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**HE’S A DOLL** Chucky from 1988’s horror thriller *Child’s Play*. (Ankler illustration; Everett Collection)

Welcome to The Optionist. Thanks for reading along with me.

Rounding out its summer reading series, The Ankler looked at Los Angeles’ most exclusive clubs — its book clubs. This being L.A., they have witty names (Bük Kloob, Jews Read Books!) and sometimes elaborate themed presentations (a charcuterie board made with fake body parts — olives as eyeballs, natch for the classic novel Crash). But they also sometimes function as scouting sessions or networking events.

“Some of our classic picks have had me thinking about how they could be updated as public-domain IP,” said one screenwriter in a book club. “And some new fiction has had me calling my agent to check availability. When it’s not available, I try to find out where it’s set up so I can take a meeting on it.”

I’ve been thinking about Finding Renée Richards, a new biography of the trans sports pioneer by Julie Kliegman. If you’re not familiar with the story, Richards was an ophthalmologist, Navy veteran and skilled tennis player who underwent gender-affirming surgery at age 41 and then later sued to be allowed to compete as a woman in the U.S. Open.

Richards, who had been quietly playing as a woman, was outed in 1976 by Richard Carlson, the father of Tucker Carlson (the son following in his father’s bigotry was a detail that got me interested in this story). Refusing to take the then-in-vogue chromosomal gender test, Richards wasn’t allowed to compete in the U.S. Open or Wimbledon that year. She then sued the U.S. Tennis Association and won in a landmark case. Richards made it to the women’s doubles final at the U.S. Open in 1977. She played professionally for four years, reaching a ranking as high as No. 20, though the only major she played in was the U.S. Open.

With all the debate about trans athletes — renewed this week by WNBA star and controversy lightning rod Sophie Cunningham — I thought this could be an interesting and inspirational biopic to explore the issue. Indeed, Richards’ own 1983 memoir, Second Serve, became a 1986 made-for-TV movie starring Vanessa Redgrave as Richards. But what complicates the story is Richards’ shifting thoughts on trans athletes. She’s 91 and talked to Kliegman for the book about her current views that transgender women shouldn’t be allowed to compete in women’s sports, while acknowledging her views are still evolving.

I still think this could make a great movie, but Richards’ current stance gave me pause. I imagined an inspirational movie about overcoming ignorance and bigotry — which it is for the most part — but those late-in-life comments make for a messier story, especially with Richards still alive. Can you imagine trying to promote a biopic with the real Richards kicking up controversy with comments favoring the exclusion of trans athletes?

So in the end I didn’t put it in the Optionist, but as you can see, the book has stuck with me. (If nothing else, it is a fascinating read.) What do you think? Is this a project you’d pursue? Does Richards’ current perspective make the project more or less possible?

A couple of stories worth mentioning:

It should come as no surprise given the book sales, but the number of romance-specific bookstores is growing. It has only been a decade since the first, Culver City’s Ripped Bodice, opened in 2016, and it took three years after that for a second to open. But in the last 18 months, 174 have opened, many in small towns. It partially reflects the mainstreaming of romance, but key here is how these owners see these venues as more than stores — pushing them as spaces for fans and community to gather. Anybody with a romance in development who isn’t thinking about how to employ this network of stores to help promote their project is missing out.
There’s no such thing as IP that’s too old — as if we need more evidence than The Odyssey? — with both the Joy of Sex, which is pushing 60 years old (!), and 8-bit Atari 2600 video games getting screen adaptations.

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We’ve got some kooky mashups this week that bring together some oddball pairings that really work. How about a feminist revenge horror that’s part Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, part Chucky from Child’s Play? Or a mashup of Ghosts and Shrinking? Plus I’ve got a timely take on a romance scammer that’s — in keeping with the mashup theme — Catch Me if You Can meets Dirty John. There’s also a more straightforward procedural (but with a serial killer twist!).

IP Picks🔎: ‘Child’s Play’ With an Emerald Fennell Twist

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