The 2016 Black List Reveals The Latest Batch Of Hollywood's Best Unproduced Screenplays
The annual "Black List" of best unproduced screenplays is interesting in the moment but fascinating in the long run. What looks like a list of unfamiliar titles now could, in a few years, become a list of actual movies that have hit theaters, found audiences, won awards, made a ton of money bombed horribly, developed horrifying reputations, and led to bitter Twitter arguments. So scan this list, bookmark this page, and come back in a few years to see what happens.
While the bulk of the list is made up of work from new and veteran screenwriters whose names you probably not know, there are a few bigger names in this year's list. The biggest name is probably Mindy Kaling, whose "Untitled Late Night Comedy" made the cut. Like several other scripts on the list, this project is currently being developed, with Kaling currently attached to star alongside Emma Thompson.
Graham Moore, whose screenplay for The Imitation Game made the 2011 Black List and later won him an Academy Award, made the list again with The Last Days of Night, which chronicles the conflict between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. Eddie Redmayne is currently attached to star. Adrift, by Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell, is also making its way through development, with Shailene Woodley current set to star and with Baltasar Kormakur directing. Drew Pearce, best known for co-writing Iron Man 3, made the list with Hotel Artemis, which he plans to direct (and which has Jodie Foster set to star).
You can peruse the complete list below.
48
BLOND AMBITION
Elyse Hollander
In 1980s New York, Madonna struggles to get her frst album released while navigating fame, romance, and a music industry that views women as disposal.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Tanya Cohen, Simon Faber
MANAGEMENT: Bellvue Productions
MANAGER: John Zaozirny
35
LIFE ITSELF
Dan Fogelman
A multigenerational love story that weaves together a number of characters whose lives intersect over the course of decades from the streets of New York to the Spanish countryside and back.
AGENCY: WME
AGENT: Danny Greenberg
MANAGEMENT: Management 360
MANAGER: Eryn Brown
PRODUCERS: Rhode Island Avenune, Temple Hill
FINANCIERS: FilmNation
THE OLYMPIAN
Tony Tost
The true story of an underdog rower trying to make it into the 1984 Olympics, told through the story of his relationships with his coach, his father, his fancée, and with competition itself.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Jill Gillett, Sylvie Rabineau
MANAGEMENT: Management 360
MANAGERS: Guymon Casady, Jill McElroy
PRODUCERS: Management 360
PRODUCERS: RatPac Entertainment, Michael De Luca Producutions, Bellvue Productions
THE POST
Liz Hannah
Before Watergate, there was the Pentagon Papers. This is the true story of how Washington Post scion Katharine Graham and legendary editor Ben Bradlee overcame their differences to publish the story that would change their lives.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENTS: Dan Erlij, Keya Khayatian Carolyn Sivitz
MANAGEMENT: Echo Lake Management
MANAGERS: Brittany Kahan, Graciella Sanchez
PRODUCERS: Pascal Pictures, Star Thrower Entertainment
28
VOYAGERS
Zach Dean
The cosmic love story of Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Dan Aloni, Simon Faber, Solco Schuit
MANAGEMENT: Madhouse Entertainment
MANAGER: Adam Kolbrenner
PRODUCER: Lynda Obst Productions
FINANCIERS: Warner Bros
25
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
Explores the entire history of the universe and our species through three interwoven storylines that question the very nature of life, love, mortality, where we've been, and where we're going; the past, present, and future of the human race.
AGENCY: WME
AGENT: Mike Fera
MANAGEMENT: LBI
MANAGER: Harry Lengsfield
22
O2
Christie LeBlanc
Waking up inside a cryogenic chamber with no memory of how she got there, Charlie must somehow escape the chamber before her air runs out.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Joe Mann, Pete Stein
MANAGEMENT: Echo Lake Entertainment
MANAGERS: James Engle, Adam Riback
UNTITLED LAX MANDIS PROJECT
Seth Spector
A frustrated film exec at odds with the state of his industry is forced to work with the one person who is making him question everything.
