Mark Canton’s the Canton Co. and German entertainment/exhibition company Senator have made a preemptive mid- against high-six-figure purchase of “Troy,” a spec by Michael Tabb that uses the Trojan War as the backdrop for an epic romance.
Canton was able to seize the spec thanks to his prior relationship with Tabb, who is penning an adaptation of the Stan Lee property “7th Portal” for the producer.
J.R. Shearman, who recently formed producing partnership Burning Tree Films with Tabb, will be a co-producer on the pic.
“I am thrilled to be in business with one of the most intelligent young voices I’ve read in years,” said Canton. “It is a dream of mine to bring the passion and spectacle of the Trojan War to the screen.”
The development of “Troy” will be overseen by Senator’s Carsten Lorenz and Canton’s Nathan Kahane, who brought the script into the company.
Tabb also wrote “Casanovas,” which is out to directors at Mike Newell’s 50 Cannon Ent. That title will produced by Jay Cohen and Dustin Hoffman and co-produced by Shearman.
Tabb is repped by ICM’s Todd Feldman and Jeff Gorin and managed by Shearman Ent. His attorney is Randy Paul. Business affairs exec Julie Phillips repped Canton in the deal.
