MINORITY REPORT
by
Scott Frank
REVISED DRAFT
May 16, 2001
BLACK
We hear a woman WHISPER:
WOMAN'S VOICE
Murderer.
FADE IN: A SERIES OF IMAGES
Some coming at us fast and furious, some slowed down, and
some still as photographs, none making sense to us yet:
A HAND picks up a PAIR OF SCISSORS... THE FACE OF ABRAHAM
LINCOLN. The SCISSORS POKE THROUGH THE EYE. A NEWSPAPER BOY
rides by on a recumbent bike. A NEWS PAPER HITS THE GROUND.
SNIP go the scissors and now we see...
A MAN'S face watching us -- muscular, handsome -- with a
KID'S FACE beside his own. The same man's face with the
kid's face on the other side of him, now facing backwards.
SNIP go the scissors and we now see...
A WOMAN admires herself in a mirror. WATER runs into a
BATHTUB. A HAND REACHES FOR A DOORKNOB. WE MOVE THROUGH IT,
leaving the DOOR OPEN BEHIND US. A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. SNIP
go the scissors and we now see...
The woman UNBUTTONS HER BLOUSE as THE MAN -- now half-nude,
WATCHES from a doorway. We START UP THE STAIRS. A DOOR at
the top, slightly ajar. SNIP go the scissors and we see...
The WOMAN at the mirror. The MAN comes up behind her and
enfolds her in his arms. SNIP and we see...
A KISS on the NECK. SNIP. SNIP. And we CONTINUE ON UP THE
STAIRS. We're at the door now. SNIP. A HAND now dips into
the rush of WATER from the spout, testing it. SNIP SNIP SNIP
and we see...
THE WOMAN smiling into the MIRROR, pleased with her
reflection. SNIP SNIP and we see...
The WOMAN and the MAN on the bed making love. ANOTHER MAN'S
face rising over the bed now as he watches. The WOMAN looks
over her lover's shoulder, sees the face and sits up...
The man by the bed is smaller than the lover, older, but
ENRAGED as he now raises THE SCISSORS and we PULL AWAY TO
REVEAL:
That we're looking at the image as it plays out inside the
dark pupil of a HUMAN EYE. The eye BLINKS and now we go...
WIDER, we're looking now at A FEMALE FACE staring up at us --
eyes blue as gas flames -- floating in some sort of WHITE
LIQUID as she looks up at us and speaks:
FEMALE FACE
Howard --
PULLING BACK STILL FURTHER we see A MALE FACE next to her:
MALE FACE
I forgot my glasses.
THE SCISSORS SNIP.
MALE FACE
You know how blind I am without
them.
WE SEE THE WOMAN IN THE BEDROOM
As she SCREAMS and the man stabs her in the throat with the
scissors as now the MUSCULAR MAN gets out of the bed, tries
to run for the safety of the bathroom, gets stabbed in the
back. QUICK FLASHES of the scissors as the muscular man goes
down.
The bloody scissors bounce open onto the bathroom floor.
Now BLOOD-RED water begins to overflow onto the floor. We
follow the water through the cracks and lines in the tile, to
an OUTSTRETCHED HAND, still, striped with blood. We then...
DISSOLVE TO:
THE THREE FACES
As they shut their eyes, begin to slowly sink back down into
the white liquid as they all whisper together:
THE THREE OF THEM
Murderer.
As their faces disappear into the milky void, we HEAR A SIREN
ALARM and now see...
A RED BALL - ANALYTICAL ROOM
Rolling fast down a chute from the top right CORNER OF FRAME.
And now another RED BALL rolls down from the top left corner.
The motion is slowed for an instant so that we can see NAMES
etched into it: SARAH MARKS. And then: DONALD DOOBIN.
It rolls past and now A SECOND RED BALL rolls right at us
from the top left. The motion on this one is slowed for an
instant so that we can read the name etched into the side:
"HOWARD MARKS". Just as it rolls over to us, we now see...
INSIDE PRECRIME HEADQUARTERS - MAIN FLOOR
Slides open, revealing senior detective JOHN ANDERTON. Mid
thirties, military haircut. He pushes through a second,
pressurized door, leading us past a series of glassed-in
offices and viewbicles.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
ANDERTON
Okay, Jad, what's coming?
JAD
Red Ball -- double homicide: one
male, one female. Killer's male,
white, 40's.
JAD (28, African- American), the main dispatcher, one of six
TEAM MEMBERS crowded around the computer display. They back
off so Anderton can take a look.
JAD
We need confirmation on the time
frame. Location still uncertain.
Remote witnesses are hooked in...
ANDERTON
Case #1108, previsualized by the
Precogs and recorded on holoshpere
by Precrime's q-stacks.
(to a screen)
My fellow witnesses for case #1108
are Dr. Katherine James and Chief
Justice Frank Pollard.
ON A VIDEO SCREEN
As a split-image emerges of James and Pollard in their
respective offices.
ANDERTON
Have the witnesses previewed and
validated #1108?
INT. POLLARD'S OFFICE - MORNING
As an elderly man, retired CHIEF JUSTICE FRANK POLLARD stares
at a video monitor showing the Prevision.
POLLARD
Affirmative. Validated.
INT. DR. JAMES' OFFICE - MORNING
As KATHERINE JAMES, a bespectacled, middle-aged criminal
psychologist yawns, a big cup of coffee in one hand.
JAMES
Go get him.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Anderton pulls a small disc from his pocket.
ANDERTON
Stand by...
The men all share knowing glances as he inserts the disc into
a player and we now hear a STRAUSS SYMPHONY OVER...
Anderton slips on an eyepiece and special finger gloves, then
moves his hands over the huge PREVISION SCREEN, "conducting"
the array of images we saw during the opening. The screen
responds to wherever he looks, or whatever he touches...
ANDERTON
Alright, Howard, where are you...
INT. SUBURBAN D.C. KITCHEN - MORNING
We HEAR BIRDS CHIRPING, someone HUMMING softly, then...
A WOMEN'S VOICE
Breakfast!
SARAH, the woman we just saw murdered, cooks breakfast,
bathed in a halo of bright sunshine that streams in from a
window. She looks up, smiles. A beautiful day outside.
VOICE
For score and seven years ago our
fathers brought forth on this,
um...
She sets two plates of scrambled eggs down on the table where
her SON -- 10 -- sits reciting the Gettysburg Address as he
cuts out A CARDBOARD MASK with a pair of SCISSORS, poking
through Lincoln's eyes to make holes he can see through.
SARAH
Continent...
SON
Continent. A new nation, conceived
in liberty...
SARAH
Howard?! Breakfast!
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
Everybody in the room working on the vision. A team of
researchers study the buildings. The trees in the area.
JAD
I show eight "Howard Marks" inside
the District. Sorting by race and
age.
On another screen, Driver's license photos now begin to FLASH
PAST.
ANDERTON
Let's see if we can get lucky...
He ZOOMS IN on the image of a NEWSPAPER. The headline reads
PRESIDENT SUPPORTS PRECRIME AMENDMENT...
ANDERTON
Come on...
EXT. BROWNSTONE IN GEORGETOWN - MORNING
As the SPRINKLERS COME ON just as HOWARD MARKS, the older man
we saw stab his wife, steps out of the house.
VOICE
Morning, Mr. Marks.
He looks over as A PAPERBOY waves from a recumbent bicycle
and tosses A NEWSPAPER. As it flies at us...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
The image auto-enhances as we zoom in closer to the newspaper
sitting on the KITCHEN TABLE. We see AN ADDRESS LABEL with
the name HOWARD MARKS...
EXT. BROWNSTONE - MORNING
As the paper lands on the lawn, starts to get soaked by the
sprinklers. Howard frowns at the kid, reaches through the
water to grab it...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Anderton sees that the INK ON THE WET ADDRESS LABEL has
run, blurring the information. Jad shakes his head.
JAD
We can't grab it...
ANDERTON
Run the subscription list...
EXT. BROWNSTONE - MORNING
As A MOUNTED POLICEMAN rides by. Howard smiles, turns and
starts to head back inside when he notices something across
the street...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Anderton focuses now on the "murder room". He ZOOMS IN on
a blurry nightstand clock. A stack of books blocks it... He
ZOOMS OUT THE WINDOW...
ANDERTON
I've got north facing shadows out
the window of the building behind.
I need trig and image analysis...
VECTORS from the shadows appear on the screen now.
JAD
Workin' it.
Anderton turns and looks at THREE SCREENS showing the male
faces and the female face floating in the liquid we saw in
the beginning.
ANDERTON
Morning, detectives.
The faces don't respond. Just stare into the void. Anderton
touches the screen and now the FEMALE seems to turn and look
at him.
EXT. BROWNSTONE - MORNING
Howard Marks pauses, notices A MAN -- handsome, muscular,
practically bursting out of a nice suit -- loitering in front
of the small park across the street. Howard studies the man
a moment as Sarah appears in the doorway behind him, sees him
looking at the man.
SARAH
Breakfast, honey.
And now the Man across the street looks this way, sees
Howard, sees Sarah right behind him and quickly moves off.
HOWARD
He looks familiar.
SARAH
Who?
HOWARD
The man across the street. I've
seen him before...
SARAH
How can you even tell? You know
how blind you are without your
glasses.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Jad looks at an array of Driver's License Photos... We see
ONE FOR HOWARD MARKS. Then ANOTHER FOR SARAH MARKS. Same
address.
JAD
Got him in the Foxhall. 4421
Gainsborough.
ANDERTON
Send a DCPD blue & white out there,
set up a perimeter and tell 'em
we're en route. What's our
confirmed time?
JAD
From solar position, Trig & Image
confirms it at approximately eight
oh-four a.m.
The whole team looks up at the clock on the wall. 7:47.
Anderton sets THE TIMER ON HIS WATCH.
FLETCHER
Seventeen minutes.
ANDERTON
Armor up -- sick-sticks and
concussion guns -- this is gonna be
close.
INT. PRECRIME READY ROOM - MORNING
Like a firehouse, everybody slipping into uniform, riding up
poles on chairs. A flurry of activity as weapons, helmets,
and other newfangled gear are pulled from wall racks.
KNOTT, a big redhead, thick of neck and thicker of head,
hands out the gear. He takes what looks like A BILLY CLUB
and points it at a HEAVYSET COP who wolfs down the last of a
Danish...
KNOTT
Hey, Steadman, wanna lose those ten
ugly pounds like right now?
The cop reacts, pushes the stick away...
PETROTTA
Touch me with that puke-pole,
asshole, you're gonna wear the
fuckin' risoto I had for dinner
last night along with the two
chilidogs I had for breakfast.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Jad spins around in his chair...
JAD
Chief, we got a problem with our
location --
Anderton looks at him.
JAD
It's no longer there.
Jad indicates a video screen showing VIDEO BOT VIEW OF A FIRE
CHARRED HOME. Only one wall is left standing...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Anderton looks at the Prevision, begins manipulating the
images... He glances at the PRECOG MONITOR. The female face
writhes in the screen and Anderton looks at her.
ANDERTON
Where we going, Agatha? Talk to
me.
Anderton turns away as FLETCHER (30), second in command
approaches Anderton. The FEMALE FACE turns and seems to look
at Anderton through the screen.
FLETCHER
Chief, the investigator from the
Fed is here.
ANDERTON
(distracted)
You're kidding, that's today?
FLETCHER
I wrote it down in your calendar,
then left a message at your house --
ANDERTON
(working)
All I need, some twink from the Fed
poking around right now.
(then, to Jad)
Check again with the paper, they
had it forwarded. See if the
neighbors know where they went,
check all relations --
FLETCHER
Uh, sir...
ANDERTON
Get him some coffee and tell him to
wait outside.
VOICE
I've got coffee, thank you.
Anderton turns to see DANNY WITWER. Mid-twenties, quietly
looking at everything and everyone. He extends his hand.
WITWER
Danny Witwer.
(then)
The "Twink from the Fed". Gum?
Anderton gives him a look, Witwer offers Anderton a stick of
GUM.
JAD
The Marks moved two weeks ago. No
one knows where. Still searching
for family and employer.
MECHANICAL VOICE
Time horizon: 12 minutes...
Anderton looks at his watch: COUNTING DOWN, 12 MINUTES.
ANDERTON
I'm sorry Danny, but I'll have to
give you the full tour later on.