21
DARK MONEY
Matt Fruchtman
The true story of a young stock trader who goes to work for billionaire tycoon Steve Cohen and gets involved in the biggest insider trading scandal in history.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Sue Carls, Jon Cassir, Brian Kend, Joe Mann
MANAGEMENT: Madhouse Entertainment
MANAGER: Adam Kolbrenner
PRODUCER: Echo Lake Entertainment
LETTERS FROM ROSEMARY KENNEDY
Nick Yarborough
Told through a series of letters to family members, the tragic true story of Rosemary Kennedy, a vibrant, passionate young woman and oldest daughter of Joe and Rose Kennedy. Born with a severe learning disability, Rosemary so worried her father with her erratic behavior that he believed the stigma of mental illness in the family would ruin his plans to build a political dynasty. He hid her away in convents and sanitariums and ultimately had her lobotomized.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Tanya Cohen, Simon Faber
MANAGEMENT: Epicenter
MANAGERS: Allan Cantor, Jarrod Murray
20
LINDA AND MONICA
Flint Wainess
The absolutely crazy true story of the relationship between Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp, the woman who nearly destroyed the Clinton presidency – and herself in the process.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENT: Charles Ferraro
MANAGEMENT: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment
MANAGER: Josh Goldenberg
PRODUCER: Escape Artists
19
HALA
Minhal Baig
When a teenaged Muslim-American girl, struggling with identity issues already, discovers her father is having an afair with a colleague, she responds by seducing her English teacher, ultimately leading to her parents' divorce.
MANAGEMENT: 3 Arts Entertainment
MANAGER: Ari Lubet
PRODUCER: Overbrook Entertainment
18
THE MISERABLE ADVENTURES OF BURT SQUIRE ABOARD THE HORN HIGH YO
Ben Bolea
The unbelievable true story of a family man from Alaska in the midst of a midlife crisis who embarks on what he hoped would be a dream sailing vacation but ends up shipwrecked in the Atlantic Ocean with a charming but psychotic sea captain who has decided to stop taking his medication.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Tanya Cohen, Holly Jeter
MANAGEMENT: Bellvue Productions
MANAGER: Jeff Portnoy
PRODUCERS: LD Entertainment, Kim Zubick
FINANCIER: LD Entertainment
THE TIME TRAVELER'S LA RONDE
Tom Dean
An exploration of relationships as a man witnesses diferent types of love across the ages.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Tanya Cohen, Roger Green, Meyash Prabhu
MANAGEMENT: Circle of Confusion
MANAGERS: Zach Cox, Daniela Garcia-Brcek
PRODUCERS: Circle of Confusion
17
REVOLVER
Kate Trefry
Based on true events in Anchorage, Alaska in 1966, a teen girl attempts to sneak into the hotel where the Beatles are staying to lose her virginity to George Harrison.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENTS: Amanda Hymson, Keya Khayatian
MANAGEMENT: Lee Stobby Entertainment
MANAGER: Lee Stobby
15
FAIRY GODMOTHER
Chiara Atik
When sought after Fairy Godmother Faye is hired by a mind-bogglingly gorgeous teenage client, Kenzie, to fnd her true love with the hottest prince in the land, Faye fnds herself facing an unfamiliar challenge when the prince starts falling for her instead.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Tanya Cohen, Sarah Self
MANAGEMENT: Think Tank Management
MANAGER: Tom Drumm
PRODUCER: A Thousand Ships
FINANCIER: MGM
FREE GUY
Matt Lieberman
A bank teller stuck in his routine discovers he's a background character in a realistic, open world action-adventure video game and he is the only one capable of saving the city.
