Webb could reap $1 million from screenplay

Freshman Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who is on most short lists of potential running mates for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), is cashing in on his background as a novelist and screenwriter.

According to Webb's 2007 financial disclosure forms, released on Friday, Webb earned a $150,000 option several years ago for an ongoing film project called “Whiskey River,” based on his screenplay.

{mosads}According to a report in The New York Review of Books, the screenplay is about a father who kidnaps his son to prevent him from taking another combat tour in Iraq. The son had returned from an initial tour with post-traumatic stress syndrome.

The report said the screenplay by Webb is to be made into a movie produced and directed by Rob Reiner, a well-known Hollywood donor to Democrats whose films include “When Harry Met Sally” and “This Is Spinal Tap.” When asked about the production status of “Whiskey River,” a Webb aide said that it "is in a complete holding pattern."

The disclosure report said Webb could earn $1 million in screenwriting income from the project. The aide said Webb had only received the $150,000 option so far.

The disclosure also states that Webb has entered into an agreement to serve as a producer on an unspecified project that will net him $250,000. The project was arranged through the William Morris Agency and Warner Brothers' Studios.

Webb continues to earn income from his career as a novelist. He reported over $100,000 in royalties from several agencies.

Additionally, Webb noted that he has "numerous literary properties that might in the future be acquired and developed for visual media," including six works of fiction and many screenplays, according to the disclosure report.