise, Redford and Foster both left the now-US$45 million project.
Kopelson released Outbreak in 1995 starring Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
(in a role originally intended for Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
) and directed by Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen is a German film director and screenwriter. His films include The NeverEnding Story, Enemy Mine, Outbreak, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Troy, and Poseidon...
. Preston criticised the producers for turning the virus into Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
, but the US$50 million film was a solid international success.
Obst tried to restart Hot Zone with Robin Wright-Penn — hot from her Golden Globe nomination for Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
— and then with Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson is a British actress, comedian and screenwriter. Her first major film role was in the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy. In 1992, Thompson won multiple acting awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the British drama Howards End...
, but the idea had lost its edge after Outbreak
Outbreak (film)
Outbreak is a 1995 American disaster film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In addition, Outbreak features Cuba Gooding, Jr., Donald Sutherland, and Patrick Dempsey....
.