After a heated bidding war, Universal Pictures has acquired Evan Daugherty's spec script "Snow White and the Huntsman," the studio has confirmed to TheWrap.
Rupert Sanders is attached to direct, and Joe Roth ("Alice in Wonderland") is set to produce.
The story is a revisionist take on the beloved fairy tale, featuring an expanded role for the Huntsman (pictured), who in the original story lets Snow White go after being ordered to kill her in the woods.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the two characters will be chained together for part of the live-action movie as they make their escape, but don't worry — a handsome prince is still the love interest, as the Huntsman will serve as more of a mentor who teaches the teenage Snow White how to fight and survive.
Sanders is a commercial director whose ads for Microsoft's "Halo" earned him quite a following amongst Hollywood's agencies and studios. His name has been bandied about in recent weeks for high-profile gigs including Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games" and WB's "All You Need Is Kill."
Deadline reports that the "Snow White" deal is worth $1.5 million against more than $3 million, which would make it one of the biggest spec deals of the year. CAA and UTA negotiated the terms together, as the former represents Sanders while the latter reps Daugherty along with FilmEngine.
John McTiernan recently agreed to direct Daugherty's action spec "Shrapnel," and the writer also penned a draft of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe."
Additionally, Hollywood is bidding on the feature film adaptation of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," which has Timur Bekmambetov attached to direct and produce alongside Tim Burton and Jim Lemley.
Stay tuned to Deal Central to find out where that WME-repped project lands.