WITWER
Your secretaries were all kind
enough to give me a look around the
office...
Anderton looks through the glass doors where A HALF DOZEN
FEMALE PRECRIME OFFICE WORKERS ogle Witwer, even one that's
pregnant (a moving image of her baby on the front of her
maternity T-shirt). They ALL CHEW GUM.
Witwer watches as Anderton moves his fingers across the
display, "flying through" the precrime scene, moving forward
and back in time. ARCHITECTURAL REFERENCE SCREENS run side
by-side with the Prevision Screen...
ANDERTON
Original running bond brick
pattern, streamlined early Georgian
Details...
Fletcher begins pointing out the equipment to Witwer who just
listens quietly... asks no questions.
FLETCHER
What he's doing now, we call
"scrubbing the image", looking for
clues as to where the murder's
going to happen.
ANDERTON
The brick has been repointed, the
glass is original with new glazing
bars. I show composite mouldings
with dentils.
(then)
Someone took care in the
renovation. Let's find the
architect...
FLETCHER
Victims are pronounced here.
Killers here. We never touch
anything.
ANDERTON
I show a cop on horseback.
JAD
Somewhere near the capital?
ANDERTON
No maglev system.
JAD
The mall?
ANDERTON
Georgetown.
Fletcher introduces Witwer to a female member of the team.
FLETCHER
This is Evanna, the team pilot.
WITWER
Nice to meet you. Gum?
She gives him a once over, takes a piece of gum.
EVANNA
Oh, thank you...
He pops a piece in his own mouth, cuts a look back at her...
WITWER
She's cute.
Witwer now notices the three faces on screen, can't take his
eyes off them. Witwer looks at the images on the screen.
These three faces writhing in agony.
FLETCHER
Filtered, the Precogs can see
outward up to four days with a
sensory range of 200 miles.
Witwer stares at them, blowing a bubble.
WITWER
So if you wanna kill someone, you
take him to Miami.
FLETCHER
Not after the vote next week. Once
the Amendment passes, we go
national, there's gonna be nowhere
to run.
Anderton cuts a look at him as Jad indicates a 3D map full of
BLUE DOTS...
JAD
Two Howard Markses EYEdented in the
sprawl. Neither show married --
Anderton looks at THE REFERENCE SCREENS AS THEY SCROLL
THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL IMAGERY...
ANDERTON
I show a match for Dwight Kingsley.
Nineteenth century architect. He
did two dozen houses in D.C....
MECHANICAL VOICE
Time Horizon, ten minutes...
Witwer reacts to the incessant RINGING OF THE ALARM BELL.
WITWER
Can't they shut that off?
FLETCHER
That's the Red Ball Alarm.
Witwer looks at him.
FLETCHER
Crime of passion. No
premeditation. They show up late.
Most of our scrambles are flash
events like this one. We rarely
see anything with premeditation
anymore.
WITWER
People have gotten the message.
(to Fletcher)
Gum?
INT. MARKS KITCHEN - MORNING
As Howard sits down with his son who keeps cutting the piece
of cardboard while reciting the address.
SON
... the world will little note, nor
long remember what we say here...
HOWARD
(looks at Sarah)
I was thinking, maybe I'd play
hooky, stay home today.
Her back to him, Sarah pauses for just a second.
SARAH
What about your meeting?
HOWARD
I'll reschedule. I've been working
too much anyway.
The boy holds up what WE NOW SEE IS A LINCOLN MASK to his
face...
SON
... that these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause
for which they gave us they gave
the last full measure of
devotion...
He looks at the back of his wife as he pokes at his
breakfast.
HOWARD
We could have lunch together.
SARAH
I'd love to, but I've got an open
house today at the Ressler place.
HOWARD
Ah. That must be why you look so
nice.
As Sarah turns and smiles at Howard.
SARAH
Raincheck?
HOWARD
Sure. Raincheck.
SON
... that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died
in vain...
We hear a HORN HONK O.S. Sarah looks at her son.
SARAH
Your ride's here. Get your stuff.
The boy gets up, setting THE SCISSORS down on the table.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
Two men act as "dressers", getting Anderton into gear while
he works. They help him on with a jacket, the word PRECRIME
emblazoned on the back.
JAD
Director. Line three.
And now we see an IMAGE OF LAMAR BURGESS, DIRECTOR OF
PRECRIME in one corner.
BURGESS
Tell me not to worry, John.
ANDERTON
Don't worry, Lamar.
BURGESS
The nation votes this week...
Anderton notices something on the prevision screen, brushes
off the "dressers".
BURGESS
Which makes this the worst possible
time to show that we're only human.
ANDERTON
(working)
Uh-huh...
BURGESS
Has the observer from Justice shown
up yet?
ANDERTON
Hang on, Lamar --
Anderton mutes the director, looks at AN IMAGE OF THE
MUSCULAR MAN IN THE SUIT. There's a CHILD'S FACE to the left
of his own.
INT. MARKS KITCHEN - MORNING
Howard takes his jacket and leaves. Sarah watches after him
for a beat, a little out of sorts.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Anderton indicates the screen to Jad. Witwer watches.
ANDERTON
Look at the kid. In this one, he's
on the left of the man in the suit.
JAD
Yeah? So?
ANDERTON
Now look at him...
Anderton moves his hand so the image changes and the kid is
now to the right of the man, but FACING BACKWARDS. He now
moves back and forth between the images...
ANDERTON
It's a park.
He runs the image and we see the kid back on the left facing
front, then on the other side facing back...
EXT. PARK ACROSS FROM THE MARKS BROWNSTONE - MORNING
The HANDSOME MAN IN THE SUIT watches the house. Behind him,
we see A KID ON A PUSH MERRY-GO-ROUND, as he goes by we see
him facing one way, then the other...
The man glances about, then crosses the street. He climbs
the steps to the front door. Doesn't even get to knock
before Sarah opens it.
SARAH
Come on...
The man follows her inside. A beat later, Howard steps into
FRAME. He never really left for work.
INT. PRECRIME - MORNING
As Anderton runs with his team -- five in all. Witwer trails
behind them.
FLETCHER
There's only sixteen of those old
merry-go-rounds left in the city.
Two of which are in Georgetown.
One in Barnaby woods, the other
Woodley.
Anderton looks at the readout Fletcher hands him.
ANDERTON
Woodley's all Victorian. It's
gotta be Barnaby Woods.
(keeps moving)
I want two cameras: one Spyder, one
floater.
Witwer watches as Anderton pulls a .45 from his waistband.
Jacks the clip and checks it.
WITWER
As I recall, they outlawed
compression firearms in the
District ten years ago.
ANDERTON
(replacing the clip)
They did. Make yourself
comfortable. We'll be back in an
hour.
WITWER
You mind if I tag along?
Some looks amid the team. They know Anderton doesn't want
him here.
ANDERTON
I'd love to take you along,
Inspector, but there's no room on
the ship.
EXT. DEPARTMENT OF PRECRIME - ROOF - MORNING
Anderton and his team head for a HOVERSHIP. Anderton climbs
in beside EVANNA, the female pilot. Even with everyone
onboard, one seat is conspicuously vacant. KASI, an African
American cop, sets some equipment on it, smiles at Anderton.
EVANNA
Time Horizon six minutes.
As the hovership lifts off.
EXT. MARKS HOUSE - GEORGETOWN - MORNING
Howard walks up the steps to his house, takes out his key.
His hand shaking, he inserts the key into the lock. A long
beat. He makes a decision and he finally turns it.
INT. MARKS HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING
We hear LAUGHING from the second floor. Howard picks up the
scissors from the table.
INT. HOVERSHIP - MORNING
As Anderton looks at his watch. COUNTING DOWN 5:38...
5:37...
INT. MARKS HOUSE - MORNING
As we HEAR FOOTSTEPS and Howard steps behind a door, watches
as the Lover, wrapped only in a towel, comes WHISTLING into
the kitchen, grabs a couple of sodas from the refrigerator,
then heads back out.
EXT. D.C. - MORNING
Overhead, the precrime Hovership ROARS past. In the
distance, we see familiar Washington buildings, along with
some new ones.
INT. MARKS HOUSE - MORNING
Howard starts up the stairs. We hear the sound of WATER
RUNNING.
INT. MARKS HOUSE - MORNING
Howard gets to the door, slowly pushes it open with the point
of the SCISSORS.
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
As we see Sarah's reflection in the bathroom mirror as she
wraps her arms around her lover, kicks the door closed with
her foot.
We now see HOWARD MARKS standing there, reflected in the full
length mirror on the other side.
EXT. PARK - MORNING
The only sound, the SQUEAK OF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND as the kid
goes round and round. All of a sudden several PRECOPS drop
down on DESCENDERS. The kid looks off at them, confused as
to why it's now raining cops... he slowly looks UP and sees
THE HOVERSHIP floating above him...
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
We hear GIGGLING O.S. as Howard Marks sits down on the bed,
and starts to weep, he slides onto the floor...
EXT. PARK - MORNING
As Anderton studies his portable screen, the image of the kid
with the house behind him. He looks up and realizes that the
PARK IS SURROUNDED ON FOUR SIDES BY HOUSES. And THEY ALL
LOOK ALIKE...
INT. PRECRIME HOVERSHIP - MORNING
As Evanna watches the image, watches Howard Marks kill his
wife over and over. The rest of the team is anxious.
MECHANICAL VOICE
Time Horizon. One minute.
EVANNA
Chief, we're catching up to the
future.
EXT. PARK - MORNING
As Anderton calmly looks around at the surrounding houses,
all we hear is the SQUEAK of the merry-go-round.
ANDERTON
Jad?
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Jad answers the call. Witwer is right there watching.
JAD
Go ahead.
ANDERTON (PHONE)
Did he close the front door?
JAD
What?
ANDERTON (PHONE)
Did Marks close the front door?!
Jad looks over the prevision a moment. He sees the image of
the front door... the stairs just beyond it...
JAD
Negative -- front door is open!
The front door is open!!
EXT. PARK - MORNING
As Anderton scans the houses, sees one across the park with
the door open --
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
As the two lovers now stumble wet from the bathroom onto the
bed, neither of them see Howard sitting there on the floor on
the other side of the bed, his head in his hands. They start
to make love. Howard doesn't move.
EXT. PARK - MORNING
As Anderton makes a headlong dash for the house. The other
cops right behind him...
INT. PRECRIME HOVERSHIP - MORNING
As Evanna takes off...
MECHANICAL VOICE
Time Horizon, thirty seconds --
EVANNA
Hold on!
The craft pitches as she heads over the park now...
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
As the motion of the two lovers now begins to rock Howard
back and forth. He looks at the SCISSORS in his lap, also
rocking back and forth to the rhythm of the two in the bed.
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
As Anderton blows through the open front door...
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
As Howard now stands up, looks down at the bed, his face
turning from disgrace to rage as he raises the scissors over
his head.
INT. HOUSE - MORNING
As Anderton sprints up the stairs, the other cops behind him.
INSERT - HIS WATCH COUNTING DOWN the last few seconds...
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
As Sarah opens her eyes, sees Howard standing there over the
shoulder of her lover and gasps.
SARAH
Howard --
HOWARD
I forgot my glasses.
The lover rolls off of her and sits up.
HOWARD
You know how blind I am without
them.
She sees the scissors in his hand. SCREAMS. He's bringing
them down when, suddenly, the HAND HOLDING THE SCISSORS IS
GRABBED by Anderton...
HOWARD
What --
TIGHT ON THEIR TWO HANDS
As Anderton's watch BEEPS as it counts down the last second
and now...
... the SKYLIGHT OVERHEAD EXPLODES, wood and glass flying
everywhere as the other Precops descend from the Hovership,
drop straight into the room.
A FLOATING CAMERA BOT pushes past Anderton to the center of
the room.
CAMERA BOT - POV
GRIDS and VECTORS place and locate everyone in the room. A
screen-within-a-screen zooms in on the SCISSORS. It films
Sarah's lover as he comes away from the bed.
ANDERTON
Mr. Marks, you're under arrest
for --
Howard makes a run for the door...
ANDERTON
Knott --
Knott grabs him, but the man puts up a fight.
Anderton takes a hand-held device from his belt (A SPYDER)
and scans Marks' retina.