AGENCY: WME
AGENTS: Simon Faber, Roger Green
MANAGEMENT: Madhouse Entertainment
MANAGER: Adam Kolbrenner
PRODUCER: Berlanti Productions
FINANCIER: 20th Century Fox
THE KINGS OF MAINE
Kathy Charles
Living with his wife and child in a trailer while working as a janitor, Stephen King struggles with alcoholism and his own dark history as he attempts to complete Carrie.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENTS: Peter Dodd, Charles Ferraro
MANAGEMENT: Bellvue Productions
MANAGER: John Zaozirny
LAYLA...AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS
Derek Weissbein
Based on the lives and times of Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Pattie Boyd and the tumultuous love triange that inspired an entire generation of music.
AGENCY: APA
AGENTS: Adam Perry
MANAGEMENT: Echo Lake Entertainment
MANAGER: Adam Riback
PRODUCERS: LBI Entertainment, Le Grisbi Productions, Real Creative Productions
MAXIMUM KING!
Shay Hatten
An outlandish, surreal imagining of how in 1985 Stephen King wrote and directed his horror classic Maximum Overdrive.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Joe Mann, Praveen Pandian
MANAGEMENT: Lee Stobby Entertainment
MANAGER: Lee Stobby
14
BATTLE OF ALCATRAZ
Neil Widener, Gavin James
A plan to escape from Alcatraz prison turns into a battle and hostage crisis that pits armed prisoners against US Army troops for two full days.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Jon Cassir, Joe Mann
MANAGEMENT: Grandview
MANAGERS: Matt Rosen
PRODUCERS: Automatik, Matt Charman
FINANCIER: Paramount
I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW
Mike Makowsky
The apocalypse proves a blessing in disguise for one lucky recluse — until a second survivor arrives with the threat of companionship.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Rob Herting, Praveen Pandian
MANAGEMENT: Circle of Confusion
MANAGER: Susan Solomon
PRODUCERS: Automatik, Estuary Films, Exhibit, Mike Makowsky
MAN ALIVE
Joe Greenberg
After an alien invasion takes over the minds of humankind, one survivor known as "Man" must make peace with the alien force to fight a greater evil.
AGENCY: Verve Talent and Literary Agency
AGENTS: Bryan Besser, Parker Davis
MANAGEMENT: Good Fear Film + Management
MANAGERS: Scott Stoops, Jake Wagner
PRODUCERS: 26 Keys, Good Fear
FINANCIER: Fox
MOTHER
Michael Lloyd Green
A teenage girl is raised underground by a robot "Mother" – designed to repopulate the earth's surface following an extinction-level event. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.
MANAGEMENT: Echo Lake Entertainment
MANAGERS: Dave Brown, James Engle
PRODUCERS: The Penguin Empire, Southern Light Films SLA
FINANCIER: Rhea Films
UNTITLED LATE NIGHT COMEDY
Mindy Kaling
A veteran late-night talk show host comes close to losing her job after hiring the show's frst female writer.
AGENCY: CAA
AGENTS: Michael Cooper, Maha Dakhil
MANAGEMENT: 3 Arts Management
MANAGER: Howard Klein
PRODUCERS: Feigco, Scott Rudin
FINANCIER: Fox 2000
13
KING OF LA
Chris Bremner
Set in the 1980s, based on the true story of a man who went from star DEA agent to convicted drug trafficker in the worst corruption scandal in DEA history.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENTS: Emerson Davis, Ben Jacobson
MANAGEMENT: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment
MANAGERS: Lindsey Framson, Josh Goldenberg
PRODUCERS: Bridle Path Films, Scott Free
LET THE EVIL GO WEST
Carlos Rios
In the 1800s, a father desperate to care for his family finds a barrel of gold, that may be less fortune than great curse.
MANAGEMENT: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment
MANAGER: Hannah Ozer
VILLAINS
Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Two small time robbers become prisoners when they break into a house and discover a ten year old girl chained up in the basement.
AGENCY: UTA
AGENTS: Peter Dodd, Charles Ferraro
MANAGEMENT: Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment
MANAGER: Josh Goldenberg
PRODUCERS: Preferred Content, Russel Geyser, Two Ton Films