E X T R A C T IO N

B Y L U K E M U Y S K E N S
 EXTRACTION - PILOT

Comedy-Adventure-Horror

Luke Muyskens

Original Script

lukemuyskens@gmail.com
www.lukemuyskens.com

2021
1. EXT. SANTA MONICA BAY - DAY

On INSTAGRAM LIVE, we see PARIS TURAN (25) on the deck of a

luxury yacht. He's hot and knows it — perfect hair, a six
pack, and tiny Thom Browne swim trunks.

PARIS
(Cali dumb guy voice)
Hello hello! Hot Ecologist Paris
Turan here, going live from Santa
Monica Bay where I'm embarking on
an unprecedented scientific
expedition to see how many guava
mimosas I can drink in one sitting.
(winks)
Now let's get those hearts going!

PHONE PANS to show a diverse handful of BEAUTIFUL YOUNG

INFLUENCERS partying on the yacht. They each have a drink in
one hand and a phone in the other.

PARIS (CONT.)
We're aboard a gorgeous yacht
belonging to my dear friend Fazza,
the Crown Prince of Dubai. I'm here
with Kimmy and Chardonnay from
REDPINK. Say hi, girls! And over
there we've got UFC champion James
Jon pouring a beer bong for my
idiot cousin.
(to CRASH, a little
irritated)
Yo, Crash! How 'bout we chill on
the Red Stripe? Remember Ibiza?

Crash waves Paris off. PHONE FLIPS BACK to Paris. He climbs a

flight of stairs.

PARIS (CONT.)
You might be asking yourself:
What's an ecologist doing hanging
out with all those celebs? But let
me ask you a question: Why don't we
idolize the people discovering
medicines, protecting nature, and
advancing our world? Science is
sexy, bro.

Paris emerges onto an observation deck. His eyes go wide and

his face drains of color. PHONE FLIPS to REAR-FACING. A
couple of miles from the yacht is a lush green island.

PARIS (CONT.)
Holy shit. That island, um...that
island was not there before.

PHONE PANS to the people partying on the deck.

 2.

PARIS (CONT.)
(voice wavering)
Hey, guys? Either someone dosed the
mimosas or there's a whole new
fucking island over there.

Everyone moves to the edge of the boat to look. They lean

over the railing. With all their weight on one side, the boat
starts to tilt dramatically.

PARIS (CONT.)
(breaking from his dumb
guy character)
YO! Too many people starboard!
James, get your heavyweight ass
portside, now!

KIMMY leans too far over the railing and flips overboard with
a shriek, plunging into the ocean. CHARDONNAY screams. CRASH
tears his shirt off and dives after Kimmy.

PARIS (CONT.)
(to his phone)
Sorry, Parisians — things are
getting a little crazy out here so
I better go. Just remember:
(voice wavering)
There's so much of the world left
to explore. Peace.

There's a scream from the deck. The stream ends abruptly.

SLAM TITLE to WHOLE NEW WORLD/PRETEND WORLD by SOPHIE.

TITLE CARD: MANIFEST

CUT TO BLACK
 3.

ACT I

2. EXT. OPEN-AIR OFFICE - DAY

DR. CARLYLE SPINK (79) — white bowl cut and Coke bottle
glasses — stands in front of a screen showing a photograph of
the island. OPPOSITE Spink at picnic tables is the EXPEDITION
CREW: PARIS, ANTHONY GREEN (28) — round glasses, handsome but
soft and lacking self-awareness; CHLOE GREEN (32) —
attractive and fit but not invested in her appearance; KLAUS
LUDWIG (71) — in a turtleneck, bald with a craggy, squinting
face; and RICKIE PALOMINO (40) — a rugged explorer in her
signature tie dye bucket hat with a bowie knife on her belt.

ANTHONY
Manifest as in 'manifest destiny?'

CARLYLE
(stuttering cadence)
Manifest as in the material
embodiment of something immaterial.

RICKIE
(raspy drawl)
Who named the fucker?

CARLYLE
The Bureau of Land Management held
a contest on Twitter that
christened the island 'My
Craphole.' We faked the results.
Does anyone have any questions
about, say, the expedition?

PARIS
Um, why us?

CARLYLE
Yes, of course. Paris, you were
selected for your social media
influence. The Facebooks and the
Vines and whatnot.

PARIS
Okay, boomer.

CARLYLE
Your posts will give the public an
unfiltered window into the island.

PARIS
Wait, I can't use filters?
 4.

CARLYLE
(turning to Chloe)
Chloe, as your doctoral thesis
advisor, I'm confident your
groundbreaking research regarding
the influence of landscapes on
vertebrate evolution has huge
potential for application in this
setting. I believe your insights
will unlock this place. And Anthony
— your ant research is great, too.
Anthony rolls his eyes.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
Klaus, your documentaries capture
the wildness before you while
turning the camera back on yourself
and on your fellow explorers. Your
documentation will cement this
expedition in history for
generations. I smell an Oscar!

Klaus gives Carlyle a little namaste nod.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
And last but not least, Rickie. We
selected you because... well, what
is an expedition if not an
adventure? And you, my old friend,
are the most adventurous ecologist
in the world.

Rickie looks proud of herself.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
If there are no further questions,
let's hit the hay. You've [got a —]

ANTHONY
Wait! What else do you know about
the island? Do you have detailed
maps? Satellite imagery?

CARLYLE
Unfortunately, most of the
satellites in orbit are busy spying
on Afghani weddings or keeping
Teslas from exploding. I asked Elon
to gather some imagery but he
called me a 'normie femboy.' We
suspect he's preparing for his own
expedition — part of the reason
this team was assembled so quickly.

KLAUS
Have you sent any drones?
 5.

CARLYLE
We sent a few. They did not return.

CHLOE
How about air or water samples from
the area surrounding the island?

CARLYLE
You will be tasked with collecting
those, as well as plant and animal
specimens, mineral samples,
etcetera. You know the drill.

Carlyle produces a large electric drill and revs it once, the

torque almost toppling him.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
The DeWalt SDS-MAX. She'll go
through quartz like butter.

RICKIE
Let's talk weapons. What kind a
firepower are we handling?

CARLYLE
Ah, yes. After much deliberation,
we've opted to send you in unarmed.

RICKIE
(standing, hands on her
hips)
WHAT THE FUCK?

CARLYLE
The risk weaponry poses to your
fellow explorers outweighs the
protection it would offer.

PARIS
Risk? What risk?

CARLYLE
A strange new environment, clashing
personalities, countless
opportunities for groundbreaking
scientific discovery. What I'm
trying to say is... we don't want
you going nuts and shooting each
other. To death. With the guns.

ANTHONY
All due respect, Doctor, but I'm
pretty sure we're not gonna murder
each other.

CUT TO:
 6.

3. EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN - DAY

Through a VIDEO CAMERA, we see a blurred oceanscape. It COMES

INTO FOCUS, revealing the island from the COLD OPEN.

KLAUS sits in the back of a helicopter, pointing a vintage

video camera out the window.

KLAUS
(thick German accent)
This island encapsulates the
contemporary condition of self-
quarantine. We entomb ourselves in
mirrored chambers — curious, but
only about our own image.

The HELICOPTER PILOT turns back.

HELICOPTER PILOT
You made Alligator Man, right? That
film rocked my world. And the whole
sexual thing he had with the gators
— I did not see that coming.

THROUGH THE VIDEO CAMERA, we see boats circling the island.

KLAUS
What are those boats doing there?

HELICOPTER PILOT
Coast Guard. Looks like they're
setting up a perimeter.
(beat)
Listen, man, I gotta tell ya.
There's something weird about this
island. Something freaky.

KLAUS
(disinterested)
And what's that?

HELICOPTER PILOT
We're not allowed to fly within
five hundred feet of the island,
but I've seen things moving down
there. Like, big things. Real big
things. Oh, and smoke.

KLAUS
Smoke? Impossible. Manifest is
uninhabited.

HELICOPTER PILOT
I dunno. Could be my eyes playing
tricks on me. Or maybe it's the
double dose of kratom —

Klaus hastily buckles his seatbelt.

 7.

HELICOPTER PILOT (CONT.)

— but I got a hunch there's someone
— or something — down there.