ANDERTON
Positive for Howard Marks --
Howard stands frozen, mouth agape as he now fully sees the
PRECRIME SHIP hovering right out the window.
ANDERTON
By mandate of the District of
Columbia Precrime division, I'm
placing you under arrest for the
future murder of Sarah Marks and
Donald Doobin that was to take
place today, April 22, at oh-eight
hundred hours, four minutes --
SARAH
What?
HOWARD
I didn't do anything! Sarah!
ANDERTON
(to Fletcher)
Give the man his hat.
And now the other team members grab hold of Howard and start
to shave his head with an electric sheer right there on the
stairs, his hair falling in clumps to the floor below.
HOWARD
Oh, God. Don't put the halo on me!
And now Fletcher steps forward with what is essentially a
metal HALO. Fletcher places it on Howard's head while he
screams...
HOWARD
I wasn't going to do it! I wasn't
going to hurt her! I just wanted
to scare her!
As the halo is fitted onto his head, Howard's body arches in
a convulsive shock, his eyes rolling white into his head as
he finally goes limp.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - MORNING
As Witwer watches the Prevision Screen.
WITWER
I thought they stopped the murder --
Jad looks over as Witwer indicates an image of Howard Marks
stabbing his wife, now from a slightly different angle.
JAD
That's just an echo.
(smiles)
Precog Deja Vu.
(looks at the screen)
Some of the really bad ones, the
Precogs see over and over again.
The stabbing happens again and Jad moves his hand across the
screen and it goes BLANK. Witwer looks at the PRECOG SCREEN,
watches as the female rolls over and sinks under the milk.
INT. MARKS HOUSE - MORNING
Anderton goes into the bathroom and SHUTS OFF THE WATER in
the bathtub just as it's about to overflow.
He stands, sees Sarah, hugging herself in the middle of the
room. She stares back at him, confused and overwhelmed as we
now...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. INNER CITY - NIGHT
As Anderton, now in a hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants, jogs
through the rain, the neighborhood around him getting worse
and worse as he goes.
INT. A DARK ROOM - NIGHT
We can see Howard Marks' breath as he's laid out naked on a
metal table. His head has been shaved.
VOICE OVER
Precrime: It works!
EXT. INNER CITY - NIGHT
As Anderton runs through the city, we now hear OTHER VOICES
joining in saying the same thing, over and over, finally
overlapping one another:
VOICES
PRECRIME: IT WORKS!
(until we hear)
IT WORKS IT WORKS IT WORKS...
And now, PROJECTED ON THE WALL BESIDE ANDERTON, we start to
see a SERIES OF HUGE CLOSE-UPS as he runs by:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN
I used to worry about my children
going to the playground...
POLICEMAN
My partner was murdered...
VARIOUS PEOPLE
My sister was murdered... My
brother was killed... I was
attacked in the stairwell... My
teacher was stabbed... My neighbor
was shot... My child was
murdered...
And now we see a series of shocking murder scenes, as the
above testimonials continue in the b.g.
INT. DARK ROOM - NIGHT
A LARGER METAL HALO, spikes pointing inward, is fitted onto
Howard Marks' head. He starts to SCREAM...
A DEEP VOICE
In a world where we look to science
for answers, they were a gift...
EXT. INNER CITY - NIGHT
As Anderton runs along the wall, the PROJECTIONS CONTINUE:
the images are of different people on the street now. WE
BEGIN PULLING BACK...
VARIOUS PEOPLE
I was going to be killed in my
apartment... He was going to rape
me and then stab me... It was going
to happen in a parking lot... We
were having marital problems, I had
no idea he would try and...
So that now we see we're looking at some sort of SCREEN ON
THE SIDE OF THE BUILDINGS. On it, we see a shot of the
Precrime building, a statue of the precogs out front.
THE DEEP VOICE
And now, Precrime is coming to your
state, allowing you to sleep as
well as we do in the District of
Columbia.
Anderton, runs past the HUGE PROJECTION...
THE DEEP VOICE
On April 30, vote Yes on the
National Precrime Referendum and
make murder a thing of the past.
On the screen we see a SCHOOLYARD FULL OF KIDS...
CHILDREN
Precrime: It works!
Above Anderton, in the middle of the projection, some MENTAL
CASE sticks his head out a window and SCREAMS at the night.
EXT. INNER CITY - DARK
As Anderton slows down, turns up a DARK ALLEY. He pauses,
looks around.
ANDERTON
Lycon?
A VOICE
What's the matter, can't sleep?
Anderton turns and we see a dark FIGURE in a black coat
sitting in a doorway. LYCON.
ANDERTON
I just need a little clarity.
LYCON
True that. You want the customary,
or the new and improved?
ANDERTON
I'll try the new stuff.
Anderton reaches into his sock and takes out some CASH.
Lycon takes out his own, much filthier sock and reaches
inside. He pulls out a handful of tiny BLACK INHALERS and
holds a few of them out to Anderton who hesitates, then takes
them.
LYCON
Sweet dreams, Chief.
"Chief". Anderton turns and looks at the Dealer.
LYCON
Oh, don't worry none, your secret's
safe with me.
After all, you gonna be The Big
Boss soon enough, be nice to have a
little juice on my side.
ANDERTON
What makes you say I'm gonna be the
boss?
LYCON
You're the perfect man for the job.
It's like my Daddy used to say, "In
the land of the blind..."
Lycon leans forward and the moonlight catches his face, and
we see that BOTH OF HIS EYES ARE GONE FROM THEIR SOCKETS.
LYCON
"The one eyed-man is King".
Lycon starts to laugh. Anderton watches him a moment, then
turns and jogs off into the wet night.
INT. ANDERTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Dark. Rain falls on the towers and pavilions of the inner
city that fill the large windows. The front door opens and
Anderton comes inside. When he turns on a light, we see the
place is a complete mess.
Trash and black INHALERS litter the floor. Clothing is
strewn about. In the kitchen, cupboards, even the
refrigerator door have been left open. You might think the
place has been burglarized, but it's just the way he left it.
Anderton walks past a bedroom -- an airplane bed and toys on
the floor tell us this was once a kid's room. He continues
on to...
HIS BEDROOM
Where he peels off his sweatshirt, then moves to the bed and
sticks the old .45 back under the pillow it came from.
On the nightstand, are piles of NEWS CLIPPINGS, all of them
with headlines like "BOY MISSING ELEVEN YEARS RETURNS HOME!"
Or "FAMILY FIGHTS TO CLONE DEAD CHILD" or "GIRL RESCUED FROM
KIDNAPPERS AFTER TWO YEAR ORDEAL".
Anderton grabs a BLACK INHALER from atop one of the clippings
and shakes it, sees that there's still something in it. He
takes it, goes into...
THE SOLARIUM
Anderton moves to a COMPUTER and types in an entry. All at
once, the room begins to fill with HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGES of his
son, SEAN. The images are ghostlike, not solid; created by a
dozen LASER PROJECTORS placed around the room.
The scenes themselves are "stolen" from birthday parties,
outings and vacations from a life that's somehow no more.
In one of them, his son Sean (age 2), playing with toys on
the floor with LARA, Anderton's ex-wife. Anderton looks at
Lara a moment, reaching out to her when we hear...
SEAN
Daddy!
Anderton looks to a HOLOGRAM where Sean (age 4) is throwing a
Frisbee on a beach. The hologram-Sean looks up in Anderton's
general direction as he throws...
SEAN
Catch!
And the Frisbee sails right through Anderton. He takes a
deep hit off the inhaler and then looks around the room.
ANDERTON'S POV
As the images GRADUALLY BEGIN TO FILL IN. LOOK REAL.
SEAN
Hi, Daddy...
Anderton moves to one of the images in the middle of the room
and crouches down in front of it.
ANDERTON
Hi, Sean. How was your day?
And then the image cuts to Sean (age 6) holding a soccer
ball...
SEAN
I scored a goal!
ANDERTON
That's great.
And now the IMAGE JUMPS and we see Sean (age 4) at a younger
age...
SEAN
I raced mommy!
And we see LARA, smiling beside him on a beach. Anderton
looks at Lara a moment, then...
SEAN
I won!
ANDERTON
What a big boy. How old are you?
The image JUMPS and we see Sean (age 6)...
SEAN
I want pizza!
Wrong answer. Anderton frowns, goes over to the computer,
starts searching through the images. He stops when he sees
one of Sean at age 4, at a birthday party, holding up four
fingers. He then walks back to the image...
ANDERTON
(tries again)
How old are you, Sean?
And now the holo-image JUMPS so that it's the same as the one
we just saw on the computer. SEAN HOLDS UP FOUR FINGERS.
ANDERTON
Four. Wow. What a big boy.
(then)
I love you, Sean.
SEAN
(age 2)
I love you, too!
(age 4)
I love you daddy.
(age 6)
Love ya, dad.
Anderton sits down on the floor beside the image and takes
another hit off the inhaler. He then lies back and watches
his "son" as we now...
FADE OUT.
VINCENT NASH (V.O.)
On the eve of a national referendum
that will make all of our citizens
safe from violent crime...
FADE IN:
INT. ANDERTON'S APARTMENT - MORNING
As Anderton opens an eye, looks off AT A CLOCK TV that shows
the image of L. VINCENT NASH, U.S. Attorney General as he
addresses a press conference at Precrime...
NASH
... it's the responsibility of the
Justice Department to fully review
and inspect the Precrime system.
Anderton sits up, looks at the screen. To his horror, he
sees WITWER sitting at a long table beside Nash with LAMAR
BURGESS sitting on the other side. The chair next to Burgess
EMPTY...
ANDERTON
Shit --
Anderton jumps to his feet, begins ripping off his sweats and
getting dressed as fast as he can. He grabs his shirt off
the answering machine...
SYNTH VOICE
You have twelve messages.
BURGESS' VOICE
John? Where the hell are you?
Anderton sits on the bed and starts pulling on his boots.
BURGESS
Speaking on behalf of Precrime, I'd
just like to say that we welcome
any review by Attorney General Nash
and his team, although I must say
I'm somewhat baffled by their
timing.
Anderton grabs his coat, pulls his .45 out from under the
pillow and tucks it away behind his back.
BURGESS
In the six years we've been
conducting our little experiment
there hasn't been a single murder
in the District.
Anderton opens the door and gets RIGHT INTO HIS VEHICLE.
It's there IN THE WALL. He sits down, closes the door and
the VEHICLE DROPS FROM SIGHT.
EXT. PRECRIME - DAY
As Anderton runs across the busy quad to the entrance of the
building.
BURGESS (V.O.)
So I'm sure I speak for Chief
Anderton who's on assignment, that
we plan to do everything we can to
help our good friends and
colleagues at the Justice
Department...
He lowers his sunglasses and two ultraviolet lights STROBE on
the retinal scanner as Anderton is EYEdentiscanned and
cleared to enter.
INT. PRECRIME HEADQUATERS - MAIN FLOOR - DAY
As Anderton enters, is immediately cut off by Burgess.
BURGESS
Those bastards at Justice want to
take it all away from us.
Anderton stops, faces Burgess who looks at his watch, then
stares back at Anderton.
BURGESS
And this is exactly the kind of
behavior that will give them an
excuse to do it.
ANDERTON
Lamar, I'm sorry. I don't know
what --
BURGESS
Don't apologize, John.
His tone stops Anderton.
BURGESS
You understand that a week from now
people are going to vote on whether
or not what we've been doing down
here has been some noble-minded
enterprise or a chance to change
the way this country fights crime.
ANDERTON
I understand. Sir.
Burgess stares at Anderton.
BURGESS
I need you to do two things for me.
One, watch Danny Witwer.
ANDERTON
Yes, sir.
BURGESS
You can let him look around, answer
his questions, but watch him. If
there's any problems, make sure we
know about it first.
ANDERTON
I understand. What's the other
thing?
BURGESS
Tuck in your shirt.
Burgess gives him a look, then turns and walks away.
Anderton looks down, tucks in his shirt, then hurries off...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
As Jad, Fletcher and Knott show Witwer one of the wooden
"eggs". All of them now chewing gum, friendly with Witwer.
FLETCHER
The information we need is embedded
in the grain of wood. And since
each piece is unique, the shape and
grain is impossible to duplicate.
WITWER
(returns the sphere to
Fletcher)
I'm sure you've all grasped the
legalistic drawback to precrime
methodology.
