Screenwriting : I accidentally created a franchise by Deborah Bete

Deborah Bete

I accidentally created a franchise

It started with a fake pitch.

Then came structure.

Then came towels.

I’m a serious screenwriter. I swear.

I lost a bet. And somehow… gained a screen credit.

Last night, I had to pitch a fake movie.

A fake pitch that became a real writing exercise.

And maybe… a real IP?

Title? Asterix and the Towel of Destiny.

I didn’t expect much.

Just a laugh.

Some catharsis.

Maybe a good sleep.

But what started as a joke…

Turned into a trilogy.

That became a series.

With actual arcs, themes, lore — and towels.

I guess that’s what happens when stress meets storytelling.

And absurdity flirts with structure.

Still not sure if I’m okay.

But the writers’ room in my head says hi.

The crime’s object:

Title: Asterix and the Towel of Destiny

Tagline: When the fabric of time unravels, only a Gaul can stitch it back together.

Pitch: Paris, 2025. A forgotten bath towel in a dusty Airbnb turns out to be a magical relic capable of absorbing the memory of entire civilizations.

By accident, it absorbs the soul of Asterix — freshly resurrected by a rogue archaeological AI (thanks, Elon).

Now trapped in the body of an overstressed community manager, Asterix must recover his lost potion (spoiler: it’s hidden inside a hot pink Stanley cup),

prevent a global war, and dry the past to save the present.

Starring:

  • Jean Dujardin as the ghost of Asterix
  • Timothée Chalamet as an emotionally unstable, anthropomorphic towel
  • Adèle Exarchopoulos as a survivalist influencer convinced the towel speaks only to her

Coming soon to Locarno. Possibly against its will.

Franchise update:

  • Towel of Destiny
  • Threads of Chaos
  • Final Rinse
  • Terrycloth Origins (prequel narrated by Cate Blanchett whispering ominously)

Spin-off announcement:

LINT – The Fabric Between Worlds A lone fragment of towel, drifting between laundry cycles and timelines.

Each episode: a different piece of clothing. A different life.

No one notices him — but he remembers everything.

Narrated by Jude Law. Maybe.

Stress relief, world-building and pure chaos. Writers: don’t delete your dumbest ideas.

They might just be portals.

Phil Clarke

Great stuff, Deborah. Admire your creativity, but I'm sure you're aware this franchise does already exist. ;)

Deborah Bete

Haha don’t worry, Phil Clarke .

I may be chaotic, but I do know Astérix exists (I’m French, after all.)

This wasn’t a reboot pitch —

More like an absurd writing exercise where the towel is the actual franchise.

Possessed fabric. Ancient souls. Emotional cotton loops. You know, the usual.

Think towelcore fanfic meets AI resurrection meets too much coffee.

No IP was harmed in the making. (Yet.)

Thanks for reading — towel power to you.

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Maurice Vaughan

Unique concept and great way to practice pitching, Deborah Bete!

Deborah Bete

Haha thanks Maurice Vaughan !

Honestly, it was more of a “silly o’clock” writing dare than a serious pitch — but I’m glad someone caught the towel-loop absurdity

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Deborah Bete. I'm gonna try this. Thanks for the idea!

Liger Bashiir

Every great writer starts somewhere — love how you turned a random idea into real structure! Keep going

Deborah Bete

Liger Bashiir

My brain tried to relieve stress.

It could’ve chosen meditation.

Instead it summoned a sentient towel voiced by Timothée Chalamet.

So I guess I’m producing now.

Liger Bashiir

Deborah Bete "Haha that actually sounds like a fun concept! I'd totally watch that!"

Libby Wright

So cool! I love it!

Deborah Bete

Liger Bashiir Honestly, it was meant to be catharsis.

But somehow… I woke up a sentient towel.

And a trilogy.

(Not blaming anyone. Except maybe Timothée Chalamet, who already accepted the role in my head.)

Deborah Bete

Well Libby Wright

I posted it as a joke.

Now people want a cast, a deck, a release date…

I guess I’m officially the showrunner of a haunted towel?

Amisrael Khai

Love it. Would want to see this done.

Sounds like Asterix & Obelix meet Towlie from South Park

Leonardo Ramirez

This sounds like so much fun Deborah Bete!

Deborah Bete

The cast

Deborah Bete

Amisrael Khai Exactly. It’s basically if Goscinny microdosed and co-wrote with Trey Parker in a laundromat at 3AM.

Thanks for the visual reference, I’ll add him to the “Extended Towel Lore Board"

Deborah Bete

Leonardo Ramirez Fun until I actually have to write the towel’s emotional breakdown scene at 2AM.

But yes, chaos is a writing method now.

Liger Bashiir

Deborah Bete That’s such a creative and funny concept! I love how your imagination turned stress into something so original — a sentient towel trilogy is wild in the best way.

Leonardo Ramirez

Too funny Deborah Bete. I don't know that I could write an emotional breakdown scene at 2AM unless I had some Sleepytime on hand.

Amisrael Khai

You should have Danny Devito play Obelix and Arnold Schwarzenegger play Asterix. LOL. Like a reverse Twins.

Deborah Bete

Leonardo Ramirez let’s say discipline comes in many forms.

But yes, structure first, breakdowns later.

Don’t worry, I also write scripts with human protagonists.

Most of the time.

Deborah Bete

Amisrael Khai not in this franchise. The towel is the main character.

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