CUT TO:

4. EXT. SANTA CATALINA ISLAND - NIGHT

PARIS records via INSTAGRAM LIVE on a patio lit by tiki

torches. Behind him are several trailers, and beyond those, a
rocky beach. The lights of Los Angeles twinkle far across the
water.

PARIS
You can't see Manifest now, but
we're only two miles away. Yours
truly will be the first to set foot
on the shore.

RICKIE steps into the courtyard, swigging a beer.

PARIS (CONT.)
I promise to keep you up-to-date as
we explore, collect specimens, and
document the flora and fauna. My
team [is ready to —]

RICKIE
(stepping into view of the
stream)
My team?

PARIS
Um, gotta go, Parisians! Always
remember: science is sexy. Peace!
(ending the stream and
turning to Rickie,
irritated)
Well if it isn't the infamous
Rickie Palomino.

RICKIE
The one and only! First to summit
K2 without oxygen, survivor of two
lightning strikes and three rhino
attacks, inventor of the KnifeGun.
Combination knife and gun.

PARIS
Here I thought you retired.

RICKIE
Pshhh. Got shoulder surgery, a knee
replacement, and a couple of
melanomas removed, but I'm back and
ready for action!
 8.

Rickie absently pops a pill and chases it with beer.

PARIS
Not trying to be an asshole, but...
what exactly are you doing here? Me
and Klaus are documenting. Chloe
and Anthony are taking samples.
What are you doing? Doctor Spink's
explanation doesn't cut it.

RICKIE
On the record? I'm here to boost
credibility in the exploratory
community. But off the record? I'm
here because I specialize in
'covert operations.'

PARIS
Only 'covert operation' I've ever
conducted is dating a closeted
congressman.

RICKIE
Remember the Black Spear Incident?
Indonesia, 2004? Biggest poaching
bust in history. Hundreds of
orangutans rescued from this
horrible jungle factory where they
made boner pills from their teeth.
I went under deep cover for months,
posing as an Australian ex-con. You
wouldn't believe the shit I saw in
that horrible fuckin' place... I
still get nightmares.

PARIS
Okay, ew. And that qualifies you
for this expedition how exactly?

RICKIE
(smiling)
I guess I'm what you'd call a 'Wild
Card.'

CUT TO:

5. EXT. BEACH - NIGHT

ANTHONY and CHLOE lay side-by-side in a hammock on the beach,

her head on his chest. Waves wash peacefully nearby.

CHLOE
Ant? Are you... nervous?
 9.

ANTHONY
What's there to be nervous about?
It's a little island off the coast
of L.A. Probably just squirrels and
starlings.

CHLOE
Probably. But we don't know yet.

ANTHONY
You trust Carlyle, right?

CHLOE
Of course. He's been like a father
to me.
(long beat)
I keep having this dream. I'm
walking through this grove of huge
redwoods. The place Carlyle took me
after my dad died. Carlyle is there
in the dream but I can't see him. I
come across one of those tunnels
carved into a tree, you know? Big
enough for a car. And I hear
Carlyle's voice from the dark. He
wants to show me something inside.
That's when I wake up. Every time.

Chloe goes quiet, contemplative. Anthony gives her a look.

ANTHONY
What are you thinking about?

CHLOE
Nothing. Do you ever get, like,
lonely right before an expedition?

Anthony reaches down and pulls up Chloe's skirt to reveal a

tattoo on her thigh. He gently taps the tattoo.

ANTHONY
Hey. Read me your Rachel Carson
quote.

CHLOE
(closing her eyes)
"Those who dwell among the beauties
and mysteries of the earth are
never alone or weary of life."

ANTHONY
See? No reason to feel alone.

Chloe doesn't appear comforted. She gazes over the ocean

where a clot of darkness shows the presence of the island.

CUT TO:
 10.

6. EXT. OCEAN - DAY

The expedition crew is in life vests aboard a cutter boat

racing toward the island. PAN ACROSS their faces — KLAUS is
contemplative, PARIS snaps a selfie, CHLOE frets, ANTHONY is
excited, and RICKIE grins goonishly in Pit Viper sunglasses.

Rickie smacks Anthony on the arm and lifts her shirt to

reveal a Glock 19 tucked in her waistband.

RICKIE
(shouting over the wind)
SNUCK HER IN. THANK ME LATER.

The boat deposits the explorers on a beach, each carrying a

large pack. CLOSE UP on their boots touching sand.

PARIS
(recording himself)
One small step for Paris, one huge
leap for my fans everywhere.
Welcome to Manifest, baby!

CHLOE
You get service here?

PARIS
No, but HQ set up a satellite link
— I'm gonna upload my stuff and
they'll post it for me.

There's a loud pop and they all flinch. WHIP PAN to Rickie
holding an overflowing bottle of champagne.

RICKIE
Just a little tradition.
(handing Anthony the
bottle)
Tony! Don't make me drink alone!

Anthony reluctantly takes the bottle and gets foam all over
his face. Rickie slaps him on the back. The mood is high.

CHLOE
Guess we better take the plunge.

Chloe shoulders her pack and starts hiking toward the trees.

CUT TO BLACK
 11.

ACT II

7. EXT. CATALINA ISLAND BASE CAMP - DAY

CARLYLE sits at a picnic table outside a trailer, lighting

his pipe. He stares into the distance. OVER HIS SHOULDER, we
see Manifest looming.

The door of the trailer swings open and out saunters TOPHER
HERMANN (34), handsome and fit in Patagonia Baggies and a
linen button-down. Topher sees Carlyle and flashes a smile.

TOPHER
Doctor Spink! My favorite
octogenarian. How's that prostate?

CARLYLE
(puffing his pipe)
Morning, Topher. Got a second?

TOPHER
I'm about to hit the breakfast
buffet. Walk with me. You try that
guava salad yet?

Carlyle struggles to his feet and hurries after Topher.

CARLYLE
We finally convinced Google to give
us thermal imaging since SpaceX
wouldn't play ball...

TOPHER
(stopping in his tracks)
And?

CARLYLE
Rhodium. A lot of it. At least a
hundred tons.

Topher starts walking again and Carlyle follows.

TOPHER
Explains why a certain moon-faced
South African billionaire has been
so frosty. His family owns every
rhodium mine in South Africa.
(eyes narrowing)
Do you trust these ecologists?

They pass a warehouse. TWO MEN stand outside, smoking — they

look just like PARIS and KLAUS, even wearing the same
clothes. The men wave and Carlyle waves back.

CARLYLE
Don't worry. We have total control
of the narrative.
 12.

TOPHER
Do you know what rhodium is used
for, Spink? Airplane engines,
missile plating... you need to get
me on that island yesterday.

CARLYLE
Agreed. But there's one thing you
should know before we send you in.

Carlyle pulls out an iPad and opens satellite photos of the

island. He zooms in on an open area with dark speckles.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
Footprints. Fifty times human size.

TOPHER
(putting on a pair Ray
Bans)
Guess we're going in strapped.

CARLYLE
I'll have HQ send a couple of
operatives to accompany you. Oh! I
need to ask a favor. A delivery.

Carlyle pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to

Topher — a small black device, like a hard drive.

TOPHER
What's this? Some kind of top
secret message?

CARLYLE
It's for one of the explorers,
Chloe Green. She was a student of
mine. We were very close. I know
she gets... it's just a silly
little message of encouragement.

CUT TO:

8. EXT. JUNGLE - DAY

The crew hikes single-file through a forest of chapparal. All

five walk cautiously. RICKIE is in front, hand on her pistol.
ANTHONY, at the rear, holds a net.

PARIS
This looks just like Ventura
County. Swear to god I went to a
kegger under that exact redwood
when I was fifteen.

KLAUS
Wait. Be silent. Do you hear that?
 13.

They stand still and listen. There's a faint rustle, then a

series of yelps. They grow louder. Rickie draws her pistol.

KLAUS (CONT.)
Sounds like...puppies.

A pack of white Pomeranians scampers down a nearby hill. The

dogs run up to the crew, barking.

THROUGH PARIS' PHONE, we see the dogs running between their

legs and licking their pants.

PARIS
Aww! You guys look just like my
little rascal back home!

CHLOE
DON'T touch them. Nobody move.
These are wild animals.

As quickly as they arrived, the dogs scamper off.

RICKIE
What the fuck...

