The Black List (survey)

The Black List (survey)
The Black List is an annual survey of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays not yet produced. It has been published every year since 2005 on the second Friday of December by Franklin Leonard, a development executive who subsequently worked at Universal Pictures and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment. The website states that these are not necessarily "the best" screenplays, but rather "the most liked", since it is based on a survey of studio and production company executives.
Of the more than 1,000 screenplays The Black List has included since 2005, at least 440 have been produced as theatrical films, including Argo, American Hustle, Juno, The King's Speech, Slumdog Millionaire, Spotlight, The Revenant, The Descendants, and Hell or High Water. The produced films have together grossed over $30 billion, and been nominated for 241 Academy Awards and 205 Golden Globe Awards, winning 50 and 40 respectively. As of the 92nd Academy Awards, four of the last 10 Academy Awards for Best Picture went to scripts featured on a previous Black List, as well as 12 of the last 20 screenwriting Oscars (Original and Adapted Screenplays). Additionally, writers whose scripts are listed often find that they are more readily hired for other jobs, even if their listed screenplays still have not been produced, such as Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, two of the writers of the screenplay for The Descendants, who had an earlier screenplay make the list. Slate columnist David Haglund has written that the list's reputation as a champion for "beloved but challenging" works has been overstated, since "these are screenplays that are already making the Hollywood rounds. And while, as a rule, they have not yet been produced, many of them are already in production."
History
The first Black List was compiled in 2005 by Franklin Leonard, at the time working as a development executive for Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way Productions. He emailed about 75 fellow development executives and asked them to name the ten best unproduced screenplays they read that year. To thank them for participating, he compiled the list and sent it to the respondents. The name The Black List was a nod to his heritage as an African American man, and also as a reference to the writers who were barred during the McCarthy era as part of the Hollywood blacklist.
The screenplays to top The Black List, from 2005 to 2022 respectively, are: Things We Lost in the Fire; The Brigands of Rattleborge; Recount; The Beaver; The Muppet Man; College Republicans; The Imitation Game; Draft Day; Holland, Michigan; Catherine the Great; Bubbles; Blond Ambition; Ruin; Frat Boy Genius; Move On; Headhunter; Cauliflower, and Pure.
On January 27, 2019, at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, it was announced that the LGBT media advocacy group GLAAD had partnered with The Black List to create The GLAAD List, a new curated list of the most promising unmade LGBT-inclusive scripts in Hollywood.
Structure
The Black List tallies the number of "likes" various screenplays are given by development executives, and then ranks them accordingly. The most-liked screenplay is The Imitation Game, which topped the list in 2011 with 133 likes; it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 87th Academy Awards in 2015.
Films on the Black List
More than 440 screenplays have been put into production after appearing on The Black List. These include:
2005 Black List
(120/286 screenplays produced)
One Percent More Humid (2017)
21 (2008)
The American (2010) – then titled A Very Private Gentleman, by Laura Harrington
All God's Children Can Dance (2009) – then titled K-Town Super Frog
Altered Carbon (2018–2020) – adapted to television
Anonymous (2011) – then titled Soul of the Age
Armored (2009)
Babel (2006)
Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach (2009)
Black Snake Moan (2006)
Blades of Glory (2007)
