Mark Rosenthal (screenwriter)


Mark David Rosenthal is an American screenwriter and film director and long-time writing partner of Lawrence Konner.

Early life and education

Rosenthal was born to a Jewish family in Philadelphia. He holds a Doctor of Arts degree from the University of the Pacific.

Screenwriting career

Rosenthal sold the first screenplay he wrote, which came out theatrically as The Legend of Billie Jean. This was followed by such films as The Jewel of the Nile, The Beverly Hillbillies, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, Mona Lisa Smile, Mighty Joe Young and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. He also did uncredited work on I, Robot and Eragon. Rosenthal co-wrote and directed The In Crowd for Orion Studios.

Other appearances

Rosenthal is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. and was featured in the documentaries Tales From The Script: 50 Hollywood Screenwriters Share Their Stories and , where he details his experiences working on Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

''Superman IV: The Quest for Peace''

Rosenthal recorded a DVD commentary for for the Deluxe Edition of the film in 2006. He discussed the film's original intentions and deleted scenes. Rosenthal has also described the final film as production company Cannon Films stabbing star Christopher Reeve in the back. According to Rosenthal, Reeve and director Sidney J. Furie begged Cannon Films to film a sequence in New York City, in front of the real United Nations Building, because filmgoers were very familiar with that location, but the Milton Keynes setting looked more like a municipal auditorium. However, Cannon refused because they were "pinching pennies at every step". Rosenthal also revealed that he and writer Lawrence Konner wanted Reeve to play Nuclear Man as well as his dual roles of Superman and Clark Kent in the film. They imagined the villain being a darker version of the hero in the cloning process. The effect would have been costly to achieve and the idea had already been explored in Superman III. Therefore, Cannon hired actor for the part of Nuclear Man. Also according to Rosenthal, there are approximately 45 minutes of the film that have not been seen by the public after they were deleted, following a failed Southern California test screening.

Filmography

The Jewel of the Nile

The In Crowd
Desperate Hours
Sometimes They Come Back

For Love or Money
The Beverley Hillbillies
Mercury Rising
Mighty Joe Young
Planet of the Apes
Mona Lisa Smile
Flicka
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Roots