ANTHONY
Let's just keep moving.

CHLOE hangs back, seeing something on the ground — a cluster

of silver spheres the size of lacrosse balls. She picks one
up and holds it in a beam of sunlight. The surface shimmers,
iridescent. She puts it in a jar and pockets it.

CUT to the crew walking again, Rickie slashing at the

underbrush with a machete.

PARIS
Rickie, do you have to destroy the
flora like that?

RICKIE
Gotta know our way out.

Rickie chops off a branch, revealing a clearing of bare white

stone about 100 feet across. On the other side is a dense
tropical jungle — a completely different ecosystem.

The crew wanders into the clearing. It's more of highway

separating two biomes, stretching to a point on both sides.

KLAUS
(filming, genuine
excitement)
We have stumbled upon what appears
to be a very dramatic shift in the
terrestrial ecoregion, divided by a
barrier of soapstone. Or marble.
 14.

Rickie gets down on her belly and licks the rock.

RICKIE
It's fuckin' salt.

KLAUS
Which explains why the vegetation
shifts so drastically — the salt
kills anything that tries to grow
across it.

Chloe walks over to the edge of the jungle. She examines a

brilliant yellow flower, baffled.

CHLOE
Anthony, check out this flower. It
looks like a daffodil but it has
bilateral petals like an orchid.

ANTHONY
(defensive)
I'm not a flower expert. Call me
when there's an ant involved.

As if on cue, a tiny, shiny blue ant crawls onto a petal.

CHLOE
The floor is yours, Ant Man.

Excited, Anthony pulls out scientific eye loupes that fit

over his glasses. He fiddles to focus on the ant.

THROUGH THE LOUPES, we see a blue ant with orange legs.

ANTHONY
Stay back! It's a Diamma bicolor, a
blue ant. Highly toxic.

RICKIE
I took a blue ant bite to the
nipple once. No big deal.

ANTHONY
This ant has a long, segmented
mesosoma, like a centipede.
(snapping)
Quick, tweezers and a specimen jar.

Chloe scrambles, digging through a bag.

THROUGH THE LOUPES, we see the petals close around the ant.
The ant struggles but the flower swallows it whole.

CLOSE UP on Anthony's stunned face. He looks up.

ANTHONY (CONT.)
Holy shit. A carnivorous orchid.
(MORE)
 15.

ANTHONY (CONT'D)
(gulp)
We're in a whole new world here.

BEGIN MONTAGE of the crew exploring the jungleset to HOLY

DANCE by AGUA RE.

-Rickie sees something moving under the dirt. She plunges her
hand into the ground and pulls out what appears to be a
potato with claws, like a mole. She laughs.

-Paris photographs a flower that looks like five human

tongues. Klaus congratulates him with a pat on the back.

-Klaus films bird-sized butterflies in the canopy. He trips

on a root and falls. The root draws back into the soil.

-Chloe and Anthony examine a flower together, sharing a

moment. They catch each other’s eyes and hold hands.

-Paris gives Rickie a piggy back ride through the jungle,

both whooping and hollering.

-Paris finds a massive palm with highly reflective leaves

that warp his image like a funhouse mirror. He checks his
hair and flexes his pecs in the reflection.

-Chloe snips off a branch to collect a sample — behind it is

another small pile of iridescent silver spheres. The sight
puts a look of concern on her brow.

END MONTAGE

CUT TO:

9. EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

The crew sits around a camp of four small tents. RICKIE

sharpens her bowie knife, ANTHONY looks at ants through a
microscope, PARIS edits photos on his phone, KLAUS stokes a
fire, and CHLOE sits near him, examining the jar containing
the silver sphere she found. She's captivated by the
reflection of fire in its surface.

Deep in the surface of the orb, she sees CARLYLE's face.

FLASHBACK to Chloe as a child. She opens a yellow door and

looks into a workshop where HER FATHER and Carlyle are
hunched over a table, looking at petri dishes. When her
father sees her, his face lights up and he waves her over.

Chloe's father hikes her up onto his lap so she can look. In
the dishes are wiggly silver worms. She looks up, excited.

CHLOE'S FATHER
Wanna look through the microscope?
 16.

Chloe nods. Her father pulls over a microscope and she looks
through it to see a kaleidoscope of color and patterns.

YOUNG CARLYLE
Pretty cool, huh? Your father and I
have been working very hard on this
project. It's a big one.

Chloe turns to Carlyle with wonder in her eyes.

YOUNG CHLOE
What are they?

CHLOE'S FATHER
When the time comes, we'll tell you
all about them.

YOUNG CARLYLE
But for now, lemme get a high five!
Chloe giggles and gives Carlyle a
high five.

END FLASHBACK

KLAUS
What have you got there?

Startled, Chloe covers the jar with a map.

CHLOE
Just looking over those satellite
images from Doctor Spink. Check it
out — each white ring is one of
those salt barriers we crossed
today. Perfect circles.

KLAUS
I’m an old man, Chloe. I’ve seen
some bizarre things in my life.
Turtle shells containing entire
ecosystems. Bears that eat their
own young. David Attenborough’s
abnormally long balls. But I've
never, ever seen nature create
something perfect.

CUT to Paris walking over to Anthony.

PARIS
Hey, Anthony. Lemme get some
advice. I'm having trouble deciding
which pic to post.

Paris sits next to Anthony and swipes through a few selfies

with the strange organisms they discovered that day.
 17.

PARIS
This one would be perfect if my eye
wasn’t fucking drooping. God,
shoulda brought my pith helmet.

Paris swipes to a photo of him reclined in his tent wearing a

thong, a magnifying glass over his crotch. Anthony gets red
in the face and instinctively looks up at Chloe, who is
looking at the map with Klaus.

PARIS
Oops! Actually, if you don’t mind,
I’m having a tough time deciding
which pic to post on my OnlyFans.

ANTHONY
I’m not sure I’m totally
comfortable —

PARIS
Don’t be a prude, dude! Think of me
as a scientific specimen.

ANTHONY
When you put it that way...

Anthony takes the phone. Paris winks.

RICKIE
(shouting OS)
AH! Get back, you little fuckers!

CUT to Rickie brandishing her knife at her backpack, which is

crawling with glistening red things. The others run over.

ANTHONY
What’s going on?

RICKIE
These fuckin’ slugs are everywhere!
Trying to eat my animal crackers!

Anthony slams a jar onto the ground, trapping one of the

slugs. He slides a card under the jar and holds it up. They
all lean in. The slug bounces against the glass, making a
tiny chirping sound.

PARIS
I think they're cute! I’m gonna
call them ‘sluggies.’

KLAUS
Ah, the American ingenuity.

RICKIE
I don’t care what they are, keep
them the hell away from my snacks!
 18.

As Rickie raises her voice, the slug shrinks and quivers,

changing its color to a pale yellow. The slug is very
emotive, looking scared and ashamed. HOLD ON THIS SHOT.

CUT TO:

10. INT. TENT – NIGHT

RICKIE sleeps curled around a bottle of whiskey. A twig snaps

outside the tent and she jerks awake. Quiet, she grabs her
gun and the bottle of booze.

In her long johns with her gun ready, Rickie creeps around
the camp. There’s a rustle behind her and she whips around to
see something large lumbering at the edge of camp. It steps
into the moonlight — a stag beetle the size of a cow.

The beetle turns toward Rickie. She cocks the gun. The beetle
lumbers off. She looks down at the whiskey.

RICKIE
Gotta stop drinking on those
fuckin’ pills.

CUT TO BLACK

11. EXT. JUNGLE – DAY

The crew bushwhacks through the jungle, moving inland. The

order is ANTHONY, CHLOE, KLAUS, PARIS, and RICKIE. Rickie
looks back at the path behind them, paranoid.

PARIS
Everything okay back there,
Palomino?

RICKIE
Rock n’ roll. Just didn’t get much
sleep last night. Long day of
bagging and tagging. You see that
potato mole I caught? Fuckin’ wild.
I’m calling her a moletato.
Potamole. Working on my options.

PARIS
Wait, we get to name them? Chloe!
Rickie’s already naming specimens!

CHLOE
(calling back)
Name whatever you want. We don't
even know if these are new species
until we call for a helicopter and
send them back to the lab.
 19.

