James V. Hart

Hart wrote the screenplay to the Steven Spielberg feature film Hook which functioned as a sequel to J. M. Barrie's original story, with Peter as an adult in present times.[1] Later, he wrote the 2005 children's novel Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth, a prequel depicting Barrie's villain Captain Hook, the nemesis of Peter Pan, when Hook was a youngster. He would then write the Francis Ford Coppola-produced horror films Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)[2] and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994).

Hart would primarily focus on adventure and fantasy fare, such as Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life and Epic (2013). He would also co-create the pirate television drama Crossbones, with Luther writer Neil Cross. It was based on Colin Woodard's book The Republic of Pirates.[3] On July 24, 2014, NBC announced that Crossbones had been canceled after one season.[4]

Hart did the first draft screenplay of Atlas Shrugged,[5] which was to be fully developed by director Randall Wallace. Hart didn't write any further drafts and Wallace didn't end up directing. Recently, it has been announced that Hart wrote an adaptation of The Sirens of Titan, which Kurt Vonnegut approved of before he died.[6]

Hart also wrote a screenplay adaptation for Crisis in the Hot Zone, but the movie never materialized. Neither did a DreamWorks adaptation of Anubis.

Hart was part of the Columbia University Graduate Film program faculty. He has also mentored on Sundance Film Labs, the Austin Writer’s Ranch and the Equinoxe-Europe Writing Workshops.[7][8]