The sale of Des Moines-based author James Erwin’s first screenplay pitch was accomplished via an unusual route: the social news aggregator website Reddit.com. Warner Bros just bought Rome, Sweet Rome after Reddit users voted to elevate his idea to the top of the site’s home page. Madhouse Entertainment told Deadline it spotted the post and contacted Erwin, a two-time Jeopardy! champ, to develop his concept for a quick sale. The idea? Contemporary U.S. Marines by some quirk of fate are transported to Ancient Rome where they are forced to contend with Roman legions. Because the Marines’ presence disrupts history’s timeline, they must set things back on course to return home.