KLAUS
I vote we call them today — I need
to deliver my first reel of film.

RICKIE
I’m down for that. I’m outta beer.

PARIS
Maybe they could, like, take me up
in the chopper for a minute so I
can check my DMs?

ANTHONY
You guys! This is not a fucking day
trip! This could be the most
groundbreaking scientific
expedition of the modern era!
(SLOW ZOOM on Anthony’s
face)
You can’t just call for backup
whenever the booze runs low. What
we’re doing is important! We could
be discovering brand new species!
Evolutionary missing links with
huge scientific promise!
(inspired, inspiring)
So have a little fucking heart!

CUT TO:

12. EXT. JUNGLE – A SHORT WHILE LATER

CLOSE UP on ANTHONY’s face, now drenched in sweat and bug-

bitten. The crew is still bushwhacking and Anthony is still
leading, but it’s clear they’ve been marching for a while.

KLAUS
(filming)
Onward the explorer marches,
powered by the fuel of his own
delusion. Yet only his spirit is
tireless — his body, less so.

RICKIE
Jesus, dude. Do you ever shut up?

KLAUS
I am here to document, both how we
shape this island and how the
island shapes us.

RICKIE
I’m about to shape you into a
fucking pretzel.

CHLOE
 20.

CHLOE
Chill, both of you. We gotta be
patient with each other or this
expedition will fail.

RICKIE
You're only saying that 'cause your
fiancé got us fucking lost.

ANTHONY
Hey, we're not lost.
(turning the map upside
down)
Besides, I thought we agreed to
take turns navigating?

RICKIE
Well I vote your turn is over. Show
of hands?

Rickie raises her hand. Paris and Klaus follow suit. Anthony
sighs and steps aside to let the others pass. As Paris passes
Anthony, he pinches him on the ass. Anthony jumps.

PARIS
(flirtatiously to Anthony)
I'd still follow you anywhere.

CHLOE
Anyone notice how there aren't any
vertebrates in this jungle? Plants
and insects, yeah, but no mammals,
no reptiles, no birds. Listen.

They all pause for a moment and listen. The bugs are loud.

CHLOE (CONT.)
I mean, what about the food chain?
Who eats all these insects?

A massive yellow flower near the path snaps shut, a huge

insect wing trapped between its petals.

PARIS
Um, how much farther?

CHLOE
We should be coming up on the next
salt barrier soon.

FROM OUTSIDE THE JUNGLE, we see Chloe part giant palm leaves
and emerge onto another flat salt area. Her face drops in
awe. The rest follow her out with similar expressions.

CHLOE (CONT.)
Knew it.
 21.

ANTHONY
A whole new ecosystem, just like —
(snaps his fingers)
— that.

CUT TO:

13. EXT. JUNGLE - DAY

In a VERTICAL PHONE VIDEO, we see explorers moving through a

jungle. We spot RICKIE's bucket hat. They call to each other.

PHONE flips to FRONT-FACING and reveals PARIS is filming. On

closer inspection, it's not Paris, but a very good IMPOSTER.

PARIS IMPOSTER
Hello hello, Parisians! It's our
second day on Manifest and the
whole crew is stoked on what new
discoveries are in store for us
today. If you tuned in yesterday,
you watched us stumble on a patch
of San Gabriel Mountain
liveforever, a highly endangered
California plant.
(flashing a shaka)
Cowabunga, baby!

JJ
(OS)
CUT! CAN WE GET THE LIGHTS UP?

WIDE SHOT of the Paris imposter looking exasperated. The rest

of the explorers relax and stretch. Florescent lights turn
on, illuminating the jungle and revealing that we're on a
film set inside a warehouse.

PARIS IMPOSTER
(now with a British
accent)
Jesus fucking Christ, JJ! How many
goddamn takes do we need?

WHIP PAN to the director, JJ (33), a small, nerdy man

beckoning the Paris imposter over to a monitor.

JJ
Let me ask you a question.
(pointing at the monitor)
Who is this man? Who is Paris
Turan?

PARIS IMPOSTER
Um. Some Cali dudebro with a
million Instagram followers?
 22.

JJ
There's your problem. Paris is not
just some 'Cali dudebro. ' He's Nat
Geo's digital ambassador. He has a
degree from Stanford. He's shrewd
and calculating — despite the
public persona — and he doesn't
fucking say 'cowabunga. ' This man
has layers, and if you don't
capture that, no one will believe
you're him and we will be royally
fucked. Understand?

PARIS IMPOSTER
Loud and clear.

JJ
Excellent. This is gonna be the
take, I can feel it.

The Paris imposter returns to his mark, holds up his phone,

puts on a 'Paris' face, and hits record.

JJ (CONT.)
Aaaand...ACTION!

CUT TO:

14. INT. ANTHONY & CHLOE'S TENT - NIGHT

ANTHONY flops into their tent, alone and exhausted. He

squirms — there's something underneath him. He rolls over and
pulls out a chocolate bar with a note attached. He reads it.

PARIS
(V/O)
For Anthony — Seems like you could
use a treat so here's my dessert
rations :) Keep your head up!
Sending positive vibes — Paris.

Anthony peeks out of the tent and sees Paris stoking the
fire. He has a brief expression of lust, then tucks the note
in his breast pocket and devours the chocolate.

CUT TO BLACK
 23.

ACT III

15. EXT. SWAMP - DAY

A blue whale cruises through the water. It's vocalization

echoes. A massive net descends on the whale, trapping it.

CUT to a swamp, water broken by floating vegetation, fog

lingering. Bubbles break the surface of a pool, followed by a
SCUBA DIVER. The diver lifts their goggles — it's ANTHONY. He
lifts a net from the water. CLOSE UP on its contents — a
three-inch-long blue whale flops around inside.

CUT to Anthony walking into a camp set up on a dry area of

the swamp. KLAUS and PARIS are setting up their tents. CHLOE
toils over a collapsible terrarium containing vegetation, a
hollow log, and a small pool.

ANTHONY
Chloe! Got something for ya.
(to the others)
Paris! Klaus! Check this out!

Anthony reaches a hand into the terrarium and drops the

miniature blue whale into the pool. It blinks, then swims
around, surrounded by even smaller seals.

CHLOE
Amazing. A blue whale consistent
with the other specimens we've
found in this biome — existing
species at a minuscule scale.

Paris stoops to peer into the enclosure. THROUGH THE GLASS,

his eyes widen. RACK FOCUS onto a tiny savannah filled with
tiny zebras, gazelles, and hippos.

PARIS
Guys. People are gonna be clamoring
for these. A whole safari in your
bedroom? Are you fucking kidding?

KLAUS
I'm appalled that you'd hypothesize
about the ownership — and worse,
commercialization — of these
incredible creatures.

PARIS
Jesus, sorry. They're just so cute.

Chloe sees something sticking out from under Paris' boot.

CHLOE
Paris. What's that?
 24.

Paris pulls off his boot and holds it up. Wedged between the
tread of his boots is a miniature giraffe, crushed to death.
Paris' eyes roll back in his head and he passes out, flopping
onto the squishy earth.

ANTHONY
Paris!

Anthony snaps in Paris' face. He comes to.

Far in the distance is a whooshing noise. They look up to see

a helicopter flying toward them. Four red dots appear in the
sky — parachutes opening. The crew cranes their necks to
watch the parachutes descend.

The first chute to touch down carries a bundle of black

tactical packs strapped together. The second and third are
figures who tuck and roll, then climb to their feet and
disentangle themselves from the parachute cords — NIGEL
HARGROVE (41), a massive man with chiseled features and a
shaved head, and ANGELICA REYES (22), a short, wiry Filipino
woman covered in tattoos. The fourth to touch down is a man
who expertly maneuvers the parachute to land gently on his
feet — TOPHER in Red Wing boots and a Georgetown cap.

PARIS
(climbing to his feet)
Who is that slice of apple pie?

Jealousy flashes through Anthony's eyes. Topher sees them and

waves. He shoulders a small pack and heads over. Nigel and
Angelica follow with the larger packs.

TOPHER
Howdy! I'm Topher Hermann. Doctor
Spink sent me in for a little
backup. And I brought these two
strapping field techs.

CHLOE
(to Anthony)
Do they look like field techs?

Anthony shakes his head.

PARIS
So nice of you to join us!