Blind (2016)
Blood Diamond (2006)
Breach (2007)
The Brothers Solomon (2007)
The Bucket List (2007)
Carnival Row (2019-2023) – then titled A Killing on Carnival Row; adapted to television
Chapter 27 (2007)
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Charlie Bartlett (2007)
Cougars, Inc. (2011) – then titled Mother's Little Helpers
Dan in Real Life (2007)
Dangerous Parking (2007)
Dark Around the Stars (2013) – then titled Stars
Death at a Funeral (2010)
Delirium (2018) – then titled Home
Dexter (2006–2013) – adapted to television
Disturbia (2007)
The Dirt (2019)
Dream House (2011)
Eight Below (2006) – then titled Antarctica
Ender's Game (2013)
The Expendables (2010) – then titled Barrow
Factory Girl (2006)
Fanboys (2009)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
The Forger (2014)
Freedomland (2006)
Fur (2006)
The Game Plan (2007) – then titled Daddy's Little Girl
Get Low (2009)
The Good Lie (2014) – then titled Lost Boys of Sudan
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011)
Hall Pass (2011)
Hancock (2008) – then titled Tonight, He Comes
Harold (2008)
The Hawk Is Dying (2006)
The Highwaymen (2019)
The Hoax (2006)
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Hot Rod (2007)
The Hunting Party (2007) – then titled Spring Break in Bosnia
Infamous (2006)
In Secret (2013) – then titled Terese Raquin
Juno (2007)
Killer Elite (2011)
King of California (2007)
The Kingdom (2007)
The Kite Runner (2007)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
The Ledge (2011)
Legendary (2010) – then titled Oxley's Road
Life After Beth (2014) – then titled Winged Life
The Life Before Her Eyes (2007) – then titled In Bloom
Little Children (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)
Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
The Maiden Heist (2009) – then titled Lonely Maiden
Mama's Boy (2007)
Margaret (2011)
Married Life (2007) – then titled Marriage
Meet Bill (2007) – then titled Bill
Meet Dave (2008) – then titled Starship Dave
Message from the King (2016)
Michael Clayton (2007)
A Million Little Pieces (2019)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (2008)
Nacho Libre (2006)
Nebraska (2013)
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
Not Another Happy Ending (2013) – then titled Happy Endings
Notes on a Scandal (2006)
The Number 23 (2007)
The Only Living Boy in New York (2017)
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Pathfinder (2007)
Passengers (2008)
Peacock (2010)
Post Grad (2009) – then titled Ticket to Ride
The Prestige (2006)
The Proposal (2009)
The Promotion (2008)
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Pu-239 (2006)
Quid Pro Quo (2008)
The Queen (2006)
Reservation Road (2007)
Righteous Kill (2008)
The Sasquatch Gang (2006) – then titled The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang
Stardust (2007)
The Starling (2021)
Stop-Loss (2008)
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007) – then titled Studio 7
The Ten (2007)
Tenure (2009)
Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
Turistas (2006)
Under the Skin (2013)
Wanted (2008)
We Are Marshall (2006)
The Whistleblower (2010)
Wild Hogs (2007)
The Words (2012)
World Trade Center (2006)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
The Year of Getting to Know Us (2008)
Youth in Revolt (2009)
Zodiac (2007)
2006 Black List
(40/87 screenplays produced)
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
500 Days of Summer (2009)
A Mighty Heart (2007)
All About Steve (2009)
Assassination of a High School President (2008)
Away We Go (2009) – then titled This Must Be the Place
The Brothers Bloom (2008)
The Bucket List (2007)
Changeling (2008)
Crash Pad (2017) – then titled Bim Bam Baby
Curve (2015)
Dear Dictator (2018) – then titled Coup d'Etat
Death at a Funeral (2007)
The Devil's Double (2011)
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2013)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
Dracula Untold (2014) – then titled Dracula Year Zero
The Fighter (2010)