KNOTT
Here we go again...
WITWER
Look, I'm not with the ACLU on this
Jeff. But let's not kid ourselves,
we are arresting individuals who've
broken no law.
JAD
But they will.
FLETCHER
The commission of the crime itself
is absolute metaphysics. The
Precogs see the future. And
they're never wrong.
WITWER
But it's not the future if you stop
it. Isn't that a fundamental
paradox?
ANDERTON (O.S.)
Yes, it is.
They all turn and look at Anderton as he comes into the room,
takes the sphere from Fletcher.
ANDERTON
You're talking about
predetermination, which happens all
the time.
Suddenly, Anderton rolls the ball towards Witwer who catches
it just as it's about to go off the table.
ANDERTON
Why did you catch that?
WITWER
Because it was going to fall.
ANDERTON
You're certain?
WITWER
Yes.
ANDERTON
But it didn't fall. You caught it.
Witwer looks at the ball in his hand.
ANDERTON
The fact that you prevented it from
happening doesn't change the fact
that it was going to happen.
WITWER
You ever get any false positives?
Someone intends to kill his boss or
his wife, but they never go through
with it. How do the precogs tell
the difference?
ANDERTON
The Precogs don't see what you
intend to do, only what you will
do.
WITWER
Then why can't they see rapes, or
assaults... or suicides?
FLETCHER
Because of the nature of murder.
(quoting)
"There's nothing more destructive
to the metaphysical fabric that
binds us than the untimely murder
of one human being by another".
WITWER
Somehow, I don't think that was
Walt Whitman.
Anderton looks at Witwer. The man knows more than he
thought.
ANDERTON
(looking at Witwer)
It was Iris Hineman. She developed
the Precogs, designed the system
and pioneered the interface.
WITWER
Speaking of interfacing, I'd love
to say hello.
ANDERTON
To Hineman?
Witwer looks at the screens showing THE PRECOGS.
WITWER
To them.
ANDERTON
Cops aren't allowed inside the
temple.
WITWER
Really? You've never been inside?
ANDERTON
We keep a strict separation so that
no one can accuse us of tampering.
WITWER
So I'll be the first one to go in
then?
ANDERTON
Maybe you didn't hear me.
WITWER
If it's a question of authority.
ANDERTON
There's no question. You don't
have any.
WITWER
I have a warrant in my pocket that
says different.
The other men don't move, don't blink.
ANDERTON
Show it to me.
Witwer pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket folded
several times and hands it to him. As Anderton unfolds it...
WITWER
Contrary to what you might think,
this experiment is being conducted
under the supervision and with the
express permission of the Attorney
General of the United States. I'm
here as his representative. Which
means... you're now operating under
my supervision.
Anderton looks up from the paper, at his men, at Witwer.
He's lost and he knows it. Witwer takes the paper back.
WITWER
It seems you've been left out of
the loop, John.
INSIDE THE TEMPLE
AS WALLY, the caretaker, an odd little guy who doesn't get a
lot of sun looks over as Witwer and Anderton walk through A
LASER DECONTAMINATION BOOTH...
WALLY
No no no no no...
Witwer smiles, extends his hand. Wally backs away.
WALLY
I can't touch you! And John, you
can't be in here! You'll confuse
them!
ANDERTON
Wally. This is Danny Witwer. He's
from Justice and we're to give him
a full run of the farm.
WITWER
Nice to meet you, Wally.
WALLY
Shhh! They're sleeping.
WITWER
(whispers)
Tell me how all this works.
AND NOW WE SEE: THE TANK
As a RIPPLE APPEARS in the white liquid.
WITWER (O.S.)
The photon milk acts as both a
nutrient supply and a liquid
conductor. It makes the images
that each of them receive strong.
And now a MAN'S FACE slowly breaks the surface, then ANOTHER
MAN'S FACE, followed by A FEMALE FACE...
PULL BACK TO REVEAL: THE THREE PRECOGS
Three nude bodies -- TWO MALE, ONE FEMALE. As they writhe
about in the liquid, we can see that their bodies are thin,
nearly translucent.
The precogs appear to be in suspended animation or in comas.
They are absolutely still and limp, except for their faces
which are in constant motion, reacting to murders only they
can see.
WALLY
We call the female Agatha. The
twins are Arthur and Dashiell.
REVEAL: THE PRECOG TANK
Egg-like in shape, it's filled with the milky-looking liquid
the three Precogs are suspended in.
WALLY
We scan by way of optical
tomography, white light pinpoints
pulse along the entire length of
the headgear and are re-read after
absorption through their brain
tissue.
Witwer looks at him, has no idea what he just said.
WALLY
In other words, we see what they
see.
Wally lifts one of the Male Precogs into a harness and hoists
him up for exercise and cleaning. Wally starts to trim his
nails and the Precog begins convulsing...
WALLY
They're not in any pain. We keep
their heads pretty well stocked
with dopamine and endorphins.
Plus, we maintain careful control
over their serotonin levels --
don't want 'em to drift off to
sleep, but they can't be kept too
awake either.
ANDERTON
It helps if you don't think of them
as human.
WITWER
(staring at them)
No... they're much more than that.
Witwer nods, looks up at THE SCREENS ABOVE THE TANK, a series
of screens tapped into each Precog. We can see all sorts of
images, but none of them clear right now. He's mesmerized by
all of them.
WITWER
Science has stolen most of our
miracles. In a way...
(indicates the tank)
... they give us hope... hope of
the existence of the divine.
He sees Anderton and Wally looking at him.
WITWER
I find it interesting that some
people have begun to deify the
precogs.
ANDERTON
The precogs are pattern recognition
filters, nothing more.
WITWER
But you call this room the
"temple".
ANDERTON
Just a nickname.
WITWER
(nods, then)
The oracle isn't where the power is
anyway. The power's always been
with the priests.
(looks at the Precogs)
Even if they had to invent the
oracle.
Anderton looks to where Fletcher, Jad and Knott stand near
the entrance, nodding their heads.
ANDERTON
You guys are nodding your heads
like you actually know what the
hell he's talking about.
JAD
Come on, Chief, you think about it,
the way we work -- changing destiny
and all -- we're more like clergy
than cops.
ANDERTON
Uh-huh. Jad?
JAD
Sir?
ANDERTON
Go back to work. All of you.
The others give him a look and walk out. Anderton turns back
to Witwer who smiles at him.
WITWER
Sorry. Old habit. I spent three
years at Fuller Seminary before I
became a cop. My father was a
minister. Lutheran.
ANDERTON
What does he think of your chosen
line of work?
WITWER
I don't know. He was shot and
killed when I was fourteen on the
steps of his church in Bethesda.
He looks at Anderton.
WITWER
I know what it's like to lose
someone close, John. Of course,
nothing is like the loss of a
child.
Agatha rolls over now, seems to be looking at Anderton.
WITWER
I don't have any children of my
own, so I can only imagine what
that must have been like, to lose
your son in a public place like
that.
Anderton says nothing. Hates the man all over again.
WITWER
At least now you -- and I -- have
the chance to make sure that kind
of thing doesn't happen to anyone
ever again.
ANDERTON
(beat)
Why don't you cut the cute act,
Danny, and tell me exactly what it
is you're looking for?
WITWER
Flaws.
ANDERTON
There hasn't been a murder in six
years. There's nothing wrong with
the system. It's perfect.
WITWER
I agree. The system is perfect.
If there's a flaw, it's human. It
always is.
(then)
Thank you for the tour, Wally.
Anderton watches him walk out, shakes his head, then
notices...
The FEMALE PRECOG'S ARM is resting on the edge of the tank.
He looks down at her a moment. She's looking at him, but her
eyes seem somewhere else.
Anderton looks around for Wally, doesn't see him. He doesn't
want to touch her. He finally reaches down and gently takes
her arm, sets it back into the tank.
As it submerges, she takes hold of ANDERTON'S FINGER and
hangs on. He stares back at her. She holds on tight...
ANDERTON
Uh, Wally --
He tries to pull his hand away, but she holds on, grabs onto
Anderton's shirt, and STARTS TRYING TO PULL HERSELF OUT OF
THE WATER...
ANDERTON
Wally!
AGATHA
(whisper)
Can you see?
And now she's clinging to Anderton, looking up. He looks up
at the SCREEN above her and sees...
A FLASH OF A WOMAN'S FACE. Silent. Eyes and mouth wide
open. A shock of red hair all around her. Her face is a
white mask of terror. She seems to be beckoning Anderton
with her arm...
He looks at Agatha, who continues to cling to him, HER OWN
FACE HOLDS THE SAME EXPRESSION as the woman on the screen.
She finally lets go of Anderton and falls back into the tank.
WALLY
John?!
Anderton, shaken, looks up and THE IMAGE FADES, replaced with
the blurry flood of images we saw earlier.
WALLY
What the hell just happened? Her
ACTH levels just shot through the
roof!
Anderton turns and looks at the Precog writhing about.
WALLY
Her pituitary dumped a week's worth
into her system... What did you do
to her?
ANDERTON
Nothing... she grabbed me, and then
there was an image on the screen...
WALLY
She grabbed you? Impossible. The
Precogs aren't even aware of us.
In the milk all they see is the
future.
Anderton shoots a look down the hall as WITWER WALKS THROUGH
THE LASER DECONTAMINATOR, unaware of what just happened. He
turns to Wally and lowers his voice...
ANDERTON
She was looking right at me.
WALLY
It could have been a nightmare...
Sometimes they dream about the old
murders.
Anderton looks back down at Agatha, her eyes closed now as
she sinks down into the milk and disappears, her own arm in
front of her, beckoning in the same way as the woman.
ANDERTON
She spoke to me.
WALLY
(dismissive)
To you? I don't think so...
(but has to know)
What'd she say?
ANDERTON
She said...
Anderton looks up at the screens...
ANDERTON
"Can you see?"
EXT. THE DEPARTMENT OF CONTAINMENT - EARLY MORNING
Anderton takes off his sunglasses, looks at a screen:
ANDERTON
Anderton. John.
He moves his eyes close to the screen and gets
EYEdentiscanned at the door and goes inside.
INT. DEPARTMENT OF CONTAINMENT - EARLY MORNING
Silent. A huge open space, a human warehouse. Along the
floor -- ringing the entire perimeter -- are markers with
numbers on the front of them. We now HEAR FOOTSTEPS as...
Anderton enters the building. As he moves further into the
space, our angle changes and we now see HUMAN BODIES lying on
their backs on the other side of the markers. Each
"prisoner" has a metal HALO-like apparatus -- spikes going
inward -- fitted onto his head.
Anderton slows his pace, eyeing the row of inert bodies along
the floor as he goes. Above each inert prisoner is a SCREEN
that continuously plays the Precog's PREVISION OF THE MURDER
for which they've been convicted.
Suddenly we hear a blast of ORGAN MUSIC reverberating from
somewhere O.S. and he looks off towards a CURTAIN at the
back...
ON THE CURTAIN
As Anderton parts it to REVEAL:
A LIVING SPACE
A bed. A stove. A fridge... And A HUGE PIPE ORGAN. A MAN
IN A WHEELCHAIR playing with his back to us. From the sound
of it, he seems to be making it up as he goes along.
Anderton taps the guy on the shoulder, startling him --
MAN
HOO BOY!
(then)
You scared me, Chief.
He takes a breath, looks at Anderton standing there. The
man's face is large, almost retarded in appearance. He wears
A PRISON GUARD UNIFORM.
ANDERTON
You the sentry?
GIDEON
Yes, sir. I'm Gideon.
(indicates the organ)
The music relaxes the prisoners.
Anderton looks around as Gideon quickly moves away from the
organ.
GIDEON
I don't ever see any of you precops
down here, I'm not in trouble am I?
ANDERTON
No, you're not in trouble. I'm
interested in a murder.
GIDEON
Kill type?
ANDERTON
Drowning.
Gideon turns to a computer screen on his wheelchair.
GIDEON
Well, that narrows it down. Not
many in here for that one.
Gideon starts going through the files, we see different FACES
flash by. Anderton looks over his shoulder.
ANDERTON
Victim's a white female.
GIDEON
This about the Justice Department?
(off Anderton's look)
They laid on a tour for tomorrow
a.m. Told me to wear a tie. You
like this one?
THE FACE OF THE DROWNING WOMAN Agatha showed Anderton flashes
on the screen.