TOPHER
Paris, I've been loving your social
coverage of the expedition. Five
million views and counting!
(looking at the others)
You must be Chloe and Anthony. And
Klaus, of course. Where's Rickie?

Paris shrugs.
 25.

CUT to RICKIE knee deep in quicksand.

RICKIE
Just a little quicksand, Rickie.
Nothing you ain't handled before.

She tries to wriggle free and sinks deeper.

RICKIE (CONT.)
No need to call for help yet. You
got this. Fierce, like a tiger.

CUT BACK to the camp.

TOPHER
Chloe, I've been following your
research on evolutionary ecology
for years. Impressive work. I'm a
geologist myself, here to study any
unique structures that may indicate
how this island was formed.

KLAUS
Ah. Of course you are. I've seen
this a million times — the quest
for knowledge turns into a quest
for profit when they send in the
petroleum geologists to find oil.
There's money in nature.
(eyes narrowing)
Who do you work for, Mr. Hermann?

CLOSE UP on Topher's sunglasses, reflecting the crew.

TOPHER
Like I said. Doctor Spink sent me.

There's a gunshot. All heads whip toward it.

CUT to Rickie sunk in the quicksand, only her head in the

bucket hat and her arm holding a pistol still visible.

ANTHONY
Shit, Rickie! What do we do?

RICKIE
Pull me the fuck out, maybe?

KLAUS
In over your head?

RICKIE
Shut up, you old kraut.

Angelica walks to the edge of the quicksand, drops to her

knees, and scoots out to Rickie. Nigel takes rope from his
pack, fashions a loop, and tosses it to Angelica.
 26.

NIGEL
(to Angelica, Cockney
accent)
Pump the sand around her with your
palms, like CPR, yeah? When it's
loose, dig your hands in and get
that rope under her arms.

Angelica gets the rope under Rickie's arms and scoots back
out to join Nigel. Together, they haul her free.

Rickie wipes mud off her clothes and turns to face Topher,
Nigel, and Angelica. She shakes their hands one-by-one.

RICKIE
Guess I owe you one.

TOPHER
(grinning, a touch
sinister)
I do love a debtor.

CUT TO:

16. EXT. CAMP - DAY

The crew plus the newcomers are regrouping at the camp, now
packed up. They all pull on heavy rubber boots, groaning.
PARIS

This sucks, bro. My socks are still wet from yesterday. This
is worse than day three of Coachella.

CHLOE
Sorry, wading is our only option.

NIGEL unzips a duffel bag and unloads four microwave-sized

yellow bundles made of rubber. He pulls a ripcord and within
seconds it inflates into a full-sized raft.

TOPHER
Courtesy of our friends at the DOD.

ANTHONY
Got any other tricks in that bag?

ANTHONY tries to peek into the bag and Nigel stops him.

The crew starts to load up the boats. TOPHER pulls Chloe

aside and gives her the device from CARLYLE.

TOPHER
Delivery from the good doctor. He
seemed a little worried about you
and said this'll help.
(MORE)
 27.

TOPHER (CONT'D)
(smile)
Don't worry, I haven't opened it.
I'm not that kinda guy.

Chloe reaches for the device and Topher pulls it back.

TOPHER (CONT.)
Eager, huh? There must be something
good on here....

Chloe gives Topher a sour glare, snatches the device, pockets

it, and strides away. Topher watches her depart, a suspicious
expression on his face.

CUT TO:

17. EXT. SWAMP - DAY

The crew paddles across the swamp in pairs, fairly spread out
— NIGEL and ANGELICA, KLAUS and ANTHONY, CHLOE and RICKIE,
TOPHER and PARIS.

ANGELICA
Once, in Iraq, I took out a whole
fuckin' foxhole with a single M-
sixty-seven.

NIGEL
Wicked. Ever use a Scalable
Offensive grenade? They're modular.
Stack 'em together for more boom.

ANGELICA
God damn, I wish we had some of
those. I asked for M thirty-fours.
You know, the phosphorous joints?
They said it violated the Geneva
Convention.

NIGEL
Fuckin' pansies.

CUT to Klaus and Anthony's boat. Klaus is in a sour mood.

ANTHONY
Klaus, let me ask you something. Do
you know who we're working for?

KLAUS
Spink represents ICEP, the
International Council on Ecological
Exploration. I believe he called
them a 'public-private coalition of
organizations interested in
preservation and knowledge
gathering.'
 28.

ANTHONY
Had you heard of 'ICEP' before you
were recruited for this expedition?

KLAUS
No, but I'm a documentarian.
Ecology is not exactly my field.
Are you telling me the organization
signing our paychecks is not one
present in the scientific
community?

ANTHONY
Wait. You're getting paid for this?

CUT to Chloe and Rickie's boat. Chloe is in front, tipsy. She

takes a swig from a flask and hands it back to Rickie.

CHLOE
God, that stuff is strong. What'd
you say it's called?

RICKIE
Cachaça. Brazilian sugar cane
liquor. Shit'll have you seeing
stars.

CHLOE
What was I saying? Oh! Anthony.
It's just that he can be a
little... selfish, I guess? I'm
sorry, I don't know why I'm telling
you all this. It's the chacasa.

They paddle up to a floating patch of vegetation.

RICKIE
Gotta piss.

Rickie climbs out of the boat, ambles to the other side of

the vegetation, and squats. In the reeds, Chloe sees a pile
of iridescent silver spheres, nestled like eggs. She takes
one sphere, pockets it, and covers the rest with grass.

Rickie gets back in the boat. She takes a swig and passes the
flask back to Chloe, who drinks, wincing.

RICKIE
Trouble in paradise, huh?

CHLOE
I haven't even told you the worst
part. He once — no, I shouldn't. I
can't.
 29.

RICKIE
(twisting back)
Look me in the eye. Rickie Palomino
is a fucking vault.

CHLOE
Fine. Fine. There was one night
where I got home from the lab
early. I was really quiet because
I'd picked up his favorite IPA and
wanted to surprise him. I snuck up
to the office, cracked the door,
and peeked inside. He was looking
into a microscope and... and... and
masturbating!

Chloe breaks down in tears. Rickie gently pries the cachaça

from her and drinks.

CUT to Paris and Topher's boat, Topher shirtless in front.

Paris watches his muscular back tense as he paddles.

TOPHER
Even the most seasoned explorers
need a captain. Take Rickie, for
example. I grew up reading about
her expeditions. The woman's a
legend. But when I get to this
island, where do I find her? Neck-
deep in quicksand.

PARIS
Is that why Spink sent you out
here? To wrangle us?

TOPHER
No, no. Like I said, I'm a natural
resource specialist.

PARIS
I thought you said you were a
geologist.

Topher twists to look Paris in the eye. Paris melts a little

under Topher's ice-blue gaze.

TOPHER
You understand, Paris. There's
money to be made here, whether it's
from impressions and clicks or...
well, ore.

Paris is suspicious. He looks down at the water.

PARIS
That's weird. I could touch the
bottom with my paddle before.
 30.

WIDE AERIAL SHOT of their boat. Under it is a dark, moving

shape — the silhouette of a massive alligator, 200 feet long.

PARIS (CONT.)
(shouting across the
water)
Hey, Chloe! You see this drop off?

CHLOE
(slightly slurred)
Yeah. I think we might be coming up
on the next biome.

They come up on another salt strip. It forms a clear wall

against the water, visible at least 50 feet down.

TOPHER
I've never seen anything like this.

ANTHONY
Get used to it.

They haul the boats up onto the salt. Topher takes samples.
Paris sees a large object a few yards away and heads for it.
It's a 10-foot-tall alligator skull. He touches it, then
steps inside. He looks back to the crew. All the boats are
on-shore except for Nigel and Angelica's. Nigel is in the
boat, tossing gear to Angelica, who's handing it to Chloe.

PARIS
We better hurry up and [get to —]

A 30-foot-long snapping turtle explodes from the water and

lunges for Nigel, swallowing him up to the waist. Nigel stabs
at the turtle's nose. His knife breaks.

ANGELICA
FUCK, MAN! WHAT THE FUCK!

Angelica scrambles away from the boat, tripping over herself.

The turtle drags Nigel into the water.

A second turtle bursts from the water and lunges for

Angelica. It bites her backpack and drags her toward the
water.

