Franchise Crossover:  Trusting Your Child in the Hands of Strangers

David Franzoni is a well known screenwriter and producer.  Mr. Franzoni grew up in Vermont, attended the University of Vermont where he studied geology and paleontology.  He was consistently involved in theater productions and was a partner in a commercial film company.  After graduation he traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, India, South East Asia and on a motorcycle.

After returning to the United States, Mr. Franzoni moved to Los Angeles to pursue a screenwriting career.  In 1980 he sold his first script which became the comedy "Jumpin' Jack Flash."  He adapted the book "Citizen Cohn" for HBO, starring James Woods, for which he was awarded the George Foster Peabody Award, the Pen West Literary Award, the Cable Ace, and was nominated for an Emmy. 

In 1995, while living with his family in Rome, he wrote Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" (released in 1997) and began the research for his original script, "Gladiator." 

In 2000-1 he was nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay for "Gladiator" (along with William Nicholson and John Logan), and won the Oscar for best picture for producing "Gladiator."  He was also nominated for a BAFTA for best original screenplay and won the BAFTA for best picture for "Gladiator" as well as winning the Golden Globe. 

His original screenplay, "King Arthur," for Jerry Bruckheimer which was produced by Disney, directed by Antoine Fuqua in, was released in 2004.  Mr. Franzoni has recently sold an original series to Show Time about the second coming of Christ, and option the right to the Korean classic JSA, which he plans to rewrite and direct for the United States. 

Mr. Franzoni lives in Malibu, California , with his wife Nancye and son Hudson.