Frost/Nixon (2008)
Get Smart (2008)
Hanna (2011)
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
In Bruges (2008)
Life of Pi (2012)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
The Messenger (2009)
Natural Selection (2009)
The Other Woman (2009) – then titled Love and Other Impossible Pursuits
Open Grave (2013)
Rendition (2007)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) – then titled Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
Seven Pounds (2008)
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
She's Out of My League (2010)
State of Play (2009)
Superbad (2007)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
Year of the Dog (2007)
2007 Black List
The Answer Man (2009)
Adventureland (2009)
All Good Things (2010)
Big Eyes (2014)
Blindness (2008)
Blitz (2008)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
The Book of Eli (2010)
The Book of Love (2016)
Burn After Reading (2008)
Burnt (2015)
Charlie Countryman (2013)
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Dear John (2010)
Demolition (2015)
Dirty Girl (2010)
Doubt (2008)
The Duchess (2008)
Duplicity (2009)
Eagle Eye (2008)
Felt (2017)
Genius (2016)
The Hangover (2009)
Happy. Thank You. More. Please. (2010)
Hitchcock (2012)
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)
The Ides of March (2011) – then titled Farragut North
The Invention of Lying (2009) – then titled This Side of the Truth
Invictus (2009) – then titled The Human Factor
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) – then titled Dubai
Jennifer's Body (2009)
Justice League (2017)
Last Chance Harvey (2008)
Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992 (2017)
Love & Other Drugs (2010)
Management (2009)
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Orphan (2009)
Passengers (2016)
Recount (2008)
The Revenant (2015)
The Road (2009)
Salt (2010)
Selma (2014)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Source Code (2011)
The Town (2010)
Valkyrie (2008)
The Wackness (2008)
The Way, Way Back (2013)
Whip It (2009)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
World War Z (2013)
The Wrestler (2008)
Yes Man (2008)
Zombieland (2009)
2008 Black List
(39/105 screenplays produced)
47 Ronin (2013)
50/50 (2011) – then titled I'm With Cancer
A.C.O.D. (2013) – then titled ACOD: Adult Children of Divorce
All I Wish (2017) – then titled A Little Something for Your Birthday
Bachelorette (2012)
The Back-up Plan (2010) – then titled Plan B
Bad Teacher (2011)
The Beaver (2011)
Broken City (2013)
Butter (2011)
Child 44 (2015)
Cop Out (2010) – then titled A Couple of Dicks
Date and Switch (2014) – then titled Gay Dude
The Debt (2010)
The Descendants (2011)
Easy A (2010)
Everything Must Go (2010)
The F Word (2013) – then titled The F-Word
Foxcatcher (2014)
The Fourth Kind (2009)
Going the Distance (2010)
Hope Springs (2012) – then titled Untitled Vanessa Taylor Project
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Killing Season (2013) – then titled Shrapnel
London Boulevard (2010)
Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story
No Strings Attached (2011) – then titled Fuckbuddies
Nowhere Boy (2009)
The Oranges (2011)
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)
Out of the Furnace (2013) – then titled The Low Dweller
Remember Me (2010) – then titled Memoirs
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Sleeping Beauty (2011)
Unlocked (2017)
Up in the Air (2009)
What's Your Number? (2011) – then titled Twenty Times a Lady
Worth (2020) – then titled What Is Life Worth?
2009 Black List
(42/97 screenplays produced)
2 Guns (2013)
30 Minutes or Less (2011)
Arthur (2011)
The Baytown Outlaws (2012) – then titled Baytown Disco
Booksmart (2019)
Buried (2010)
Cedar Rapids (2011)
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)
Cut Bank (2014)
Dark Was the Night (2014) – then titled The Trees
Desperados (2020)
Due Date (2010)
The Duel (2016) – then titled By Way of Helena
Feud (2017–present) – then titled Best Actress; adapted to television as an anthology series