ANDERTON
Stop! Roll back... There!
Gideon looks at the screen.
GIDEON
That's an old one. One of our
first.
ANDERTON
This is the official composite of
the three precogs?
GIDEON
That's right. It's a combined data
stream based on all three
previsions.
ANDERTON
Show me just Agatha's data stream.
GIDEON
For that, we have to go for a ride.
Gideon rolls ahead of Anderton, checking his manifest on a
small display. Anderton looks around.
ANDERTON
You the only sentry?
GIDEON
I work graveyard, swing and day all
by my lonesome.
Gideon hits a button on his wheelchair and we hear a RUMBLING
SOUND as the "prisoners" around the perimeter all BEGIN TO
RISE.
GIDEON
Hey, bet you don't know where the
term "graveyard shift" comes from?
Only half-listening, Anderton watches as now A SECOND TIER OF
MARKERS appear right below the first tier. The video screens
playing the murder previsions over and over...
GIDEON
Long time ago, in merry old
England, they discovered that some
coffins, after they reopened 'em --
now why they did that, I couldn't
tell you --
And now we see a third tier, also with the video screens
showing their own horrific images.
GIDEON
Anyway, they discovered that some
of the coffins had scratch marks on
the inside, indicating that the
person had not been dead when they
buried them.
And now Anderton watches as a fourth tier rises up.
GIDEON
So they tied a string to the wrist
of each person that lead to a bell
above ground.
Anderton has to tilt his neck to see the top of the tiers as
a fifth tier rises up from the ground...
GIDEON
Someone was assigned to sit at
night and listen for the bells.
... until the bodies and their markers are stacked nearly to
the roof of the facility and Gideon turns to Anderton and
smiles.
GIDEON
Hence the expression...
ANDERTON
(softly, staring at all
the prisoners)
... Graveyard shift.
GIDEON
Not to mention, "Saved by the
bell".
Gideon starts to roll off. Anderton stands there, looking at
all of them.
ANDERTON
I'd forgotten there were so many.
Gideon rolls onto a PLATFORM attached to a long arm and
wheels around to face Anderton.
GIDEON
And to think they'd all be out
there killing people if it wasn't
for you.
Anderton moves onto the platform they lift up and away.
INT. ANDERTON'S APARTMENT - DAY
Dark. We hear someone make the lock, then the door opens and
we see Danny Witwer standing there looking in. He closes the
door, turns on the light and takes in the total disarray.
He bends down, picks up a BLACK INHALER and examines it. He
puts it in his pocket and starts to look around.
He moves through the dark apartment to the table where
Anderton keeps his Holo-Computer equipment. He looks at it a
moment, then starts pressing buttons. And now we hear...
SEAN (O.S.)
Hey, Daddy!
He pulls his weapon, wheels around and points it at the holo
image of SEAN (age 4) ON THE BEACH as he wings a Frisbee.
SEAN
Catch!
Witwer ducks as it sails by. He looks around, notices the
LASER PROJECTORS all around the room. And now he sees THE
IMAGES OF SEAN... everywhere. He slowly puts away his gun.
WITWER
My God...
INT. DEPARTMENT OF CONTAINMENT - DAY
As Anderton rides the platform with Gideon looking at all of
the "prisoners".
GIDEON
They get to spend twenty years
asleep, somewhere between life and
death, all the while getting their
bodies pumped up with nutrients
they'd never get if they were out
on the street.
(stops the platform)
Okee pokee, here we go...
A video screen comes into view, we see it's showing THE
DROWNING WOMAN Anderton saw inside the temple.
GIDEON
John Doe drug addict was gonna put
down a woman named Anne Lively at
Roland Lake.
They move upward, once more gliding up to a video screen as
it comes into view, we see it's showing THE DROWNING WOMAN
Anderton saw inside the temple.
ANDERTON
That's her --
Anderton looks at the screen. The PREVISION PLAYS OUT:
Daytime. A lake. The redheaded woman is shoved under water
by two BLACK-GLOVED HANDS, her mouth open to scream.
Anderton looks at the MAN lying there -- tall, shaved head,
nearly skeletal.
ANDERTON
Why's he still a John Doe? Why
wasn't he ever ID's from an
EYEscan?
GIDEON
On account of those are not his
eyes. He had 'em swapped out to
fool the scanners.
Anderton sees the dark red scar-lines around his eyes.
GIDEON
You get it done on the street for a
few hundred bucks these days.
Anderton looks at the screen as the SCREAMING WOMAN appears
again, stares at her face.
GIDEON
Okay, so you want just the female's
prevision.
Gideon hits a button on his remote and the VIDEO SCREEN
DIVIDES INTO THREE SECTIONS. In the first section, we see
various angles of the woman being drowned by John Doe. A
similar series of shots on the second screen.
But the THIRD SCREEN IS BLANK.
GIDEON
Huh, we don't seem to have her
data.
ANDERTON
Try again.
GIDEON
(works the computer)
No... we have the two previsions
from the twins right here, but...
(indicates the blank
screen)
... I can't pull up any data from
the female. Probably just a
glitch.
Anderton stares thoughtfully at the first two images of Anne
Lively being drowned.
GIDEON
Hey, you wanna know where the word
came from, "glitch?"
ANDERTON
(looks at the face)
Just tell me about the intended
victim. This Anne Lively...
Gideon works the computer.
GIDEON
Looks like she was a neuroin addict
like John Doe here, but I show an
address history that includes the
Beaton Clinic.
ANDERTON
So she cleaned up. Where is she
now?
Gideon again works the computer, then sits back.
GIDEON
Huh. How ironic...
He spins the screen so that Anderton can see one word there:
"MISSING"
GIDEON
You finally crawl your way out of
one hole, only to fall into
another.
Anderton takes a small plastic CARD from his wallet and
slides it into A SLOT on the computer. Instantly the MOVING
IMAGE OF ANNE LIVELY downloads onto the card.
GIDEON
Careful, Chief...
Anderton looks at him.
GIDEON
You dig up the past, all you get is
dirty.
DISSOLVE TO:
THE WHITE LIQUID
THE FACE OF THE FEMALE PRECOG emerges from the milk, her blue
eyes suddenly blink open. Something has begun...
INT. BURGESS' LIVING ROOM - DAY
Burgess sits on the couch, a blanket covering his legs,
nursing a cold. He looks at THE MOVING IMAGE OF ANNE LIVELY
on the small card.
BURGESS
And you say the third prevision
was, what, a little fuzzy or
something?
ANDERTON
I'm saying the third prevision
wasn't there. And that's not all.
I spent a few hours down there and
it turns out there's a dozen more
cases with missing previsions.
Burgess sneezes, takes out his handkerchief.
BURGESS
You'd think we'd have found a cure
for the common cold by now.
WIFE (O.S.)
It's stress.
His WIFE walks in who hands him a steaming mug. He looks at
it.
BURGESS
What's this?
WIFE
Herbal tea with honey.
BURGESS
Yeah, well I hate herbal tea...
almost as much as I hate honey.
WIFE
Just drink it before I pour it in
your lap.
He reluctantly takes it. She smiles at Anderton on her way
out.
ANDERTON
Danny Witwer is scheduled for a
tour of Containment tomorrow --
BURGESS
So give him a tour. He doesn't
know enough to ask the right
questions.
ANDERTON
If he's looking for a flaw in the
system --
BURGESS
He's not. He's looking for a flaw
in us, John.
Anderton notices the change in Burgess' tone. Burgess tosses
the CARD onto the coffee table in front of him, and considers
Anderton a moment.
BURGESS
Lara called me.
ANDERTON
What?
BURGESS
She's worried about you. And,
quite frankly, so am I.
ANDERTON
I'm fine.
BURGESS
I hear you've been spending a lot
of time in the sprawl.
ANDERTON
(beat)
I go running down there.
BURGESS
In the middle of the night?
Anderton doesn't have an answer for that one.
BURGESS
What if Danny Witwer came to you
right now and insisted on a full
chem run?
ANDERTON
I'm fine, Lamar.
Burgess gets up and sits down next to Anderton, puts a hand
on his shoulder.
BURGESS
(beat)
You understand, John, that the
minute Precrime goes national,
they're going to take it away from
us.
ANDERTON
We won't let them.
BURGESS
No? How's an old man and a cop on
the whiff ever going to stop them?
This stings Anderton. Burgess softens.
BURGESS
My father once said to me that you
don't choose the things you believe
in, they choose you.
(then)
There's a reason you're here, John.
Had Precrime been in place just six
months earlier, the loss you and
Lara suffered would have been
prevented.
Anderton turns away.
BURGESS
Remember the eyes, John --
Burgess COUGHS, motions for a second while he gets his breath
back, then...
BURGESS
Remember, the eyes of the nation
are on us right now. We both know
I'm not the generation anyone
listens to.
(then)
People trust you, John. When you
speak of your absolute belief in
Precrime, they know it's a belief
born of pain and not politics.
I've always understood that. And
in some ways, I may have even
encouraged it, to help with the
cause. But now... your pain is
hurting both of us.
Anderton nods, finally gets up, puts his hand on Burgess'
shoulder, looks the old man in the eye.
ANDERTON
They're not going to take it away
from us, Lamar.
(beat)
I won't let them.
INT. TELEVISION SOUND STAGE - MORNING
A talkshow. A woman MODERATOR sits in front of a backdrop
that reads "DOUBLE EXPOSURE". Anderton now in a suit and tie
sits with the MODERATOR and a WOMAN in a dark suit.
MODERATOR
A week from today conventions will
meet in every state to vote on the
ratification of the precrime
amendment. With us to discuss this
historic decision are Chief John
Anderton of Precrime in Washington
D.C. and Ms. Dinola Margis,
Director of the American Freedom
Foundation. Both of you, thanks
for being here.
ANDERTON/MARGIS
Geraldine. Thanks for having me.
MODERATOR
Ms. Margis, let me start with you.
Last year, more people in this
country lost their lives to murder
than to natural causes. Doesn't
such unparalleled violence require
that we protect our citizens,
whatever it takes?
MARGIS
No, Geraldine, not at the price of
giving up our most fundamental
rights. For almost three centuries
now, every accused citizen has had
the right to be presumed innocent
until found guilty. But, here, we
have the beginnings of a system
that punishes people for crimes
that haven't even been committed.
I feel stuck in a nightmare.
And now we see Burgess standing in the wings, watching now as
Anderton smiles, revs up the charm.
ANDERTON
You forget, Dinola, that the
Supreme Court has ruled that the
Precogs predictions as foregone,
metaphysical conclusions. Meaning
what the Precogs say is going to
happen, happens.
(then)
Unless we stop it.
MARGIS
You know, the Eutruscans used to
read sheep livers to predict the
future. Maybe we should try that
one next.
ANDERTON
That's funny. But the truth is,
our Constitution has always
recognized that in times of great
danger we may have to take actions
that... offend certain principles
in order to preserve the nation
itself.
Burgess looks at Anderton and nods. That's my boy. Anderton
nods back, turns back to the table as we...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. SOLARIUM - NIGHT
Anderton, barefoot and shirtless, still in his suitpants,
eats a bowl of cereal while the TALKSHOW he taped earlier in
the day before plays out on the TELEVISION.
ANDERTON (TV)
In the middle of the civil war, for
example, Abraham Lincoln suspended
the writ of habeas corpus observing
that a limb may be sacrificed to
save a life, but a life is never
wisely given to save a limb.
Anderton doesn't watch it. Instead, he stares stupidly at
the images of SNAP, CRACKLE and POP dancing around on the
cereal box that sits on the coffee table in front of him.
MARGIS (TV)
Let me ask you something, Chief?
You're a former police officer --
when was the last time you
Mirandized someone?
The ON TV ANDERTON just smiles at her.
MARGIS (TV)
You have the right to remain
silent? You have the right to an
attorney?
He turns, looks up at the set and now we go...
CLOSE ON MARGIS
MARGIS (TV)
When's the last time you actually
said those words?
ANDERTON
Mutes the set, stares back at her when we hear --
ANDERTON'S VOICE
What are you looking at?
Anderton turns and sees A HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF LARA, his ex
wife, standing at the window, looking out at the rain.
LARA
Just the rain.
She turns and looks off to a spot in the room where Anderton
would have been standing all those years ago with the camera,
LARA
Why don't you put that camera down
and watch it with me?
