Monarch Media To Produce First-Time Feature Scribe Jonathan Yu's Coming-Of-Age Dramedy 'Goldfish'
News Source
β’Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:50:51 +0000
π° What Happened
Monarch Media will produce a coming-of-age film called Goldfish, written by first-time screenwriter Jonathan Yu. It is the first script Yu has sold.
The film centres on a 17-year-old high school senior who acts detached and ironic, but is quietly paralysed by fear of failure and abandonment, and of becoming his parents.
Producers Steve Barnett, Alan Powell and Vicky Patel are now looking for a director. Patel was contacted by Yu through a cold email and loved the script straight away.
π The Backstory
A 'cold email' is a message sent to someone you do not know, hoping they will reply. In Hollywood it rarely works, which is why Yu's story stands out.
Coming-of-age films about teenagers figuring out who they are have long been popular with audiences.
Yu studied human biology at UC San Diego and fell in love with storytelling through the Harry Potter books and films before turning to screenwriting.
π― Why It Matters
It is a rare example of an unknown writer breaking in, and a reminder that a strong script can open doors even without famous contacts.
Monarch Media will produce a coming-of-age film called Goldfish, written by first-time screenwriter Jonathan Yu. It is the first script Yu has sold.
The film centres on a 17-year-old high school senior who acts detached and ironic, but is quietly paralysed by fear of failure and abandonment, and of becoming his parents.
Producers Steve Barnett, Alan Powell and Vicky Patel are now looking for a director. Patel was contacted by Yu through a cold email and loved the script straight away.
A 'cold email' is a message sent to someone you do not know, hoping they will reply. In Hollywood it rarely works, which is why Yu's story stands out.
Coming-of-age films about teenagers figuring out who they are have long been popular with audiences.
Yu studied human biology at UC San Diego and fell in love with storytelling through the Harry Potter books and films before turning to screenwriting.
It is a rare example of an unknown writer breaking in, and a reminder that a strong script can open doors even without famous contacts.