For years, Alison Flierl focused her career on writing for television. But after having a baby in 2019, she decided to turn her attention to writing comedy features on spec. That pivot seems to have really paid off with her recent sale of 'Jason Statham Stole My Bike'.
"I wrote it just for fun," says Flierl, hoping but not expecting it to actually reach action superstar Jason Statham. It did, and he loved the script. Production is now underway ahead of its August 2027 release with director David Leitch (Atomic Blonde) at the helm.
"David is a director and storyteller who brings every project to the next level," she says. While plot details remain tightly under wraps, Flierl's journey is proof that original specs are still in demand.
A Lifelong Storyteller
Long before she was a professional comedy writer, Flierl was the kid making movies with whatever equipment she could get her hands on.
"I have always written stories since I was five. I made a book in third grade that was not a bestseller, but my third-grade friends loved it," she says with a laugh.
After attending Ithaca College's film program, she moved to Los Angeles with little more than ambition and a desire to work in entertainment. Like many writers, she worked her way up through assistant jobs, serving as a manager's assistant, writer's assistant, and script coordinator before eventually landing opportunities in television. Her IMDb page includes credits for writing episodes of Bojack Horseman, working on Nickelodeon's School of Rock, and spending several years in late-night television at Conan.
Building an Action Comedy Around a Real-Life Action Hero
The seed for 'Jason Statham Stole My Bike' came from Flierl's fascination with Statham himself after learning that before becoming a movie star, Statham had been an elite diver who nearly competed in the Olympics. She also discovered stories about his extensive martial arts training and, most importantly, a famous stunt mishap.
"He was doing a stunt where he was driving a truck, and the brakes failed. The truck went into the water with Jason in it, and he survived because of his diving background. I thought, if you did get into trouble with bad guys, he's actually who you would want to call in real life, not just for a movie. So that was sort of where the idea came from."
That observation sparked a simple yet high-concept question: What would happen if Jason Statham showed up in an action-comedy built around his larger-than-life persona? When she first wrote the spec, the story was a bit smaller in scope with fewer locations and bad guys. When Statham and Leitch came on board, she expanded the story's world, adding more characters and set pieces.
"It always had a lot of heart and comedy, and the characters are fun. I was trying to write something that feels grounded but still makes people laugh."
Why This Spec Broke Through
One of the most valuable lessons from Flierl's story is that she wrote a script that genuinely amused her. "I think you have to write for yourself first," she says. "Make yourself laugh first."
After the Writers Guild strike, Flierl shared the script with producers Meredith Berg and Ethan Erwin of Beryllium Entertainment, longtime acquaintances whose work focused primarily on features. They responded immediately and began working to get the script in front of the right people.
Eventually, it landed at 87North, the action powerhouse behind films such as Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, and Nobody. David Leitch responded to the material, and suddenly a script that had started as a passion project became something much bigger.
"The movie gods smiled on me," Flierl says. "I smiled back."
Writing Action Comedy That Works
For writers looking to tackle action comedy themselves, Flierl believes the fundamentals matter more than explosions or stunt sequences.
"I think just writing something that tells a good story, that has conflict and that you're rooting for the characters is what matters," she says.
Her biggest comedy lesson centers on character-specific humor. "Anyone can just write a joke-joke," Flierl says. "You want the jokes to feel like only that person would say it. And then throw in some epic action and make it, yeah, make it sing."
That philosophy comes directly from years spent in comedy rooms and late-night television, where writers quickly learn that memorable laughs come from character, not punchlines.
The Unexpected Value of Improv
Although Flierl doesn't consider herself a performer, she strongly recommends that comedy writers spend time around comedians who perform in front of an audience to get that immediate feedback of laughter when a joke or a bit works.
"I also think taking improv classes or stand-up classes or just being around comedy clubs, being around funny people, helps," she says.
Whether you're pitching in a television writers' room or discussing rewrites with producers and directors, the ability to think on your feet becomes essential. "You have to get comfortable pitching," Flierl says. "Find your confidence."
Using Structure as a Secret Weapon
Despite writing broad comedy and action, Flierl is meticulous about structure. She studies films with subtitles on, paying close attention to when major story beats occur. And she's a devoted user of Final Draft's organizational tools.
"I really do a lot of structuring ahead of time," she says. "The beat board, the story map, all the color coordinating." It's a reminder that even the most outrageous concepts need a solid foundation.
Write the Script Anyway
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from Flierl's story is to swing big, take a risk, and just write that story you know in your heart will be funny.
In an industry dominated by existing intellectual property, Jason Statham Stole My Bike stands as evidence that an original spec can still cut through the noise, especially when it combines a strong concept, memorable characters, and a unique comedic voice.