Gangster Squad (2013) – then titled LA REX
The Guilt Trip (2012) – then titled My Mother’s Curse
Hanna (2011)
If I Stay (2014)
The King's Speech (2010)
The Kings of Summer (2013) – then titled Toy's House
The Last Stand (2013)
Lawless (2012) – then titled The Wettest County
Pawn Sacrifice (2014)
Prisoners (2013)
Red Riding Hood (2011) – then titled The Girl With the Red Riding Hood
Restless (2011)
Seeking Justice (2011) – then titled The Hungry Rabbit Jumps
Shimmer Lake (2017)
The Sitter (2011)
The Social Network (2010)
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Take This Waltz (2011)
That's My Boy (2012) – then titled I Hate You Dad
The To Do List (2013) – then titled The Hand Job
The True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016)
The Umbrella Academy – screenplay by Mark Bomback
The Vatican Tapes (2015)
The Voices (2014)
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) – then titled Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
The Watch (2012) – then titled Neighborhood Watch
Water for Elephants (2011)
Z for Zachariah (2015)
2010 Black List
(44/76 screenplays produced)
Abduction (2011)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
American Hustle (2013) – then titled American Bullshit
Argo (2012)
ATM (2012)
Better Living Through Chemistry (2014)
The Butler (2013)
Can You Keep a Secret? (2019) – screenplay by Megan Martin
Chronicle (2012)
Cinema Verite (2011)
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Danny Collins (2015) – then titled Imagine
Die in a Gunfight (2021)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014) – then titled All You Need Is Kill, by Dante Harper
Everly (2014)
Freaks of Nature (2015) – then titled Kitchen Sink
Fun Size (2012)
Gangster Squad (2013) – then titled LA REX
Get a Job (2016)
Gold (2016)
The Hunger Games (2012) – then titled Hunger Games
The Impossible (2012)
Jackie (2016)
The Last Son (2021) – then titled The Last Son of Isaac LeMay
The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
Lola Versus (2012)
Looper (2012)
Margin Call (2011)
Murder of a Cat (2014)
One Day (2011)
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) – then titled Oz: The Great and Powerful
People Like Us (2012) – then titled Welcome to People
Paint (2023)
Prom (2011)
Safe House (2012)
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) – then titled Boy Scouts vs. Zombies
Search Party (2014) – then titled Road to Nardo
Serena (2014)
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Stoker (2013)
That Awkward Moment (2014) – then titled Are We Officially Dating?
Triple 9 (2016) – then titled 999
What Happened to Monday (2017) – then titled What Happened to Monday?
2011 Black List
(28/71 screenplays produced)
The Accountant (2016)
Arizona (2018)
Bad Words (2013)
Before I Fall (2017)
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
The Current War (2017)
Dirty Grandpa (2016)
Django Unchained (2012)
The DUFF (2015)
Father Figures (2017) – then titled Bastards
Future Man (2017–2020) – adapted to television
Good Kids (2016)
Grace of Monaco (2014)
Hidden (2015)
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
The Imitation Game (2014)
Jane Got a Gun (2015)
Long Shot (2019)
Maggie (2015)
The Outsider (2018)
Playing It Cool (2015)
The Pretty One (2013)
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Self/less (2015)
Sex Tape (2014)
St. Vincent (2014) – then titled St. Vincent de Van Nuys
Two Night Stand (2014)
When the Streetlights Go On (2020–present) – adapted to television
2012 Black List
The Adam Project (2022)
Arrival (2016)
Blockers (2018)
Come and Find Me (2016)
Don't Make Me Go (2022)
Draft Day (2014)
The Equalizer (2014)
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Fathers and Daughters (2015)
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Flower (2017)
Hell or High Water (2016)
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
The Judge (2014)
The Keeping Room (2014)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
Murder City (2023)
