The project appeared to be underway and screenwriter, Susan Black, began work. However, a combination of a looming screenwriters strike and then, the purchase of Time Warner by AOL in January of 2001, caused agonizing delays. Ultimately, the Atlas Shrugged project was abandoned by TNT in March of 2002.

 
When the TNT deal fell apart, Aglialoro began discussions with Crusader Entertainment, LLC, a Beverly Hills-based production company (owned by successful oil entrepreneur Phillip Anschutz). In May 2003, Aglialoro granted Crusader the right to produce Atlas Shrugged. Crusader signed veteran screenwriter James V. Hart, whose movie credits include the adaptation of Carl Sagan's science fiction book Contact, to write the screenplay.

 

Howard Baldwin, President and CEO of Crusader, said in an interview, "I think the box office potential is huge ... Atlas Shrugged is one of the best-selling books of all time." Less than a year later, Crusader was shut down and the Atlas Shrugged project along with it. The Baldwins (Howard and wife, Karen) set up Baldwin Entertainment Group (BEG) and worked diligently to find a studio that would finance and produce the movie. Finally, in March 2006, they succeeded - or so they thought - when Lions Gate Films (Girl with a Pearl Earring, Crash, and Monster's Ball) signed an agreement to produce Atlas Shrugged. Lions Gate hired Randall Wallace (Braveheart, Pearl Harbor, Secretariat) to write the screenplay.

 
This time, Aglialoro felt certain Atlas Shrugged would begin production. And none too soon, because Aglialoro's 15 year right to produce the movie was set to expire the following year. However, disappointment continued when there was one delay after another and ultimately, Lion's Gate advised Aglialoro that they would not be renewing their option to produce Atlas Shrugged.

 
So it was over. After purchasing several extensions from Peikoff, the rights were set to expire on June 15, 2010. Peikoff would not sell another extension, and Aglialoro had not found anyone who wanted to finance and produce Atlas Shrugged.