Now Anderton puts down the bowl of cereal, gets up and walks
over to her, but THE IMAGE BLINKS OUT, then STARTS ALL OVER
AGAIN...
Anderton turns and walks across the room. We now see A DOZEN
HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGES from his old life playing around the room.
He sits down in an armchair and watches them play out.
He holds a black inhaler to his lips, sucks in the drug, then
looks about at the images as, gradually, the holographs begin
to fill in, become real. To him anyway.
Sean (age 6) walks up beside him dressed in A YELLOW RAIN
SLICKER. Anderton looks over at him, standing there silent.
He says something, but there's no audio, or at least we don't
hear it. The image jumps, then repeats, the boy walking up
in the slicker, his mouth moving silent. Then again...
Anderton reaches out for his son, but the boy DISAPPEARS. In
his place, floating green letters read:
END OF FILE
Anderton sits up and rubs his face. He starts to get up,
then pauses, looks down at the floor beside the chair.
A PUDDLE OF WATER has formed. He stares at it a moment, A
DROP OF WATER FALLS FROM ABOVE and Anderton slowly looks up
at...
THE GLASS CEILING OF THE SOLARIUM
A long CRACK in the glass up there. Rain pelts it. Water
drips down and forms a puddle on the floor.
Anderton looks around the room and we see a half dozen END OF
FILE's all over the room now.
INT. PRECRIME HEADQUATERS - ANDERTON'S OFFICE - DAY
As Anderton comes in, takes his coat off. Something drops on
the floor. He bends down and picks up the DATA CARD with the
image of ANNE LIVELY drowning. He looks at it when...
We hear LAUGHTER O.S. and he looks down through the glass,
sees a GROUP OF SECRETARIES having a baby shower for the
pregnant woman. He notices Fletcher, some of his guys down
there...
And then he sees Witwer. His hand on the pregnant
secretary's belly, cracking a joke they all laugh at.
Suddenly he's the most popular guy on campus. The guys see
Anderton who motions them to stay, it's okay. Witwer looks
up at him curiously. Anderton POCKETS THE DATA CARD, turns
away and goes into...
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
As Anderton comes in, Jad sits at the big screen, looking at
something.
ANDERTON
Jad. How come you're not out there
with Father Witwer?
JAD
We're in motion on something.
Anderton comes over now.
JAD
From what I can see, we got a white
male, about five-eight,
approximately one-forty, takes a
round in the ten ring, and goes out
a window.
Anderton starts to put on his eyepiece and finger gloves.
ANDERTON
Red Ball?
JAD
Nope. Somebody's thinking about
this one.
ANDERTON
Amazing there's someone within two
hundred miles actually dumb enough
to still do that.
Jad watches as Anderton sticks a disc into a slot and we hear
CLASSICAL MUSIC OVER.
JAD
I love this part.
Anderton starts "conducting" the prevision, organizing the
images, moving some up, others back...
FEMALE PRECOG
Wait! Don't --
Anderton looks at the PRECOG SCREEN, sees the three of them
writhing about.
ANDERTON
Here we go...
And now we see the screen, various images, all of them
grainy, visual non-sequiters like A FACE WEARING
SUNGLASSES... THE NUMBER 9 TURNING INTO THE NUMBER 6... THE
INSIDE OF A SMALL APARTMENT... A FIGURE BACKLIT BY A
WINDOW... A CRACKED MIRROR... A SMALL MAN... A PAIR OF DARK
EYES...
ANDERTON
Shunt all cycles to a full vis
correlation at my mark by the
windows.
And now the image starts to resolve, showing TWO MEN, one
with a gun, his image still blurred. The other clearer...
ON THE CHUTE: A BALL
Rolls down. Jad moves into read the name:
JAD
The victim's name is Leo Crow.
ANDERTON
(into the computer)
Start a location run and a contact
search for future victim Leo Crow.
(to Jad)
And, Jad, I'll need a Last Known
Sheet when you get it.
JAD
I've got no address -- last known
or otherwise -- no tax returns for
the last five years.
ANDERTON
Check NCIC, maybe he's got a
record. Then send a protection
team as soon as we lock the
location.
Anderton turns to another part of the screen...
ANDERTON
Case #1109, previsualized by the
Precogs and recorded on holosphere
by Precrime's q-stacks.
(to a screen)
My fellow witnesses for case #1109
are Dr. Katherine James and Chief
Justice Frank Pollard.
AND NOW THE SPLIT-IMAGE emerges of James and Pollard in the
respective offices.
ANDERTON
Are the witnesses ready to preview
and validate #1109?
POLLARD
(a mouthful of dinner)
Ready when you are, John.
JAMES
Standing by.
On the screen in front of Jad we see MUGSHOTS ROLLING BY.
DRIVERS LICENSE PHOTOS... A mass of photo ID data... Anderton
ZOOMS INTO A CLOCK IN THE ROOM. 3:06 p.m. Fri.
ANDERTON
I show time of occurrence, Friday
at fifteen-zero-six hours.
JAD
That was easy.
Anderton sets his timer for 28 HOURS, THIRTY-ONE MINUTES.
ANDERTON
Confirm with trig and image.
JAD
Any ID on the shooter yet?
ANDERTON
Still scrubbing... looks like
there's a third party, somebody
wearing shades just out the
window...
Anderton ZOOMS IN on the FACE WITH THE SUNGLASSES, then PANS
OVER and tries to get a clearer picture of the gunman.
His image starting to come into focus as he turns. It's
slow, jerky, so they don't immediately recognize the face
as...
ANDERTON
Jesus...
HIS OWN FACE. And now Anderton watches horrified as on the
screen he shoots the man we now know as Leo Crow...
ANDERTON
Okay, very funny.
Anderton looks at Jad, absorbed in his photo ID array. Jad
notices him, looks over.
JAD
You say something, Chief?
ON THE CHUTE: THE BALL
With the KILLER'S NAME ON IT: JOHN ANDERTON
Anderton stares at the ball. WE HEAR LAUGHTER O.S. He looks
through at the BABY SHOWER, Witwer looking his way.
ANDERTON
(panic rising)
Uh, yeah, you mind getting me a
piece of that cake they're eating
down there? I'm starving.
JAD
Sure, Chief. I think I'll grab one
for myself while I'm at it...
ANDERTON
Take your time.
Jad goes, passing behind Anderton, who quickly changes his
screen so Jad won't see his face as the killer.
Alone in the room now, Anderton begins zooming in on the odd
details of the vision once more. THE FACE WITH THE
SUNGLASSES just outside the window. The NUMBER 6 turning
into a NUMBER 9. A CRACKED MIRROR. Anderton shooting the
man...
He zooms back in on his face. There's an air of desperation
on the Anderton he sees on screen. It's like looking at a
stranger.
INT. TEMPLE - DAY
Peeling off his long scrubbing gloves, Wally sits down at
his worktable. In the tank, meanwhile...
MALE PRECOG 1
You're not gonna kill me.
MALE PRECOG 2
Good-bye, Crow.
MALE PRECOG 1
Anderton!
And now on the monitors, Wally sees Chief John Anderton blow
a man out a window with his .45 Wally almost laughs with
disbelief. It can't be, but...
WALLY
(clicking headset)
Jad, are you getting this?
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
Anderton looks over to the phone, hearing Wally's voice.
WALLY (O.S.)
Jad?
INT. JUSTICE POLLARD'S OFFICE - DAY
As the Justice sits frozen at his desk staring at the
monitor, a buttered roll poised near his mouth. Katherine
James hurries in now and he turns to her.
POLLARD
You saw that? You saw that, didn't
you?
JAMES
I saw it.
Pollard reaches for his phone.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
As Anderton sees Wally on the screen now, looking anxious.
WALLY
Chief?
Anderton's too stunned to answer.
WALLY
I like you, Chief.
Anderton looks at Wally's face on the screen now.
WALLY
You've always been nice to me.
(then)
I'll give you two minutes before I
hit the siren.
Anderton looks at the caretaker a second, then slowly gets up
and walks out the door...
INT. PRECRIME HEADQUATERS - MAIN FLOOR - DAY
As a dazed Anderton moves away from the baby shower. Doesn't
dare look at Witwer. The LAUGHTER RECEDING BEHIND HIM.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
As Jad comes in with a piece of cake on a paper plate...
JAD
Here you go, Chief...
... and stops dead when he sees the images playing over and
over on the screen.
JAD
Good Christ...
INT. PRECRIME HEADQUATERS - MAIN FLOOR - DAY
Fletcher tries to wave him over, but Anderton just keeps
walking, the whole thing some surreal nightmare.
VOICE
Say cheese!
He bumps into the floating videobot and bats it out of the
way with the back of his hand. Everybody looking at him now
as he gets on the elevator.
INT. ELEVATOR - DAY
As Anderton hits a button...
VOICE
Hold that, please!
Anderton bangs the CLOSE button and the doors start to shut,
keeps banging it, as the doors almost get there, when A FOOT
blocks them and they part, revealing Danny Witwer.
WITWER
Thanks.
The doors close once more and they start down. Witwer
smiling at Anderton.
WITWER
You're in a lot of trouble, John.
Anderton steps back, keeps his hand near his .45.
ANDERTON
You set me up...
WITWER
I'll write the paranoia off to the
whiff you been doping on all night.
Witwer reaches into his coat and Anderton grabs him and
shoves him against the wall. Anderton's pistol already out,
jammed up under Witwer's chin. Witwer keeps his eyes on
Anderton as he slowly pulls out A BLACK INHALER.
WITWER
It seems I've found a flaw, John
(then)
You.
ANDERTON
You gonna tell on me?
WITWER
Possession alone will cost you six
months, not to mention your badge.
Anderton doesn't say anything.
WITWER
I guess we won't be working
together after all.
Witwer shakes his head. DING. The elevator arrives and the
doors open.
WITWER
Now put the gun down, John. I
don't hear a Red Ball.
THE PRECRIME SIREN GOES OFF. Witwer looks at Anderton, all
of a sudden no longer so sure of himself. Anderton smiles,
then shoves him back into the elevator and jumps off as the
DOORS CLOSE on a stunned Witwer.
EXT. D.C. STREETS - DAY
Racing past other cars, Anderton merges into traffic. He's
driving his personal car, not a police-issue.
INT. ANDERTON'S CAR - DAY
Burgess appears on the windshield screen.
ANDERTON
Just so you know, I've overridden
the vehicle locator. I just wanted
to talk to you before Justice --
BURGESS
Justice already knows. Talk to me,
John. Tell me what's happening?
ANDERTON
This is all Witwer. He's setting
me up.
BURGESS
Stop. Just wait. Who's the
victim?
ANDERTON
Somebody named Leo Crow.
BURGESS
And who the hell is that?
ANDERTON
I have no idea. I've never heard
of him. But I'm supposed to kill
him in less than thirty-six hours.
BURGESS
All right, John, just take a
breath, let's think about this...
ANDERTON
I'm out of breath! I'm a fucking
fugitive!
BURGESS
Then come to my house. We'll
talk --
ANDERTON
I can't. They're following me
right now. They'll meet me there.
They'll halo me.
BURGESS
How could Witwer have accessed the
case file?
ANDERTON
Can you fake the cerebral output?
BURGESS
We're years from that. John, I'm
asking you: please, come in, we'll
shut down the system until we get
this thing figured out.
ANDERTON
You know I can't do that. You
can't do that...
(then)
Lamar, I need you to talk to Wally,
see if Witwer's gone inside the
temple again. Then ask Jad for any
off hour EYEdents into the
analytical room --
BURGESS
John. Just tell me, who's Leo
Crow?
Suddenly, Anderton's doors LOCK tight.
COMPUTER VOICE
Security lockdown enabled.
ANDERTON
Jesus, you don't believe me.
Anderton looks up at his windshield display which now shows
that his vehicle has been rerouted...
COMPUTER VOICE
Revised Destination: Office.
Anderton starts trying to figure a way out of the car.
BURGESS
John. Please. Listen to me --
ANDERTON
I'm not getting halo'd.
BURGESS
You can't run --
ANDERTON
Everybody runs.
Leaning back, he KICKS THROUGH the windshield, breaking his
way out.
EXT. VEHICLE - DAY
As it goes down a huge maglev "falls", straight down the face
of a 200 foot building. Anderton climbs onto the nose of the
car, his only hope to jump into one of the BALCONIES that
protrude out.