ANGELICA (CONT.)
AGH! FUCK! HELP!

A red flare fires into the turtle's eyes. The turtle lets go
of Angelica and retreats into the water. WHIP PAN to Chloe
holding the flare gun.

The group gathers in the center of the salt and watches the
water where the turtle and Nigel disappeared.

Klaus takes out his video camera. THROUGH THE CAMERA, we see
bubbles rise to the surface. The water turns red with blood.
 31.

KLAUS
We have discovered a terrible new
beast on this island — or, rather,
the beast has discovered us. Our
convoy was attacked by what
appeared to have been an alligator
snapping turtle, though it was
easily forty times the size of the
largest specimen ever recorded.

There's a click off-camera. WHIP PAN to see Angelica

shouldering an M-16 and aiming it at the water.

ANGELICA
FUCK! Nigel was my fucking DUDE!
(cocking the gun)
I'll blast that bitch's scales off!

ANTHONY
They're actually called scutes —

CHLOE
Not now, Anthony.

ANGELICA
Well it better scute back up here
so I can fry the fucker!

There's motion in the water and Angelica fires her machine

gun, screaming obscenities. The last boat is caught in the
crossfire, popping.

TOPHER
(rubbing his temples)
Angelica, the boat...

ANGELICA
FUCK the boats! One of our guys
just got fucking murked and you're
worried about the fucking boats?

TOPHER
(touching Angelica's
shoulder)
Nigel was a good guy. Loyal. But he
knew the risks. He knew there was a
chance he wasn't going home.

ANTHONY
Wait, he did? Because we sure as
shit didn't know that!

TOPHER
(to Anthony)
Any expedition can turn south in
the blink of an eye.
(MORE)
 32.

TOPHER (CONT'D)
(to Angelica)
Listen, Angelica. I know you liked
Nigel, but I need you to buck up.
We have a mission to complete.

Angelica steels herself and nods once. The turtle's eyes

appear in the water, watching.

CHLOE
Based on that skull, there's a lot
worse than giant turtles in this
swamp. Let's just keep moving and
hope the wildlife in the next biome
is at least... normal sized.

CUT TO:

18. INT. CARLYLE'S TRAILER - NIGHT

CARLYLE watches news coverage of Manifest on a tiny TV.

TV ANCHOR
— authorities have decided against
designating the island as a
National Park despite outcry from
preservationists who [believe —]

Carlyle's laptop rings with an incoming video call. He shuts

off the TV and answers. On the other end is OPERATIVE ALPHA
(50), a rugged military man with a 'war room' backdrop.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Doctor Spink. I need a word.

CARLYLE
Evening, Operative Alpha. Have I
complimented your team on the very
cool nicknames?

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Funny. Earlier today, our
intelligence unit detected a
dispatch of additional personnel to
Manifest. Care to explain?

CARLYLE
I do not.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Need I remind you of our agreement,
Doctor Spink?
 33.

CARLYLE
Get it through your thick, Kevlar-
plated skull that I do not answer
to you. And tell your boss that if
he wants to see a single dime from
this project, he better be the one
calling next time. Good night.

Carlyle slams his laptop. There's a light knock at the door.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
Come in!

The PARIS IMPOSTER steps into the trailer, now dressed in his
own clothes — a blazer, scoop-neck tee, and scarf.

CARLYLE
Ah, my handsome faux-Paris. How's
the shoot coming along?

PARIS IMPOSTER
Fine, fine. But it's really riling
up the explorer in my heart. I was
wondering if we might be able to
shoot anything on location?
(melodramatic flair)
I'm simply dying to see Manifest
with mine own eyes.

CARLYLE
We've already got one Paris on the
island — what's the need for two?

PARIS IMPOSTER
He doesn't know about me... does
he? About any of this?

CARLYLE
No. And he will remain in the dark
until his triumphant return.

PARIS IMPOSTER
And when he realizes we've been
faking his content? What then?

Carlyle gets up. The Paris imposter tenses. Carlyle walks

slowly toward a wall shrouded by curtains.

CARLYLE
Let me show something that may help
deepen your portrayal of Paris.

Carlyle throws back the curtain to reveal a cork board

covered in photos and documents. He points to a photo taken
through a window of Paris in bed with a beautiful woman.

PARIS IMPOSTER
My god. Is Paris...
 34.

CARLYLE
Straight? Yes indeed. In fact, he's
got a loyal wife and a beautiful
daughter who he keeps well-hidden
in Sacramento.

Carlyle points to a mugshot of RICKIE looking fucked up.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
Palomino is a run-of-the-mill
pillhead boozehound. Plenty of
skeletons in her closet.

Carlyle points to a photo of a man in a Nazi uniform.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
Ludwig's family has a... shall we
say 'checkered' past.

Carlyle points to a pornographic cartoon of an busty ant.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
And Anthony Green draws bug porn.
SO! As you can see, none of our
explorers will be complaining upon
the completion of their mission.

PARIS IMPOSTER
Christ, that's diabolical. I love
it. What've you got on Mrs. Green?

CARLYLE
Chloe is a different case. She's
very near and dear to my heart.
I've got a special plan for her.

CUT TO:

19. EXT. TERRESTRIAL REEF - DAY

The crew walks through a serene, mesmerizing scene almost

like a coral reef but on land. CHLOE walks in front and
ANGELICA brings up the rear with her gun. Colorful coral
formations tower around them and creatures dash in and out of
holes — colorful birds that look like tropical fish.

ANTHONY
This environment seems to have
mimicked a reef, even miles inland.

CHLOE inspects a branch of coral. She frowns. CLOSE UP on the

coral. The structure is made of bird skeletons fused
together, its color coming from a thin layer of fungus
coating everything. PAN ACROSS the reef — it's all skeletons.

There's a burst of panicked chirping and flapping nearby.

 35.

A beautiful black bird with white spots and a yellow beak

like a clown triggerfish has landed on a branch of coral and
appears stuck. The bird flaps its wings but cannot lift its
feet. A wing hits the coral and gets stuck as well.

Paris runs over to the bird, unsure what to do. CLOSE UP on

the bird's panicked eye. The pink algae coating the coral
creeps up the bird's legs and slowly coats its entire body.
Once it's fully covered, the bird stops moving, dead. Paris
lets slip a loud sob.

CHLOE
No one touch the coral. It's
clearly toxic, maybe carniverous.

ANGELICA
(OS)
JESUS FUCKIN' CHRIST!

They all run over to Angelica. She's staring at an outcrop of

coral, shaking.

ANGELICA (CONT.)
It's a... it's a... dude.

Partially encased in the coral is a human skeleton, frozen in

a state of shock, bones covered in pink algae.

Chloe retches in horror. She stumbles away from the group and
rounds a corner into a clearing between reefs. She falls onto
her hands and knees and pukes in the sand.

Chloe wipes her mouth and looks up. In front of her is a pile
of hundreds of iridescent silver spheres, shimmering,
ominous. She squeezes her eyes shut.

CUT TO:

20. EXT. CAMP - NIGHT

CHLOE opens her eyes. She's sitting in a camp chair wrapped

in a foil blanket. A fire burns in front of her. ANTHONY
walks up and gives her a mug of cocoa.

ANTHONY
How you doing, Chlo? Had me worried
there. It's probably stress, right?
I mean, you touch one thing around
here and zzzt — you're toast.

CHLOE
I don't know. The deeper we go, the
more I feel, like, off-kilter. Like
the island is fucking with my
body's magnetic field or something.
I keep finding these [weird orbs —]
 36.

PARIS
(from across the camp)
Yo, Anthony!

CHLOE
It's fine. Go help Himbo Scientist
pick out a jock strap or whatever.
I'll be in the tent.

Chloe gets up and heads for the tent. Anthony heads over to
PARIS, who's struggling to open a can of tuna.

PARIS
Can you help me with this? Only
tuna I eat is in a Tekkamaki roll.

Anthony takes the can, opens it, and hands it back. Paris
scoops some tuna onto a tortilla.

ANTHONY
(hushed, conspiratorial)
I think she's onto it. Chloe.

PARIS
Oh, God. Have I been that obvious?
I was trying to hide it but I can't
help myself around Topher. I get,
like, butterflies — [in my stomach]

ANTHONY
I meant she's onto us. Wait.
Topher? Really?

