Xtreme Champion Tournament: Breakout

Book Cover

ACTION ADVENTURE SCI-FI FANTASY

Future

Ben Rosenthal

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Logline

In the year 2069, the Xtreme Champion Tournament (XCT) has cloned some of the pasts greatest heroes, villains and monsters. Caged and forced to comply, they have only one choice - to compete in the most brutal sport in the world as a part of the XCT!

Genre

Action,Adventure,Sci-fi,Fantasy

Short Summary

Spartacus has been cloned and the UFC has evolved back to gladiatorial fighting. Brought back into a world he no longer understands or recognizes Spartacus must fight for survival in the Xtreme Champion Tournament.


Having built a comradeship with a group of fellow fighters Spartacus now needs to decide whether he will protect those he fights for their entertainment or will he let a group of dangerous murders and killers escape and roam this new world. Cliff hanger ending with villains escaping.

Setting

USA

Based on a True Story

No

Plot - Premise

Overcoming Monster/Villain

Plot - Other Elements

Twist

Mature Audience Themes

Extreme Violence

Main Character Details

Name: Spartacus

Age: 30

Gender: Male

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Masculine,Selfless,Heroic,Honorable,Leader,Strong Moral Code,Skillful

Additional Character Details

Name: Lozen

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Role: Sidekick

Key Traits: Badass,Complex,Sexy,Outspoken,Skillful,Unapologetic

Additional Character Details

Name: Genghis Khan

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Role: antagonist

Key Traits: Villainous,Aggressive,Blunt,Power Hungry,Greedy,Leader

Additional Character Details

Name: Oscar Keenan

Age: 50

Gender: Male

Role: tempter

Key Traits: Aspiring,Villainous,Narcisstic,Complex,Power Hungry,Visionary

Development Pitch

I would love to see XCT: Breakout as a feature length pilot to a TV series. With an array of characters from all around the world this is one show that would represent every nation/culture on the planet if given the chance. With heroic deeds and themes that mirror what is going on in the world today it highlights how we treat others, makes us look and appreciate peoples differences and makes us question who is really the bad guy, all while providing an action packed ride. As a graphic novel we are in a unique position to show what the movie would look like visually compared to other scripts or books. XCT: Breakout is a great starting point that would allow the story to be built on as a series. We have already completed XCT: Fractured World a followup graphic novel and are working on the next volume. Also with the Xtreme Champion Tournament being Australia's #1 selling independent comic book series it comes with an already inbuilt audience.

About The Author

Ben has been a comic book writer for several years producing his own comics, working on the Australian comic series Killeroo and even doing a short story within the XCT universe. In 2020 XCT:Breakout and Ben won the Best Comic Award at the AFIN - Film Awards and was also a semi finalist in the Winning Writers Competition in the US. Ben also hosts the podcast Hack the Dino, works within the Australian wrestling scene and is extremely talented in writing, editing and critiquing written work.

Target Audiences

Age: 18-34

Target Gender: Universal

Group Specific

Information not completed

Publishing Details

Status: Yes: self-published

Publisher: COMICS2MOVIES

Year Published: 2019

Hard Copy Available

Yes

ISBN

9780648242116

Genre

ACTION, FANTASY

Brief

The story takes place in 2069. Legendary heroes, monsters and villains are cloned and brought back to life to fight in the Xtreme Champion Tournament, a gladiatorial competition broadcast worldwide. When a sudden explosion shatters the sports arena, the warriors see a chance to escape. Spartacus, however, does not want villains running wild and risking innocents life, so he puts together a team to try to prevent an entire breakout. Every character has an internal conflict with the opportunity to flee and must make quick decisions. Their choices will affect and have consequences on this world.

Overall Rating

GOOD

Point of View

THIRD PERSON

Narrative Elements

Authors Writing Style: FAIR

Characterization: FAIR

Commerciality: GOOD

Franchise Potential: GOOD

Pace: FAIR

Premise: GOOD

Structure: FAIR

Theme: GOOD

Accuracy of Book Profile

Yes, the Book Profile reveals the most important elements of the story.

Draw of Story

Heroes forced to fight, having a chance to escape from their current fate, and confronting internal conflicts are all great elements for an action/adventure story. As the story unfolds, it challenges the characters with themes like betrayal and compassion, which adds to its intrigue.

Possible Drawbacks

Not knowing the background of each character made it confusing to be committed to their cause. In light of the fact that this is the third volume, it would be interesting to reveal the backstories of the characters or provide an overview of previous events in order for the narrative to make sense and engage the audience.

Use of Special Effects

THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

Primary Hook of Story

The idea that heroes and villains were cloned and subjected to extreme competition is fascinating and intriguing. The fact that they have a chance to escape from their duty, but must confront internal struggles about this opportunity, gives great room to explore social, technological and personal issues.

Fanbase Potential

The fandom for superhero stories tends to be large and loyal. There are also a variety of audiences for this novel: comic book readers, UFC and martial arts fans, people who enjoy mythology and fantasy, and action and adventure lovers.

Awards Potential

Superhero stories are rarely honored by the Awards. It needs to explore social issues in-depth and present themes that people can identify with. Since the characters in this story are from all around the world, it could have potential when representing different nations and cultures and their issues.

Envisioned Budget

LARGE BUDGET

Similar Films/TV Series

THE HUNGER GAMES, THE AVENGERS, THE BOYS

What’s New About the Story

The premise of heroes and villains being cloned and forced to fight in events like UFC is very intriguing and compelling. This specific story, in which they have a chance to escape and confront internal conflicts, is a good starting point to develop into a series, exploring different narratives and themes, including scientific and technological topics.

Lead Characters

It's unfortunate that this book doesn't include the characters' backstories, since it's the third volume in the series. However, Spartacus shows to be a true leader and a hero with a strong moral code who is able to rally a group to fight for a greater cause. Lozen has the potential to be a very interesting character, causing tension in the group due to her decisions.

Uniqueness of Story

Although there are familiar elements commonly found in superhero stories, the idea of heroes and villains being cloned and forced to compete in events like UFC is extremely intriguing and compelling. An overview of past events or the backstories of the characters will help the narrative make sense and engage the audience.

Possible Formats

Film: Studio, Streaming TV Series: Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming

Analyst Recommendation

CONSIDER

Justification

A concept such as heroes and villains being cloned and forced into combat in an event such as the UFC is very intriguing and compelling, but the lack of background information on each character made it difficult to care about their cause. It would be interesting to provide a brief synopsis of prior events to help bring the narrative together and engage the audience.