Hollywood’s 2025 Black List Reveals Top Unproduced Screenplays

The industry’s most-anticipated list of unproduced screenplays is out. The 2025 Black List was unveiled this week. It features 74 scripts voted the best in town.

Voted on by 500 film executives, the list is a forecast of future hits. It has previously spotlighted scripts that became films like Spotlight and Promising Young Woman. This year’s selections tackle themes from AI to systemic failure.

Erotic Thriller and AI Bowie Lead Diverse Slate

Topping the 2025 list is Best Seller by Matisse Haddad. It is an erotic thriller about a writer’s viral tell-all. The story ignites a dangerous battle with her famous novelist husband.

Other notable scripts include Building Bowie by Alan Fox. That story imagines an AI David Bowie replica evolving beyond its programming. The Waffle House Index by Andrew Nunnelly sets a disaster movie inside the iconic chain.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, eco-terrorism and mountain horror also feature. Kevin Yang’s Blackout envisions an attack on Los Angeles’s power grid. Michael Jones’s Frostbite is a survival horror tale set on Mount Everest.

A List Reflecting Modern Anxieties and Hopes

Black List founder Franklin Leonard noted a thematic trend. This year’s scripts are preoccupied with broken systems, he observed. They explore economic, political, and algorithmic failures.

Yet the stories also ask how we might build something better. This resonance suggests a shift in Hollywood’s creative pulse. The list serves as a cultural barometer for the industry’s near future.

The annual Black List remains a vital snapshot of Hollywood’s creative pipeline. It highlights the unproduced screenplays that could define cinema for years to come. The 2025 selections promise a future of provocative and ambitious storytelling.

Thought you’d like to know

What is the Hollywood Black List?

The Black List is an annual survey of the best unproduced film scripts. It is voted on by hundreds of film executives and high-level assistants. The list has a strong track record of predicting future award winners and commercial hits.

How does a script get on the Black List?

Film executives and their assistants vote for their favorite scripts that have not begun principal photography. A script must receive a minimum of six votes to be included. The process is anonymous to encourage honest selections.

What was the number one script this year?

The top script for 2025 is *Best Seller* by Matisse Haddad. It is described as an erotic thriller set in New York’s literary scene. The story involves a viral article that sparks a battle of seduction and betrayal.

Have past Black List scripts become successful movies?

Yes, many famous films started on the Black List. Notable examples include *Slumdog Millionaire*, *Argo*, and *King’s Speech*. The list is widely regarded as a reliable indicator of future cinematic success.

What common themes appear in the 2025 list?

Founder Franklin Leonard noted a focus on broken systems. Scripts explore failing economic, political, and algorithmic structures. Many also contain narratives about rebuilding and hope amidst chaos.