As the car flies down, he tries to time his jump between the
umbrellas and flowerpots that whiz by. He finally makes the
suicide leap, gets to a balcony and crashes through a table.
He picks himself up, goes through the door into...
AN EXERCISE STUDIO
We hear ROCK & ROLL OVER as Anderton now moves through A
CONTORTIONIST EXERCISE CLASS, people bent and bowed into
impossible positions. Anderton looks back at the Fellini-
esque fever dream, then runs out the door.
INT. BURGESS' OFFICE - DAY
Frustrated, Burgess turns away, emotional now and we see
Fletcher and Witwer were watching the conversation.
FLETCHER
Don't worry. I'll bring him in
unharmed.
WITWER
Actually, Gordon, you're not gonna
do that.
(to Burgess)
I'm taking control of the team.
FLETCHER
What?!
BURGESS
(motions to Fletcher "it's
okay", then)
Witwer, Fletcher is second in
command. It's his show to run.
You want, you can observe.
(to Fletcher)
Do it. Find him.
Fletcher cuts a look at Witwer and heads out. Witwer remains
eerily calm, sticks a piece of gum in his mouth.
WITWER
He came to see you yesterday.
Right before he got tagged. What
did you talk about?
BURGESS
The Mets. John doesn't think
they've got a deep enough pitching
roster this year, and I'm inclined
to agree.
WITWER
Why are you protecting him? You
knew he was doping, yet you did
nothing about it.
BURGESS
The man lost a child, for Christ's
sake...
WITWER
Six years ago. What did you two
talk about yesterday afternoon?
BURGESS
(turning away)
None of your damn business.
WITWER
Oh, it's all my damn business now,
Lamar.
(then)
Investigation of a supervising
office for a capital crime falls
under federal jurisdiction... so as
to rule out any possibility of
conspiracy. He's my suspect.
BURGESS
He's my subordinate!
Burgess looks at him. Hates him, but knows he can't win.
WITWER
Shall we call the Attorney General?
I'm sure he'd be happy to clarify
the issue for you.
BURGESS
(beat)
I don't want John Anderton hurt.
EXT. MALL - DAY
As Anderton seems to float through the city, BILLBOARDS and
other ADVERTISEMENTS scan his eyes and actually call to him
by name.
ADVERTISEMENTS
(travel)
Stressed out John Anderton? Need a
vacation? Come to Aruba!
(sportswear)
Challenge yourself, John! Push
harder, John!
(Lexus Motor Co.)
It's not just a car, Mr. Anderton.
It's an environment, designed to
soothe and caress the tired soul...
WITWER (V.O.)
You've all worked with him...
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - DAY
Witwer addresses the Precrime crew. Behind him is the frozen
video image of Anderton shooting Leo Crow. Evanna stares up
at it in disbelief.
WITWER
You may consider him a friend.
He walks up the line now, looking into the eyes of each and
every one of them.
WITWER
But we know that John Anderton is
going to kill Leo Crow this Friday
at three-o-six p.m., unless we stop
him.
He looks into Fletcher's eyes, moves on...
WITWER
Don't think for a minute that if
the situation was reversed he
wouldn't go after you. He would be
a cop doing his job, as I'm doing
mine.
He stops at Evanna and looks her in the eye now.
WITWER
So if you're not ready and willing
to put the halo on him, leave now.
A few looks around the room, but nobody gets up. Not even
Fletcher. Witwer stares another moment at Evanna, smiles,
offers her a piece of gum...
EVANNA
No, thank you.
He sticks it in his own mouth, then turns to the officer
beside her.
WITWER
You can go.
OFFICER
Excuse me?
WITWER
Go. You're dismissed.
(points to another)
You, too.
(another)
And you.
Everybody watches as the men Witwer dismissed walk out.
FLETCHER
Sir, the team's gonna be light
without those men.
WITWER
Yes, I know.
And now the Pressure Door opens and FOUR LARGE MEN in dark
suits enter the room. Knott smiles at the sight of them.
WITWER
These gentlemen are Federal Agents
Jucket, Paymen, Price and Foley.
Like you, I feel more comfortable
with people I trust.
INT. MALL - DAY
As Anderton watches people all over the mall getting EYE
scanned...
He spots a UNIFORMED COP headed his way. The cop hasn't
spotted Anderton yet who now transfers to the fast lane on
the moving walkway and gets off at the New Metro station.
INT. NEW METRO - DAY
Reaching the bottom of the escalators, Anderton spots two
METRO COPS talking to a HOMELESS MAN. He veers around them,
making it across the platform to the train, which is just
arriving.
He pushes his way on with the other passengers. As the doors
close, an EYE-DENT SCANNER sweeps through the cabin -- that's
how the system bills citizens for using the train. Anderton
tries to look away, but it's impossible to avoid.
INT. PRECRIME ANALYTICAL ROOM - DAY
Witwer watches as Jad works the display, watching the
movement of BLUE DOTS that represent EYEscanned citizens. A
BEEP and Jad sits up.
JAD
I got him on the Metro!
(indicates the map)
The train makes two stops, at 20th
and then 33rd.
WITWER
Split the units, go to both.
FLETCHER
We'll never make 20th.
Witwer looks at Fletcher. Gives him an odd smile.
WITWER
Have faith.
INT. PRECRIME READY ROOM - DAY
As Fletcher and the other Precops strap into HOVERSUITS.
INT. SUBWAY - DAY
Anderton rides the train, avoiding the eyes of other
passengers. A nearby PASSENGER is flipping pages in the
digital Post, where the headline changes to "Precrime Hunts
Its Own".
INT. SUBWAY - METRO STATION - DAY
As Anderton gets off the train, stops cold when he sees...
NINE PRECRIME COPS IN HOVERSUITS stand waiting for him.
Fletcher steps forward...
FLETCHER
We know there's been a mistake,
Chief. Come on back with us so we
can talk, get this thing
straightened out.
Anderton takes off running. He barges through a NEWSSTAND,
knocking it over, momentarily slowing the cops behind him.
EXT. SUBWAY STATION - DUPONT CIRCLE - DAY
As Anderton explodes onto street level and takes off running.
He runs close to a wall, the ADVERTISEMENTS FLASHING AT HIM.
He dodges people left and right, but doesn't slow down...
Anderton runs faster and faster, it's starting to sink in
that his life has changed forever... that he's now and
forever a hunted man.
Anderton turns down an alley. One of the Hover Cops is now
behind him... gets ahead of him, swings around and cuts him
off. Anderton stops, sees the others landing at the other
end of the alley. WE HEAR A DOG BARKING O.S.
FLETCHER
Don't run, Chief. You know we'll
catch you. You trained us.
ANDERTON
Everybody runs.
FLETCHER
You don't have to do this, Chief.
ANDERTON
You don't have to chase me,
Fletcher.
He stares at Fletcher. The DOG GOES QUIET.
FLETCHER
Chief, please...
Anderton sees Knott reaching behind his back, coming out with
the HALO. The cop BEHIND ANDERTON takes out his sick-
stick... All of them begin moving in forcing Anderton back
against the wall, A WINDOW BEHIND HIM...
KNOTT
Easy does it, Chief.
Anderton keeps one eye on the sick-stick, the other on the
halo. When SUDDENLY A HUGE DOG HITS THE GLASS.
Anderton grabs the sick-stick and shoves it at Knott, then
ducks as Knott pukes on the other cop. Anderton starts up
the fire escape...
The Hover Cops blast up after him, one of them hitting the
floor grating on the landing as Anderton climbs through...
On the landing a Hover Cop floats up, just off the landing
and draws his sick-stick. Anderton reaches out and hits the
hoverpacks quick release and the PACK ROCKETS UP AND AWAY as
the cop now falls.
Several other Hover Cops fly up the building. One of them
jumps Anderton on the fire escape. Anderton slams him into
the window. The cop kicks back and Anderton swings out,
hanging onto the ladder... dangling... he looks down...
The other cops are now jetting up towards him... a moment...
then ANDERTON LETS GO... FALLS... going DOWN towards the
other cops coming UP... One of them looks up, it's KNOTT...
He gasps as ANDERTON falls onto him. Hangs on. The other
cops BLURRING PAST as they fly up... they turn and look at
Anderton and Knott now plummeting... the ground coming up
fast... when...
Anderton GRABS THE THROTTLE and HITS THE GAS and the
hoverpack slows down, Anderton and Knott hovering just above
the ground as the other cops now once more descend...
Knott tries to fight back and Anderton hits the throttle and
smacks Knott back-first into the wall... and then UP ALONG
THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, taking out planter boxes as they
go... hitting a WINDOW AWNING which CATCHES FIRE from the
THRUSTERS.
The rest of the cops fly up as Anderton now knocks away the
burning awning, sees the ascending cops and sweeps Knott and
the hoverpack down and hits the thrusters... blasting the
cops...
Anderton (still hanging onto Knott) drops and hovers, then
races along the building, scraping KNOTT AGAINST THE BRICK.
They head for the wall of another building when Anderton
veers them off...
Anderton and Knott head up A CONSTRUCTION TUBE, it catches
fire behind them. They race up, the fire racing right behind
them. At the end of the tube we see HOVER COPS waiting...
But Anderton and Knott thrust through, head right into a
hanging scaffolding, scattering debris down onto the cops.
Anderton and Knott race around the corner.
INT. TENEMENT - DAY
As a FAMILY sits down to dinner. Calm. Anderton and Knott
burst through the window and zoom around the room before then
crashing up into the ceiling, the hoverpack thrusters
torching the dinner on the stove directly below.
The other cops now fly in through the windows as Anderton and
Knott fly up into the next floor through the hole, the other
cops following, the thrusters catching everything in their
wake on fire, the FAMILY ducking as the hover cops fly past
overhead...
EXT. ALLEY - DAY - LOOKING UP
As Anderton and Knott burst out of one apartment, cross the
alley and burst into another...
INT. APARTMENT - A KID'S BEDROOM - DAY
A KID looks up from his homework as the Hoverpack fizzes out
and Knott and Anderton go at it on the floor, Anderton taking
Knott out with the kid's hockey stick.
The other cops come flying in and Anderton takes off running.
The cops in their hoverpacks get stuck in the door. A dazed
Knott is the last one to get up, while behind him, we see the
kid shove Knott's abandoned hoverpack under his bed...
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
As Anderton crashes into an adjoining apartment an instant
before the cops begin deploying in the hallway. Tenants are
roused as Anderton changes rooms across the hall, always one
beat ahead of the cops.
A cop goes into a room a beat after Anderton. We HEAR THE
SOUNDS OF A STRUGGLE, then a moment later, Anderton emerges
wearing the cop's hoverpack and rockets down the hall. He
crashes out the window, catching the carpet on fire. THE
SPRINKLERS ERUPT IN SEQUENCE as...
EXT. BUILDING - DAY
The cops all fly out the window and we now PULL BACK TO
REVEAL A DUMPSTER LID in immediate f.g. Anderton lies there
watching as the cops fly off and away...
EXT. LEXUS FACTORY - DAY
As Anderton climbs the fence, SETS OFF AN ALARM. He moves to
the new vehicles and tries to open the doors. THEY'RE ALL
LOCKED. He looks off, sees THE BLINKING LIGHTS of the Hover
Cops and runs for the cover of the factory itself.
INT. LEXUS FACTORY - ENTRY AREA - DAY
We hear A LOW HUM as now FOUR PRECOPS enter in hoversuits.
They stop in mid-air and drop their packs in unison.
INT. COMPUTER ROOM - DAY
Anderton hides as the precops move towards the room. One of
them breaks through the door. The other cops move into the
room behind him. ANDERTON IS GONE. They look off at...
THE FACTORY DOORWAY
As Anderton runs through it, heading inside the main
building.
INT. MAIN FACTORY AREA - DAY
As Anderton stops a moment and takes in the entire factory.
We see that IT IS COMPLETELY AUTOMATED.
INT. ENTRY AREA - DAY
As Witwer and his four goons now head inside. They approach
the precops and now they all walk inside together.
A WIDER SHOT
Of the Stereo Lithographer in the f.g. Witwer and the others
entering in the b.g. Anderton watches the group from across
the factory, then moves off.
ON WITWER
As he looks at the CAMERAS all around the factory, then turns
to his wrist communicator...
