Clash of the Titans

FADE IN:

EXT. ALLEYWAY (VILLAGE) - DUSK

Gloomy, last light. From out of the shadows comes --

A DOG. A dog of war. Big, mangy, muscular, scary. As

he moves down the alley, the way becomes increasingly

choked with fallen structures. and signs of tumult.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DUSK

TRACKING WITH THE DOG as he comes onto a battlefield.

The hellish scene is REVEALED TO US SLOWLY --

SERIES OF SHOTS:

as the Dog traverses a landscape of --

BODIES, frozen in contorted death poses. This was

furious, hand-to-hand fighting between human SOLDIERS and

nightmare CREATURES, their corpses now in piles to the

horizon.

The Dog climbs a mound of casualties. At the top, the

Dog looks back across the battlefield. The Dog's eyes

are sad, his expression weary and disgusted.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - NIGHT

The entrance is patrolled by a dozen PALACE GUARDS. They

don't see the Dog pad silently to a fissure in the palace

wall and disappear inside.

INT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - GREAT HALL - NIGHT

Bloodied and battered, the King's GENERALS are

disagreeing loudly about strategy. A loud BANGING sound

pierces the hubbub, and the officers quiet, turning to --

KING ACRISIUS, a striking man in his prime, his handsome

face marked by one crooked scar on his jaw. He commands

the room --

KING ACRISIUS:

Now we end the debate about

tactics... and begin to plan for

victory.

2.

AT THE BACK OF THE HALL

The Dog stares at the King. Then slips away.

INT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - GREAT STAIRS - NIGHT

Unseen by exhausted Guards, the Dog bounds up the stairs.

INT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - ROYAL APARTMENT - CORRIDOR -

NIGHT:

The Dog approaches a doorway; stops to watch from the

shadows.

INT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - BEDCHAMBER - DOG'S POV -

NIGHT:

In the dim bedchamber, the SILHOUETTE of QUEEN DANAE as a

LADY-IN-WAITING removes her gown, revealing the Queen's

perfect body as she slips into bed. The Lady-in-Waiting

leaves.

The Dog's eyes. He moves forward.

FLOOR-LEVEL

TRACKING WITH the Dog's legs as they MORPH INTO HUMAN

LEGS. The CAMERA RISES BEHIND a towering male figure,

who roughly pulls a curtain aside.

In the bed, the Queen is startled, then pleased.

QUEEN DANAE:

My King! Has the strategy been

set so quickly?

REVERSE ANGLE:

The looming figure looks exactly like King Acrisius,

including the distinctive scar. He regards her hungrily.

QUEEN DANAE:

Come to your Queen, my King.

INT. THE PALACE OF ACRISIUS - GREAT STAIRS - SUNRISE

The real King Acrisius wearily climbs the stairs with

AIDES and Guards. Suddenly, the King stops.

(CONTINUED)

3.

CONTINUED:

On the wall above is the huge shadow of a four-legged

creature -- and now it appears:

The Dog stops at the top of the stairs and regards the

men without fear -- its eyes blaze with a God's power.

Even Acrisius, who fears nothing, steps back. The others

raise their weapons.

The Dog comes down the steps, eyes upon them, and passes

close by. No one dare move. The Dog disappears into the

shadows below.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE SEA - ROCKY PROMONTORY - CLOSE ON KING ACRISIUS'

HARDENED COUNTENANCE - DAY

staring at --

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Queen Danae, PREGNANT NOW, and weeping. Her arms are

bound.

A ROYAL ENTOURAGE is gathered. The women weep, the men

agonize.

Palace Guards lift the Queen into a chest and chain it

closed. On the King's signal, the Guards carry the chest

to the edge and drop it into the rough sea. We HEAR a

SCREAM from within.

Some members of the Royal Entourage look with scorn at

their King, outraged by this double murder. Acrisius

registers their disapproving looks and angrily turns to

leave the promontory.

WE SEE in his face what the others do not -- shame and

doubt.

IN THE WATER BELOW, the chest rights itself and rides out

on the tide.

EXT. SAND DUNES OF A LONELY BEACH - NIGHT

Two HORSEMEN gallop in the moonlight. The first Rider

sways in the saddle and falls from his mount. He

staggers to his feet, a skin of ale in his hands. It is

King Acrisius, very drunk.

The second Rider, the King's STEWARD, dismounts to give

aid, though he's also drunk.

(CONTINUED)

4.

CONTINUED:

KING ACRISIUS:

(RAGING)

My own subjects condemn me! They

dare judge me? And what emboldens

this treachery?...

STEWARD:

You are mistaken, my King. None

would risk your anger --

KING ACRISIUS:

(oblivious to him)

It is Zeus who warps my

kinadom!... Zeus the ungodly, Zeus

the defiler...

This talk sobers the Steward instantly; he looks about

fearlessly.

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