Happy Sunday, Creative Army!

Have you had a creative weekend so far? Whether you’ve been writing, filming, editing, or simply dreaming up your next big idea, I’ve got some inspiring content to fuel your passion and keep you moving forward. So grab your coffee, and let’s dive in.

This week’s featured video comes from FilmSpeak, about one of the most unexpected and bold evolutions of a major franchise in years: Predator Badlands. If you haven’t seen this yet, it’s worth your time. Griffin digs into why Badlands isn’t just a good Predator movie; it might be one of the best unofficial video game movies ever made. Think Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Monster Hunter, all filtered through Dan Trachtenberg’s visionary eye.

Trachtenberg throws out the old playbook and reinvents the entire franchise from the ground up, blending Predator DNA with Alien-like tension and using world-building not just for spectacle, but theme. He contrasts a tribe built on selfish individuals with a society centered around one selfish individual, a clever narrative inversion that pushes the entire franchise forward. This is what reinvention looks like. This is what evolution looks like. This is what risk looks like when it pays off.

And that brings me to something I’ve been talking about a lot lately… If you’ve been paying attention to the trades, you’ve probably noticed something remarkable: the spec market is alive again. I’ve said this in the Stage 32 Writer’s Room, and I’ll say it again here:

We’ve had more spec sales in 2025 already than in any year in the last eight years.

Think about that for a second. After a pandemic… after two strikes… after everyone insisting original content was dead… we’ve landed in the exact opposite reality: Original ideas are not only back, they’re thriving.

Studios are buying again. Producers are taking more swings. Executives are taking material out at a rate I haven’t seen in close to a decade. And here’s the part that should excite every writer reading this: A huge chunk of these sales are from first-time writers. No reps. No pre-existing track record. Just strong material, positioned well, taken out by executives who are hungry for fresh voices. For years, people said, “Don’t bother pitching a drama.” Well, guess what? Dramas are selling again. Comedies are seeing movement. Thrillers, romcoms, horror, action, the heat isn’t on one genre right now. It’s spread out. And that’s rare.

If you’re writing original material right now, you’re not swimming upstream; you’re writing in the middle of a creative surge. And just like Predator Badlands, this moment belongs to people who are willing to evolve, push their work to new places, and take the shot.

There are always going to be gloom-and-doom voices in this business. Ignore them. The writers who succeed are the ones who stay focused, stay prepared, and pay attention to the moment in front of them. Right now? This moment favors the bold, the original, the writer who isn’t trying to mimic what’s already been done, but is building something new, something that only they could write.

Now I want to hear from you: How are you reinventing your writing or your creative approach right now — and what risks are you taking in 2025 to push your work to the next level before the end of the year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

As always, here at Stage 32, we love sharing stories and knowledge with our fellow film fans. Know someone who would love this content? Share it with them! You can keep up with all of our videos by subscribing to the Stage 32 YouTube Channel. For more inspirational, educational, and motivational content on all things entertainment industry, follow me on Instagram and X @rbwalksintoabar.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and creative Sunday.

Cheers,

RB

FilmSpeak | Predator Needed To Change

RBWalksIntoABar | 8 Spec Sales in a Month in 2025!?

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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