Paramount Pays Top Dollar to Revive Hunchback

By Ryan Pfleiderer -- 08/27/10

Coming soon, there is a new twist on an old tale. Hollywood is taking a chance on a 21st Century adaptation of the classic, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Paramount Pictures jumped at the chance to put screenwriters Jake Emaunel and Willie Block's vision onto the big screen. But the road to success has not always come easily for Emanuel and Block. The two spent years developing dozens of scripts that never got the official stamp of approval. But, thanks to relentless optimism and luck, the screenwriting duo are finally on track to get their big break.

Emanuel and Block have been teaming up since they became friends in college where they honed their craft by writing horror movies and short films. The two friends got their first taste of Hollywood attending a semester-long program in the heart of Los Angeles. After graduating, they decided to take a risk and joined the thousands of other screenwriters trying to break through with the industry's next big blockbuster.

But the young screenwriters quickly realized that it is not just about talent, it is also about tenacity. They believed they had a winning script, but had to figure how to get it into the right hands. So they turned to a friend and told a little white lie. They said the script was in high demand among the Hollywood elite, but in actuality, only a few friends had seen the final product. But their gamble paid off in the end because Paramount saw the value in their script.

Now that they've gotten the green light, and pre-production is in full swing, Emanuel and Block are working closely with Paramount to fine tune details before filming begins. If all goes well, the newest version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" will hit theaters sometime in late 2012 or early 2013.