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Filmmaker Shane Black is known for directing the MCU filmIron Man 3as well as black comedies such asKiss Kiss Bang BangandThe Nice Guys. The director shot to fame as a writer, creating theLethal Weaponfranchise and also writing the Arnold Schwarzenegger starrerLast Action Hero. He also played a role in the star’s action filmPredator.
One of Black’s most expensive sales was the screenplay of the Samuel L. Jackson starrerThe Long Kiss Goodnight. The film also starred Geena Davis and Brian Cox and the screenplay reportedly sold for $4 million at the time. However, the failure of the film at the box office reportedly made Shane Black a Hollywood pariah.
Shane Black Irked Fellow Screenwriters After Selling The Script ForThe Long Kiss Goodnight
Writer and director Shane Black was one of the most sought-after screenwriters in the ‘80s after he created the highly profitable buddy cop action filmLethal Weapon. The writer reportedly wrote the screenplay for the film in six weeks and got a $250,000 deal with WB for the script. The film ended up earning $120 million at the box office.
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After the success ofLethal Weapon, Black wrote the script for the Bruce Willis starrerThe Last Boy Scout, for which he reportedly earned $1.75 million. He then created history by selling the screenplay for the filmThe Long Kiss Goodnightfor $4 million (viaLA Times). The film follows the story of a housewife who regains her memories as an assassin for the US Government.
The film starredSamuel L. Jacksonand Geena Davis in lead roles and was made on a budget of $65 million. However, the film ended up being a failure, earning only $95 million. The record-breaking sale as well as the film’s failure at the box office reportedly made Shane Black a pariah. He said in an interview withThe Independent,
After Long Kiss Goodnight I just floated for a while. I was a very sensitive kid – I call myself a kid, I was probably 30. Unfortunately, people were very upset with me because I sold the script for a great deal of money. A lot of writers, who I thought were very supportive and friendly, were suddenly not looking at me with anything like fondness. They were envious because of the money.
The writer had also tasted failure when he wrote the Arnold Schwarzenegger starrerLast Action Herowhich only earned $137 million against an $85 million budget. However, the film has since developed a cult following.
Shane Black Decided to Direct After The Failure Of His Samuel L. Jackson Starrer
From being in the middle of an intense bidding war for his latest script with the likes of WB and Columbia Pictures to being a Hollywood pariah, Shane Black reportedly had a huge shift in perspective after the failure of the Samuel L. Jackson starrerThe Long Kiss Goodnight. The writer reportedly got turned off of showbusiness after the incident.
Samuel L. Jackson Credits This One Movie Role For Changing His Life
Despite creating history at the time by receiving a $4 million deal for a script, Shane Black decided that he would direct his scripts and ventured into filmmaking withKiss Kiss Bang Bang.He said to The Independent,
I just wanted to tell good stories. I didn’t care about money that much. I got turned off by the whole business. I decided, if and when I wrote something, I would end up directing it. But I took my time, believe me. I started Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 1999 and didn’t finish the script until late 2001.
His directorial debut starrerRobert Downey Jr.and Val Kilmer in lead roles and was a black comedy. Though not a box office success, it received a cult following much like his subsequent filmThe Nice Guys. He also directedIron Man 3.
The Long Kiss Goodnightis available to stream on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2418
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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Robert Downey Jr.Samuel L. Jackson