PARIS
Why would she be onto us?
(realizing)
Oh no, Anthony. Sweet, sweet
Anthony. You didn't think...

ANTHONY
(storming off)
Never mind! Fuck!

CUT to the CAMP PERIMETER, where TOPHER is kneeling in the

sand with a high-tech soil probe. KLAUS walks up behind him.

KLAUS
Find the rhodium yet?

TOPHER
Shit. You know about that?

KLAUS
I heard a rumor and you just
confirmed it. Now my only question
is: who. You don't strike me as an
auto man. My money's on defense.
(MORE)
 37.

KLAUS (CONT'D)
But which company? Boeing?
Raytheon? Lockheed Martin?

Anger flares up in Topher's face. He pulls the probe from the

sand, swings it over his shoulder, and turns to Klaus.

TOPHER
(venomous)
"To war for man is to breathe; to
exist in peace is to hold your
breath." Recognize that line?

KLAUS
Arrogant pissants have been
misquoting me for decades.

TOPHER
You do love a murky thesis.

KLAUS
Fuck you, warmongering pig!

TOPHER
Fuck you, geriatric loser!

KLAUS
Spoiled wannabe mercenary!

TOPHER
Out-of-touch liberal!

KLAUS
BLOODSUCKER!

TOPHER
HACK!

Klaus pops Topher in the nose. Startled, Topher feels his

face and looks at his hand. Blood. His eyes fill with rage.
He raises the soil probe high in the air.

ANGELICA, out of nowhere, snatches the probe from Topher.

CUT to CHLOE'S TENT, where she opens the device from CARLYLE.
A screen inside flickers on to show Carlyle recording himself
via webcam. In Chloe's other hand, she absently rotates the
two silver orbs in her palm.

CARLYLE
Chloe. I have an urgent message.
The island... it's not what you
think. There's something there.
Topher is looking for it and others
may be on their way.
(MORE)
 38.

CARLYLE (CONT'D)
They believe it's rhodium, but in
reality, it's something entirely
new. A mineral which can infect the
human mind with one goal — its
propagation.

Chloe looks down at the silver orbs in her hand. Frightened,

she drops them and they roll away.

CARLYLE (CONT.)
I believe a secret war is coming.
You need to be very careful, Chloe.

There's a commotion outside the tent. Chloe looks up.

CUT to THE PERIMETER, where Klaus and Topher pant, eyes wild.
There's an awful retching noise from the camp.

ANTHONY
(OS)
Angelica! Come quick! It's Rickie!

They rush over to see Anthony standing over RICKIE, who's in

the fetal position with a puddle of black vomit under her
head. Angelica checks Rickie's pulse. Chloe runs over.

ANGELICA
Is she on medication?

CHLOE
I'll get it.

Chloe runs to Rickie's tent and dives inside. She unzips a

bag and gasps. CLOSE UP on its contents — dozens of
iridescent silver spheres.

Chloe spots a dop kit in the corner of the tent. She takes a
pill bottle out and runs back to the others.

CUT TO:

21. EXT. CATALINA ISLAND BASE CAMP - NIGHT

CARLYLE exits his trailer carrying a fluffy white cat. He

sets the cat down on the grass where it hunts for prey.
Carlyle lights his pipe.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
(O/S)
Howdy, Spink.

Carlyle jumps, dropping his pipe. He spins to see OPERATIVE

ALPHA sitting at a picnic table in tactical gear.

CARLYLE
How'd you get past security?
 39.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Oh, come now, Doctor. You forget
who you're dealing with.

The cat jumps onto Operative Alpha's lap and he pets it.

CARLYLE
What do you want?

OPERATIVE ALPHA
My boss thinks you're playing him.
I'm inclined to agree. I mean,
Topher Hermann? Is this a joke?

CARLYLE
Topher is offering private
security, nothing more.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
I wouldn't hire that man to detail
my kid's prom. What'd Lockheed pay
to edge us out?

CARLYLE
I gave you my answer.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Then we're going in.

CARLYLE
You can't!

OPERATIVE ALPHA
Tell that to Bolivia. The DRC. The
Republican Party. My boss is a very
determined man, Doctor Spink.

CARLYLE
Okay. Okay. I may not be able to
stop you, but if you do enter
Manifest, I have a moral obligation
to provide you with a warning

OPERATIVE ALPHA
We know about the footprints.

CARLYLE
No. Not the footprints. The true
danger of the island is not in its
inhabitants. There is something far
more dangerous in that place.
Something no military-grade
weaponry will protect against...

OPERATIVE ALPHA
You underestimate our technology.
 40.

CARLYLE
You underestimate Manifest.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
No offense, Doctor Spink, but I
don't have time for one of your
famously boring ghost stories.

Operative Alpha picks up the cat by its scruff and throws it

to Carlyle, who catches the cat and makes sure it's okay,
cooing. When he looks up, Operative Alpha has disappeared
into the night.

CUT TO:

22. EXT. TERRESTRIAL REEF - DAY

The crew hikes through the reef, all looking drained. The
order (front to back) is ANGELICA, TOPHER with a black eye,
ANTHONY, CHLOE, KLAUS, PARIS, and RICKIE, pale and weak.

PARIS
You good, Rickie? I gotta say, you
look like shit.

RICKIE
Who, me? I'm as right as rain. Just
a touch of Montezuma's Revenge. Had
it a million times.

KLAUS
(calling up the line)
Hey, Lockheed! How's that shiner?

TOPHER
(grumbling)
Miserable prick.

CHLOE
(quietly to Anthony)
Hey, Ant? If things got bad out
here — like, really bad — and I was
in trouble, you'd save me, right?

ANTHONY
Jesus, Chloe! What kind of question
is that?

CHLOE
It's just... I have this awful
feeling about... everything. It's
hard to explain, but... you've got
my back, right, babe?

Anthony looks back and gives Chloe a reassuring smile.

 41.

ANTHONY
As long as I'm around, you got
nothing to worry about.

Chloe remains unsure.

ANGELICA
Yo! I think we're coming up on
another salt thing!

When they reach the opening, the crew lines up at its edge,
not yet stepping out. PAN ACROSS the stunned faces of the
explorers as they take in the scene across the salt barrier.

CLOSE UP on Angelica's face. In ANGELICA'S POV, we look

across the salt barrier. On the other side is a desert
village. The buildings are all on fire, some bombed out.
There are dead bodies in the streets.

ANGELICA
No. No no no no no.

Angelica looks at the other explorers. All are transfixed on

what they see beyond the barrier.

There's a volley of automatic gunfire behind them. Angelica

whips around. A group of black-clad special operatives
approaches. Leading the team is OPERATIVE ALPHA.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
(through a bullhorn)
THOSE WERE WARNING SHOTS. IF YOU
WANT TO AVOID THE REAL DEAL, LAY
FLAT ON THE SALT WITH YOUR HANDS
BEHIND YOUR HEAD. NOW.

Angelica looks at Topher, who still looks past the salt.

ANGELICA
TOPHER! What the fuck do we do?

Topher snaps out of it. He looks at Angelica.

TOPHER
We go through.

Topher charges toward the village. Angelica follows.

OPERATIVE ALPHA
STOP OR WE SHOOT!

The moment Angelica crosses the threshold, Topher and the

rest of the team disappear. She turns around and the salt has
disappeared. A vast desert stretches behind her. She turns
back to the village and walks. As she nears it, her breath
gets heavy and her heart races. She shoulders her gun.
 42.

ANGELICA
(to herself)
This isn't real. This isn't real.

Angelica goes up to a building. FROM INSIDE, we see the

muzzle of her gun poke through the doorway. She goes in.

It's a living room. There are insurgents dead near the

windows, guns on the floor, blood pooled around them. She
moves into a bedroom with one wall blown apart by explosives.
A mother and two children are dead on the ground.

Angelica bursts out the back door of the building, eyes wild,
pouring sweat. She drops her gun and starts running aimlessly
into the desert.

ANGELICA
This isn't real. This isn't real.
This isn't real. This isn't real.
(to the sky)
HOW DO I GET OUT? HOW DO I GET OUT?
LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!

CUT TO:

23. EXT. INDONESIAN JUNGLE - DAY

RICKIE creeps through a dense tropical jungle.

