Stormbreaker
Screenplay by J.S.X
Based on the story "Alex Rider"
by Anthony Horowitz
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It's 6pm in a picture-perfect house. A young woman in fluffy slippers and an apron is in the kitchen preparing dinner, bobbing her head to music. This is Jack, she finishes stir-frying some vegetables and pulls a chicken out off the oven, inhaling deeply.
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JACK
(Shouts)
Alex! Dinner's ready, come set the table!
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A teenager's voice responds from upstairs
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ALEX
(off screen)
Two seconds!
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JACK
Now!
If you're playing a game, pause it!
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14-year-old Alex Rider appears at the top of the stairs, bare-footed, wearing sweat-pants and a faded t-shirt.
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ALEX
You can't pause multiplayer!
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He slides down the bannister.
ALEX
Mmm…smells lovely. What is it?
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JACK
Artesian roast chicken with gourmet microwave mac and cheese! Bon apatite!
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They dance around each other to set the table. Jack plates the food and Alex begins to collect plates and cutlery rather haphazardly.
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JACK
Oh, and clear the junk off the table!
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ALEX
(moves the junk from the table to a chair)
Half of this is yours!
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Alex sits down and starts shoveling food into his mouth, his phone sounds and he checks it, chuckling softly at what he sees, he's also fiddling with a football under the table. It's an impressive display of multitasking.
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JACK
(also texting)
Alex could you put your phone away please?
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ALEX
You're on yours!
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JACK
Uh-uh, I am an adult, I have earned this right!
(puts her phone away)
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They eat in comfortable silence.
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JACK
How is it?
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ALEX
It's really good!
(in a bad French accent)
Zis is amazing Chef Jacque! Ze color, ze texture, ze complexity of ze flavor! It is a party in my mouth!
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JACK
(laughs)
So, how was school?
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ALEX
It was ok.
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JACK
Anything interesting happen?
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ALEX
Not much…oh we were burning magnesium in chem, and right after the teacher tells us not to stare directly at it, you know what Tom does? He goes and stares directly at it.
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JACK
Oh my god! Why am I not surprised?
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ALEX
(gestures at phone)
He said he still has a blind spot.
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JACK
Holy crap!
(remembers something)
Didn't you say you have a test on Monday?
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ALEX
Oh yeah, French.
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JACK
Make sure you get some homework done after dinner.
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ALEX
But I have the whole weekend!
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JACK
So get started! Knowing you, it'll probably take that long-
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The doorbell sounds.
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JACK
Uh. I just sat down!
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Jack gets up to answer the door and Alex carries on eating.
Cut to Jack. She makes her way down the hallway, opens the front door and sees two uniformed policemen.
Cut back to Alex. He glances at the kitchen door, wondering who could be calling at this hour. His curiosity gets the better of him and he gets up to investigate.
Cut to Jack. The police shuffle uncomfortably and take off their caps.
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POLICEMAN #1
Good evening ma'am, is this the house of Ian Rider?
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JACK
Yes.
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POLICEMAN #1
Mrs. Rider?
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JACK
No, I'm the housekeeper. What is it? What's going on?
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Cut to Alex. As he makes his way to the door, he hears snatches of conversation in hushed careful voices. Funeral voices. He grows more and more concerned with each word.
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POLICEMAN #1 (OS)
An hour ago…Car crash…died at the scene…
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JACK (OS)
Are...are you sure?
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POLICEMAN #1 (OS)
… driver's license…
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JACK (OS)
…Oh my god…
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POLICEMAN #2 (OS)
…So sorry for your loss…
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Alex arrives at the front door and sees the policemen.
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ALEX
Jack, what's going on?
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JACK
Oh Alex…It's Uncle Ian, he's been in a car crash.
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Alex stands there in shock. Jack puts her arm around him
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POLICEMAN #2
May we come inside?
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They go inside and the door closes. We zoom out of their pretty little house, in their pretty little driveway, in their peaceful little suburb, and the screen fades to black.
QUE TITLE:
Alex Rider: Stormbreaker.