The Outcasts (2017)
Project Almanac (2015)
Run All Night (2015)
Sand Castle (2017)
Shut In (2016)
Stockholm, Pennsylvania (2015)
The Survivalist (2015)
Sweet Virginia (2017)
Transcendence (2014)
Whiplash (2014)
Who Framed Tommy Callahan (TBA)
2013 Black List
(17/72 screenplays produced)
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
American Sniper (2014)
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Cake (2014)
Dude (2018)
The End of the Tour (2015)
Extinction (2018)
Faults (2014)
The Gateway (2021)
Holland, Michigan
Hot Summer Nights (2017)
The Independent (2022)
A Monster Calls (2016)
Pan (2015)
Patient Zero (2018) – then titled Patient Z
Reminiscence (2021)
The Sea of Trees (2015)
Shovel Buddies (2016)
Spotlight (2015)
2014 Black List
(17/70 screenplays produced)
American Made (2017)
The Babysitter (2017)
Big Time Adolescence (2019)
Bird Box (2018)
Boston Strangler (2023)
Coffee and Kareem (2020)
The Founder (2016)
Gifted (2017)
Josie (2018)
LBJ (2016)
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Money Monster (2016)
Morgan (2016)
My Friend Dahmer (2017)
On the Basis of Sex (2018)
The Shallows (2016)
The Wall (2017)
Tau (2018)
2015 Black List
(20/81 screenplays produced)
All the Money in the World (2017)
American Woman (2018)
Bed Rest (2022)
City of Lies (2017)
Chappaquiddick (2017)
Crater (2023)
Dreamland (2019)
Eli (2019)
Lou (2022)
Lucy in the Sky (2019)
Miss Sloane (2016)
Operation Finale (2018)
Rough Night (2017)
Senior Year (2022)
Set It Up (2018)
Stronger (2017)
Three Months (2022)
The Water Man (2020)
Wish Upon (2017)
White Boy Rick (2018)
2016 Black List
(20/73 screenplays produced)
America: The Motion Picture (2021)
Adrift (2018)
Bad Education (2019)
Free Guy (2021)
Hala (2019)
Hotel Artemis (2018)
I Think We're Alone Now (2018)
I Am Mother (2019)
I, Tonya (2017)
In the Blink of an Eye (TBA)
Kandahar (2023)
Late Night (2019)
Life Itself (2018)
Miller’s Girl (TBA)
Oxygen (2021)
The Post (2017)
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)
Space Oddity (2022)
Villains (2019)
2017 Black List
(14/76 films have been put into production; 13 completed, 1 in production)
All My Life (2021)
Breaking News in Yuba County (2021)
Call Jane (2022)
Daddio (2023)
Woman of the Hour (2023) - then called Rodney & Sheryl
Finch (2021) – then titled Bios
Fubar
Infinite (2021)
Kate (2021)
The Lodge (2019)
The Mother (2023)
Moxie (2021)
The Sleepover (2020)
The Survivor (2021) – then titled The Boxer
2018 Black List
(10/73 screenplays have been put into production; 8 completed, 2 in production)
Black Flies
Cobweb (2023)
The High Note (2020) – then titled Covers
The Half of It (2020)
Harry's All Night Hamburgers
King Richard (2021)
Little Fish (2021)
Meet Cute (2022)
Promising Young Woman (2020)
Queen & Slim (2019)
2019 Black List
(11/66 screenplays have been put into production; 8 completed, 1 in production)
8-Bit Christmas (2021)
Betty Ford – adapted to television
Breathe
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Dollhouse (2024)
First Ascent – adapted to television
Knock at the Cabin (2023) - Then titled The Cabin at the End of the World
The Menu (2022)
Relay (TBA)
Resurrection (2022)
Shut In (2022)
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
2020 Black List
(15/80 screenplays have been put into production; 6 completed, 6 in production)
Anything's Possible (2022) – then titled What If?
Chang Can Dunk (2023)
Dust (TBA)
Emancipation (2022)
Emergency (2022)
Fight or Flight (TBA)
The Gorge
I.S.S.
If You Were The Last
Magazine Dreams
May December
Nanny (2022)
Sharper (2023)
Suncoast
2021 Black List
(5/73 screenplays have been put into production; 1 completed, 4 in production)
A Nice Indian Boy
Air - then titled Air Jordan
Barton’s Cove
Challengers
The Family Plan
Lift
2022 Black List
(5/75 screenplays have been put into production; 0 completed, 5 in production)
Madden (TBA)
Goat (TBA)
The Pack (TBA)
42.6 Years (TBA)
Wildfire (TBA)
Notes
References
External links
Film production
Unproduced screenplays
2004 introductions