RICKIE
(to herself)
Come on, Rickie. Don't panic. This
isn't Sumatra. This is some sorta
freaky optical illusion.

She comes across a dirt road and follows it. There are noises
up ahead. She sees a prison-like building surrounded by a
chain link fence. Voices come from inside.

RICKIE
Okay. It's a challenge. If you can
save them this time, you get to
pass through. You got this, Rickie.

Rickie stalks the perimeter of the fence. She finds a hole

already cut and slips through.

INSIDE THE BUILDING, Rickie creeps around corners, pistol

ready. She passes what appear to be empty jail cells.

BIG RED
(O/S, echoing)
Help... help...

The voice takes Rickie's breath away. She freezes.

 43.

RICKIE
No. I can't do it. I can't.

BIG RED
Rickie?

Rickie creeps up to a cell and looks inside. Chained to the

far wall is a massive orangutan, starved and haggard but
still majestic. He turns to see Rickie, eyes bright.

RICKIE
Big Red? Is that you?

The orangutan moves slowly toward her, dragging a chain. He

sticks a long arm through the bars and extends a hand.

BIG RED
Gum?

Rickie, on the verge of both laughter and tears, takes out a

pack of Big Red gum and hands a stick to the orangutan. He
takes the gum and chews it.

BIG RED (CONT.)

Escape?

There's shouting elsewhere in the building. Rickie looks

toward the noise, then back at Big Red.

RICKIE
It's okay, buddy. I'm here. And I'm
not gonna let you down this time.
(pointing her gun at the
lock on the cell door)
Just stand back for a second.

Big Red moves away. Rickie cocks the gun and fires.

CUT TO:

24. EXT. REDWOOD FOREST - DAY

CHLOE wanders through a grove of redwoods in a daze. Light

filters through the huge trees. She looks almost at peace,
nostalgic, trailing her fingers to touch the leaves.

She comes across a tree bigger than the rest with a tunnel
carved into it. The tunnel is pitch black. Her breath
flutters. She takes out a flashlight and tries to turn it on
but it doesn't work. She slaps it — nothing.

Chloe steps into the tunnel. Pitch black. She keeps moving.
Finally, light appears. As she gets closer, she sees a
reading lamp positioned over an armchair. In the armchair is
HER FATHER, reading a magazine.
 44.

Her breath catches in her throat. He sees her and puts the
magazine down.

CHLOE'S FATHER
Chloe! I'm so glad you came.

Chloe croaks but is unable to speak.

CHLOE'S FATHER (CONT.)

I'm sorry. This must be confusing.
Because I'm dead.

Chloe nods.

CHLOE'S FATHER (CONT.)

This is a special, unusual place.
It takes the shape of your loudest,
most resonant geographic memory. In
your case, these woods. Most
flounder in the accompanying
emotions — indeed, your friends are
doing so now — but you, my
daughter, are special. You can use
this place for answers. So, Chloe.
(smiles)
What do you want to know?

Chloe is frozen, overwhelmed. She can barely think.

CHLOE'S FATHER (CONT.)

Surely you can think of something?

CHLOE
I don't know.
(beat)
Okay. There is one thing. Do you...
do you remember that night — I must
have been six or seven — when I
walked in on you and Carlyle in the
home lab? You put me on your lap
and let me look through the
microscope.

CHLOE'S FATHER
Yes, of course I remember.

CHLOE
What, um, what were you looking at?

CHLOE'S FATHER
Now that's a question for Carlyle.
You can find him through that door.

WHIP PAN to a yellow door. Chloe looks back to her father. He

waves, nonchalant. She hesitates, then goes to the door.

On the other side is a cavern containing a large pool of

thick chrome liquid.
 45.

In the middle of the pool, YOUNG CARLYLE paddles a rowboat in

lazy circles.

CHLOE
(trying to get his
attention)
CARLYLE! WHAT IS THIS? WHERE DID
YOU SEND ME?

Carlyle sees her and smiles. He reaches down to the liquid.

From it rises a single iridescent silver orb, like the ones
Chloe has been finding. The orb hovers over his hand.

YOUNG CARLYLE
You know what these are, don't you?

CHLOE
The... the orbs?

YOUNG CARLYLE
Yes, the orbs.

CHLOE
I don't understand!

YOUNG CARLYLE
You've been tasked with protecting
them. It's your duty. Your destiny.

CHLOE
What do you mean? What does any of
this mean?

The chrome fluid starts to rise, spilling toward Chloe's

feet. She backs up, then turns around. The door is gone,
replaced by a black wall. She turns back to Carlyle — he's
gone, too. The chrome fluid rises, covering her feet.

CHLOE (CONT.)
Carlyle? CARLYLE? DAD?

The fluid rises. It's at her waist now. Chloe is frozen in

panic. Her eyes dart, wild. The fluid rises to her chest, her
shoulders, her throat. Before it covers her head, Chloe takes
a final, desperate gulp of air.

CUT TO:

25. EXT. SALT FLATS - DAY

CHLOE wakes with a dramatic gasp. She's spread-eagle on the

next salt barrier, alone. She looks around. On one side is
the ominous redwood forest. On the other side, the edge of
the salt is met with a tall hedge, trimmed to a perfect
square, too dense to see through.
 46.

CHLOE
HELLO? ANTHONY? ANYONE?

Her voice echoes over the salt. There's no trace of life.

Time passes. She sits. She stands. No one comes.

She takes something from her pocket — one of the silver orbs.
She runs her thumb over its surface. She presses it to her
cheek. She puts it in her mouth, holds it for a moment, and
spits it out. Nothing.

Chloe goes to the hedge. She reaches, then draws back.

There's a whispering from inside, impossible to tell whether
it's a voice or the wind.

Chloe goes back to the edge of the redwoods. She shudders,

then goes back to the middle of the salt.

CHLOE (CONT.)
Fuck it.

Chloe plunges into the hedge.

CUT TO BLACK
 47.

CLOSING ACT

26. EXT. VENICE BEACH - DAY

CRASH skateboards down the Venice Beach boardwalk. His board

skids and he wipes out. He rolls over and examines his board
— there's red gunk in the wheels. RACK FOCUS to the
boardwalk, where a few of the red slugs from the island crawl
around in the sand. He picks one up. CLOSE UP on the creature
in his palm. CLOSE UP on Crash's delighted face.

CRASH
Mahalo, little buddy! Where'd you
come from?

The slug chirps. Crash fishes a near-empty weed canister from

his pocket, opens it, and puts the slug inside.

OPERATIVE BETA
(O/S)
Hand it over.

Crash looks up, bewildered, to see OPERATIVE BETA (30s)

standing above him in a black rubber hazmat suit.

CRASH
Finder's keeper's, bro!

OPERATIVE BETA
(putting his hand on a
holstered gun)
In the interest of national
security, I suggest you hand over
the slug. Bro.

CRASH
Chill out. You can have the
friggin' slug. God.

Crash hands over the slug. It squeals and turns blue.

Operative Beta drops the canister in a biohazard bag.

CRASH (CONT.)
Are you, like, CIA or some shit?

OPERATIVE BETA
I represent what you'd call an
'interested party.'

CRASH
Is this about the island? Knew I
smelled something fishy.
 48.

OPERATIVE BETA
You have no idea. Everything you've
been told is a lie, every scrap of
coverage manufactured to placate
you. If you knew the truth about
that place, you'd shit yourself.
(catching himself)
Jesus, why am I telling you this?

CRASH
I dunno, bro.

OPERATIVE BETA
Get the fuck out of here.

Crash gets on his board and skates off. Operative Beta lowers
his visor and stares over the ocean at the island.

OPERATIVE BETA
(into radio)
Sample of the invasive species
acquired. Over.

CUT to Crash dialing a number as he skates away.

CRASH
Yo, Paris? I know I'm not supposed
to do this, but if you don't hit me
back within the hour, I'm gonna
jump in my kayak and paddle out to
that fuckin' island. There's some
freaky shit going on and ol' Crash
is gonna get to the bottom of it,
even if it's the last thing I do.

CUT TO BLACK

ROLL CREDITS to WHOLE NEW WORLD/PRETEND WORLD by SOPHIE.

THE END
E X T R A C T IO N
B Y L U K E M U Y S K E N S