You may not know the name Wes Jones yet, but if his success continues, the screenwriter may become as well known as say, Allan Loeb (“Wall Street 2“), Aline Brosh McKenna (‘The Devil Wears Prada“), Diablo Cody (“Juno“), or some of the other well-known now-established scribes who were scrappy up-and-comers a few years ago (super relative of course, not everyone knows these name compared to say Paddy Chayefsky, even then…we digress…).
Jones is coming off a hit screenplay even before its been made. His most recent script, “College Republicans” which chronicles the nascent political career of Karl Rove (Shia LaBeouf and Paul Dano may star), topped the 2010 Blacklist of industry script favorites, thefore rocketing him to the up-and-coming A-list (Richard Linklater may direct).
Jones now has another project causing buzz, and to illustrate how much heat he has, the concept is only in treatment form but already causing ripples. Titled “The Epic Of Troy Knight,” the ambitious idea circles around a man seeking love in a fantasy-world New York that’s been plunged into a black-out while simultaneously being chased by “Clash Of The Titans”-like overlords who play chess with the universe. Sounds like something Charlie Kaufman might try if he was ever interested in fucking with the swords and sandals genre (which we assume he isn’t).
It’s been described as a “fantasy-comedy, existential romance” and even though it sounds absolutely nothing like “Black Swan,” the L.A. Times keeps trying to draw parrallels to the Aronofsky-helmed ballet film for some reason. Everyone needs a peg we suppose, but that one is rather thin.
Either way, like recent rising Black list scripter Noah Oppenheim (“Easy Money” the U.S. remake of Swedish hit, “Snabba Cash“, “Jackie,” “Maze Runner“) who had two scripts on the 2010 blacklist and is arguably the new writer of the moment, Jones is one to watch; his is a name you will continue to hear throughout 2011.