In 2010, it was reported that Nowlin had written a spec script Columbus about Christopher Columbus, which was bought by Relativity Media with McG attached to direct the film.[4] He also wrote a western thriller spec Wild Guns which he sold to Warner Bros. in April 2011, Gianni Nunnari would produce the film through Hollywood Gang Productions.[5]
In April 2012, it was reported that Universal Pictures had bought the distribution rights to Agent 13, an adaptation of comic book Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger, adapted by Nowlin with Charlize Theron attached to star and Rupert Wyatt to direct.[6] Later in July 2012, 20th Century Fox hired Ball and Nowlin to co-write the script of feature live-action adaptation of Ball's animated short film Ruin, which Ball would also direct.[7] In October 2012, Nowlin's spec script Our Name Is Adam was bought by producer Mary Parent with attaching Tom Cruise to play the lead role.[8] The film was later renamed to The Adam Project and has Ryan Reynolds co-starring with Jennifer Garner, with a slated release for March 11, 2022.[9]