A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES

BPI acquired the film rights to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A Confederacy of Dunces in October of 1982 and subsequently sold the rights to Paramount Pictures in 1993. Johnny Langdon is attached as an Executive Producer and Susan O'Connell as a Co-Producer.

Synopsis

Set in New Orleans in the 1960s, A Confederacy Of Dunces introduces one of the most memorable characters in American literature, Ignatius J. Reilly. Slob extraordinaire, deadbeat ideologue and gluttonous moocher, Ignatius is in violent revolt against the entire modern age. A mountainous college graduate, Ignatius spends most of his time waxing melodramatically philosophic, hiding out in the squalor of his bedroom, filling Big Chief writing tablets with his unique brand of Luddite/medievalist/anti-Enlightenment thought, as well as writing incendiary letters to his political and sex-crazed girlfriend Myrna Minkoff in New York City.

His ire explodes when his mother backs her Plymouth into the support structure for someone else's balcony. Mrs. Reilly's meager welfare check is hardly enough for the damages they need to pay for the little accident. So nagged on by his mother Ignatius grudgingly begins a series of hilarious interviews — finally landing a job that sucks him ever deeper into the seamy underbelly of New Orleans and creates the platform for his encounters with Miss Trixie, the octogenarian assistant accountant at Levy Pants; the wan Patrolman Mancuso who is determined to arrest Ignatius at all costs; Darlene, the Bourbon Street stripper with a penchant for parrots; Lana Lee, the Natzi proprietress of the Night of Joy, and Jones, the jivecat in space-age dark glasses

Project History

March 26, 1969

John Kennedy Toole commits suicide — Locks himself in a Corvair and connects a hose to the car's exhaust pipe.

November 1979

Toole relatives assign rights of ACOD to Thelma Toole.

February 5, 1980

Publishing Agreement between Thelma Toole and LSU Press is signed.

June 1980

Jeff Berg of ICM options ACOD from LSU Press for Scott Kramer to develop and produce.

December 18, 1980

ICM and Scott Kramer approach Columbia Pictures, which agree to fund the project with Scott Kramer as Producer.

1981

ACOD wins Pulitzer Prize.

December 1981

As Columbia's option nears termination, Columbia decides to strike a deal with Carson Films. As Carson Films dissolves, the rights to ACOD are awarded to Wallace Wolf, a partner in Bushkin, Kopelson, Gaims, & Gaines, the law firm that represented Carson Films.

BUMBERSHOOT

October 1, 1982

Johnny Langdon purchases the film rights to ACOD from LSU Press, including any rights that had been assigned to ICM, Carson Films, and Wallace Wolf.

1985

Script written by Maidee Walker and Johnny Langdon.

June, 1987

Fox options ACOD from Bumbershoot for Harold Ramis to develop and direct. Scott Rudin is head of Production at Fox. Scripts are written by Stephen Gellar and Mary Beth Henley.

December, 1991

The Fox option expires (after two extensions) without being exercised by Fox and all rights revert to Bumbershoot.

June, 1993

Brandon Tartikoff contacts Bumbershoot and asks to be involved. On Tartikoff's advice, O'Connell approaches Bob Shaye of New Line at the Cannes Film Festival. Upon their return, New Line makes an offer to option the property with Langdon and O'Connell to produce.

November, 1993

Scott Rudin makes an offer on behalf of Paramount Pictures and Langdon sells all rights to Paramount Pictures Corporation, retaining executive producer position for Langdon and co-producer position for O'Connell.

Rudin hires Frank Gallatti to write two drafts of a screenplay, with Steven Soderbergh attached and Scott Kramer to produce.

1995

Rudin engages Steven Fry to write two additional drafts.

1999

Steven Soderbergh writes two drafts on spec.

1999

Soderbergh and Kramer sue Paramount for breach of contract. This results in Soderbergh and Kramer being allowed to take the project in turn-around for 4 years.

2002

Soderbergh and Kramer set up a relationship with Miramax and Drew Barrymore's Flower Films. Two additional versions of the Soderbergh script are written.

December 2003

The Soderbergh/Kramer turn-around expires and all rights revert to Paramount.

2011

Langdon, O'Connell, and Pfeiffer continue to endeavor to get this classic into production.