WITWER
Jad. Patch me into security.
Witwer looks at his watch, sees the different views of the
factory. Sees Anderton running. Witwer deploys the other
men with HAND SIGNS. Witwer then looks at the watch, moves
off, takes a position behind a machine.
ON ANDERTON
As he moves along the assembly line. The car door to a
vehicle is being tested: open-shut, open-shut, open...
He's suddenly jumped by Price. Anderton takes a swing, but
Foley comes up behind him, and holds onto him while Price now
clumsily fumbles with a halo, moves towards Anderton.
Anderton struggles as the guy tries to put the halo on...
He kicks Foley, knocks him back into one of the cars as now A
ROBOT ARM swings in and a panel welds the man into the door
frame.
The arm opens and closes the door in the b.g. as Anderton
and Price fight it out in the f.g. Anderton gets free and
climbs up a CRANE, hanging onto it as Price hangs onto him
and they rise up towards a CONVEYOR BELT full of engine
blocks.
Anderton swings Price against the blocks, the lithography
pool approaching now. Anderton shakes loose the agent who
drops, lands on a CHASSIS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE POOL, sinks
into the lithographer surface... and SUBMERGES!
Anderton hangs from the crane as now the LASERS FIRE into the
pool. A moment later the chassis re-emerges. We see A HAND,
then PULL BACK TO REVEAL AGENT PRICE FROZEN ONTO THE CHASSIS
like a giant hood ornament as it's lifted from the pool by a
huge robotic arm and carried away.
Anderton jumps from the crane to a smaller one, then lands on
the CONVEYER BELT and starts running. And now we go...
OVERHEAD - TRACKING
As Anderton runs below, Jucket on the floor below unable to
reach him as he runs by, but now we reveal PAYMEN ON A BEAM
ABOVE ANDERTON... he dives and lands on...
Anderton. The two men begin fighting on the conveyor belt
leading to the vertical stereo lithographer. Paymen kicks
Anderton who falls back on the belt... the lithographer
machine in b.g.
Anderton tries to get up, but Paymen hits him again. We see
the Lithographer fabricating a car part right behind them...
Paymen pulls a weapon and lungs at Anderton who judo throws
the man over him and into the lithographer...
The curtain lasers activate and "sculpt" him as he freezes in
place. Anderton grabs one of the passing cranes and jumps
on...
As Anderton rides the crane ACROSS FRAME, we REVEAL WITWER
WATCHING HIM. Anderton gets off the crane and lands right in
front of Witwer who steps out and hits him in the face...
The ASSEMBLY LINE moves past as the two men fight their way
towards it. A CAR moves past as Witwer and Anderton tumble
into the empty engine compartment.
And now the ROBOTIC ARMS GO TO WORK ON THE CAR ALL AROUND
THEM. A crane LOWERS AN ENGINE BLOCK above them, Anderton
sees it and rolls them both out of the way as THE ENGINE
SMASHES DOWN INTO PLACE.
The two of them roll over the dash as another piece drops
into frame and smashes into place. As the two fight, a
machine blasts in from the side and STAMPS THE DASHBOARD INTO
PLACE.
Witwer looks forward and sees the TANGLE OF ROBOTIC ARMS NOW
ENVELOPING THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM. Witwer grabs onto a
retracting robot arm and is lifted up and away from the car
as now...
The ROBOT ARMS BEGIN ASSEMBLING THE CAR ALL AROUND ANDERTON.
He rolls towards the rear as one machine after another stamps
pieces into the car. A LASER GRID appears over his face as a
LASER WELDER POPS UP and now...
THE LASER begins firing welding "hits" towards him. He jumps
to the other side of the car, tries to get out when the DOOR
PANEL IS SLAMMED INTO PLACE and now the welder comes around
and "grids" him again. Anderton dives for the floor, just
missing getting decapitated by the steering wheel as it's
slammed into place. But now...
METAL PARTS BOLT UP THROUGH THE FLOOR, narrowly missing his
head. Anderton looks up and sees THE SEATS SLIDING INTO
POSITION OVER HIM. He grabs the steering wheel and rolls out
of the way as the seat comes crashing down.
ANGLE ON RAILING
As Witwer walks up, the other men now flanking him. They
watch as ROBOT ARMS DESCEND ON, THEN ENVELOPE THE CAR...
The car moves forward and the robot arms retract and now THE
ROOF INSTALLING MECHANISMS SLIDE INTO PLACE. The WINDSHIELD
comes down and slams into place as WELDERS DROP DOWN and now
secure it.
Witwer watches the car, starts walking for the end of the
line. He watches as the car enters THE PAINTING TUNNEL.
Witwer and his men walk through the adjacent hallway,
watching through the windows as the car rolls out...
The finished car emerges through smoke and lasers from the
painting tunnel. Witwer and his men approach the driver's
side window... the car looks empty... until...
Anderton pops up into frame and STARTS THE CAR. He turns and
looks at WITWER, HIS ANGRY REFLECTION IN THE GLASS as
Anderton now DRIVES THE CAR OUT OF THERE and we then...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT./ EXT. RED LEXUS - MARYLAND COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Anderton drives away from the city on the open road, passing
a solar/wind farm. Giant windmills and solar panels dot the
landscape for as far as the eye can see.
EXT. FARMLAND - DAY
The surroundings become more and more rural. Anderton's
vehicle kicks up a roostertail of dust along the dirt side
road as he passes a row of old mailboxes.
EXT. A WALLED ESTATE - DAY
Overgrown with vines and shrubbery of every possible variety.
Anderton gets out of his vehicle and moves to a wooden gate.
A rusted NO TRESPASSING SIGN is nailed to it.
Anderton rings the BELL. No answer. He peers through a
crack in the gate. We then...
BEGIN TO CRANE UP
As Anderton moves to the wall, and starts climbing the vines.
He gets to the top of the wall, looks out at...
GARDENS
Wild and out of control. A small ivy-covered STONE HOUSE is
nestled into a corner of the property. Smoke rises from the
chimney. Anderton starts down the other side of the wall.
EXT. THE GARDENS - DAY
As Anderton jumps to the ground. His shirt is ripped; his
arms scratched from what he realizes are THORNS embedded in
the vines.
We hear RUSTLING as, behind Anderton, several of the plants
unfurl to their full dimensions of eight feet and wrap their
vines around Anderton's neck and torso.
He breaks free. We hear CLASSICAL MUSIC O.S. and Anderton
moves through the gardens towards it. He stops, dizzy,
touches his forehead and then looks off at...
A GREENHOUSE
Where we see A WOMAN, 50, dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and
gardening attire, attending to the plants, gently spraying,
then wiping each leaf with a small, square cloth...
Anderton staggers into the greenhouse, something now quite
wrong with him.
ANDERTON
Dr. Hineman --
Quick as a flash she holds up her cane and a six-inch BLADE
extends from the tip to Anderton's throat. She looks down
the length of it at Anderton, his ripped clothing, bruised
face, and scratched arms.
IRIS
You're trespassing.
He starts to sway, touches his forehead.
IRIS
Something wrong?
ANDERTON
I'm a little dizzy...
She casually leans on the cane, shoving the blade back up
inside.
IRIS
Yes, I'm afraid that would be from
the Doll's Eye.
ANDERTON
The what?
IRIS
The vine -- the Baneberry that
scratched you during your illegal
climb over my wall...
She leads Anderton over to a wooden table just inside the
greenhouse where she's got AFTERNOON TEA set up.
IRIS
It's not a true Doll's Eye, of
course, but a little hybrid of my
own design.
Anderton staggers, grabs hold of the table for support.
IRIS
It's quite something, once the
poison gets into your bloodstream,
you'll start to see what I can only
describe as the most extraordinary
display of blue objects.
Anderton struggles. She watches him a moment.
IRIS
This just isn't your week, is it,
Chief?
He pulls his gun. She shakes her head...
IRIS
Now now...
She easily takes it away from him, jacks the clip onto the
table, then calmly pours a cup of tea.
IRIS
You have three minutes to tell me
what you're doing here before I
feed you to a few of my more
predacious plants.
ANDERTON
I'm... not... a... killer.
She studies him a moment, then tears a leaf from a plant, and
calmly begins crumpling it up into the tea...
IRIS
You better drink this. Soon you
won't be able to swallow, and then
you'll be totally buggered.
He looks at the cup, hesitates, tries to pick it up.
IRIS
Drink all of it.
She pours the rest into his mouth. He sits back, waits for
the antidote to take effect.
IRIS
Take a moment to right yourself.
She picks up some pruning shears and goes to work on an
orchid.
IRIS
Just what is it you think I can do
for you?
ANDERTON
You can tell me how someone...
could fake a prevision.
IRIS
And how would I know that?
He looks at her.
ANDERTON
You invented precrime.
She chuckles bitterly at that one.
ANDERTON
What's so funny?
IRIS
If the unintended consequences of a
series of genetic mistakes and
science gone haywire can be called
invention, then yes, I invented
precrime.
ANDERTON
You don't seem all that proud.
IRIS
I'm not. I was trying to heal
them, not turn them into...
something else.
ANDERTON
Heal who?
IRIS
The innocents we now use to stop
the guilty.
ANDERTON
You're talking about the precogs...
IRIS
You think the three in the tank
come from a test tube? They're
merely the ones who survived.
She sits down, pours herself some tea.
IRIS
I was doing genetic research at the
Woodhaven Clinic in Rhode Island on
Renning's Syndrome, a neurological
condition that affects the cerebral
cortex of children. Most of these
kids were abandoned or forgotten.
Very few of the kids lived past the
age of twelve.
She looks away, remembering it all now...
IRIS
It began as play. A guessing game
like you play with any toddler,
except these children always
guessed right.
(then)
And then the nightmares started.
They were all different, but all
the same. They were all about
murder. And the murders were all
happening.
ANDERTON
And how did Lamar become involved?
IRIS
Back then, he was still a DA, and
quite a few parents of my patients
had passed through his courtroom.
You have to understand, these
people were the dregs of society.
But once they saw their children...
he decided he would do whatever he
could for them. He's that way, you
know, paternal about certain
things. Precrime. The precogs.
You.
ANDERTON
(keeping her on track)
You say some of the children died?
IRIS
So many of them... despite what we
did for them. Or maybe because of
what we did to them.
(then, bitter)
It doesn't matter. It's a perfect
system now, isn't it?
ANDERTON
I'm not a murderer. I've never
even met the man I'm supposed to
kill.
IRIS
And, yet, a chain of events has
started. A chain that will lead
inexorably to his death.
ANDERTON
Not if I stay away from him.
IRIS
How can you avoid a man you've
never met?
ANDERTON
So you won't help me?
IRIS
I can't help you. No one can. The
Precogs are never wrong.
He turns away, looking lost. She picks up her tea cup, looks
at him over the top.
IRIS
But, occasionally, they do
disagree.
He turns back to her. She casually sips her tea.
ANDERTON
What?
IRIS
Most of the time, all three
Precognitives will see an event in
the same way. But once in a while,
one of them will see things
differently than the other two.
ANDERTON
Jesus Christ -- why didn't I know
about this?
IRIS
Because these Minority Reports are
destroyed the instant they occur.
ANDERTON
Why?
IRIS
Obviously, for Precrime to
function, there can't be any
suggestion of fallibility. After
all, what good is a Justice system
that instills doubt? It may be
reasonable, but it's still doubt.
Anderton tries to take all of this in, looks at her.
ANDERTON
You're saying that I've halo'd
innocent people?
IRIS
I'm saying that every so often
those accused of a precrime might,
just might, have an alternate
future.
ANDERTON
Does Burgess know about this?
About the Minority Report?
IRIS
(beat)
I used to joke with Lamar that we
were the mother and father of
Precrime. Well, in my experience,
parents often see their children as
they want them to be, not as they
are.
ANDERTON
Answer my question. Did Lamar
Burgess know about the Minority
Report?
IRIS
Yes, of course, he knew, but at the
time, he felt -- we both felt their
existence was... an insignificant
variable.
ANDERTON
Insignificant to you maybe, but
what about those people I put away
with alternate futures? My God, if
the country knew there was a chance
they might not --
IRIS
The system would collapse.
ANDERTON
I believe in that system...
IRIS
Do you? Really?
He looks at her.
ANDERTON