Adam Rocke and Mark Rogers Sell "The Death Dealer"

Rockstar member Adam Rocke and Mark Rogers have sold their feature screenplay The Death Dealer to Yotta Studios, the company behind the mobile strategy game Mafia City, after the studio discovered the project through Script Revolution.

The agreement gives Yotta Studios the rights to adapt The Death Dealer as a video game. Due to the project’s development across several different formats, the final deal included the screenplay, novel, original article, and the copyright to its story and characters.

“The vision they shared with us is quite spectacular,” said Rocke. “We’re really excited about what could come next. If it comes together even close to how it was described, it’s going to be something special.”

The project began in 1998 as a cover feature written by Rocke for Maxim magazine. For the article, Rocke traveled to Africa with mercenary Jonathan Keith Idema to investigate and hunt wildlife poachers.

The success of the article helped establish Rocke’s career in participatory journalism. He subsequently wrote for publications including Stuff, Razor, Playboy, and Penthouse, frequently taking on assignments that placed him directly inside dangerous or unusual situations.

Years later, Rocke and Rogers developed the original article into both a novel and a feature screenplay under the title The Death Dealer.

The screenplay was uploaded to Script Revolution, where it was found by Yotta Studios. After reading the script, the company approached the writers, and negotiations began.

“There were a lot of moving parts because the story existed in several different mediums,” Rocke said. “Ultimately, we sold them everything, including the copyright to the story and characters. It is now theirs to develop as they see fit.”

Rocke credited Script Revolution with making the connection possible.

“It all started with Script Revolution,” he said. “The platform gives writers industry exposure, helps foster connections and gives writers and creatives the opportunity to read and appreciate each other’s work. Every member should be encouraged by the possibilities of what can happen when their work is available to be discovered.”

The acquisition of The Death Dealer demonstrates how a screenplay can continue to create opportunities long after it is written, and how stories can move between publishing, film, and interactive entertainment when they reach the right reader.