You’ve heard of the Boy Who Lived, but what about When Lightning Strikes?
That’s the buzzworthy pitch from Anna Klassen, who has officially made the cut for 2017’s Black List – an annual rundown of the best unproduced screenplays bouncing around Hollywood. Placing a laser focus on J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), When Lightning Strikes has been described as the “true story of 25-year-old Joanne Rowling as she weathers first loves, unexpected pregnancies, lost jobs, and depression on her journey to create Harry Potter.” For the record, Klassen’s spec script also landed on the 2017 Hit List.
All of this has led to a groundswell of support for When Lightning Strikes, which will seemingly be more of an intimate, character-driven drama than the fantastical saga of witches and wizards that cemented J.K. Rowling’s name in the history books.
No word yet on whether Klassen’s script has attracted the interest of studios, but considering that the annual Black List is decided by a number of high-ranking movie executives, we imagine this won’t be the last time we hear about When Lightning Strikes.
Besides, with Warner Bros. now fully focused on its fledgling Fantastic Beasts saga, Rowling will continue to be in the spotlight for years to come, meaning Anna Klassen may well have identified a gap in the market.
Via Twitter:
I CAN'T STOP SCREAMING! I'M ON THE 2017 BLACK LIST!!!!! THANK YOU @PattyArquette for announcing my script!!!! https://t.co/wiLv2fJn7f
— Anna Klassen (@AnnaJKlassen) December 11, 2017
We’ll be bringing you all the latest on When Lightning Strikes as the project begins to coalesce. As for what the future holds, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was merely the beginning of a five-film saga, one that’s poised to continue through The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018. Indeed, the David Yates-directed sequel recently drew criticism because of its decision to stand by Johnny Depp (Gellert Grindelwald) despite the abuse allegations raised by Amber Heard.
