The Iron Giant

Screenplay by TIM MCCANLIES and BRAD BIRD July 11, 1997 Draft by BRENT FORRESTER and BRAD BIRD Screen Story by BRAD BIRD Inspired by the book by TED HUGHES FADE IN: DEEP SPACE Stars blaze against the blackness of deep space.One star begins to move, coming closer, moving toward... EARTH, in space: blue seas, fleecy white clouds.BEEP-BEEP- BEEP: a retro-satellite, Sputnik, tumbles past. Below, near New England, black storm clouds swirl in silence. Flashes, LIGHTNING FLICKERS. A SHIP ON A STORM-TOSSED SEA-NIGHT The wind HOWLS, the storm RAGES in the chill waters off the rocky coast of Maine.Giant waves tower overhead, then CRASH over the decks of a fishing ship where desperate FISHERMEN fight to stay alive.The CAPTAIN YELLS orders no one can hear in the deafening ROAR. INT.SHIP'S MAIN CABIN-NIGHT The FIRST MATE yells into the radio, their only hope: FIRST MATE Mayday! Mayday! This is fishing ship "Annabelle"! We're floundering and taking on water! Mayday! Mayday! An enormous WAVE smashes against the bow of the ship, throwing everyone in the cabin off balance. A glass shatters. The Captain enters, the two lock eyes: it looks bad. CAPTAIN What's our position? SAILOR #1 (grim) I don't know. CAPTAIN If you don't know where we are then you don't know where we're going!! You could be running us right into the rocks!! Then: a VOICE breaks through the static on the radio. RADIO Coast Guard Portland Station to Annabelle: Do you read me?