The 2024 Black List Includes Scripts For a Nazi Hunting Audrey Hepburn, Anthony Bourdain Biopic, and George W. Bush Slasher Film
Every year, the Black List delivers a treasure trove of great and interesting screenplays that have Hollywood buzzing but remain unproduced.
Curated by Franklin Leonard, this annual ranking of the most liked unmade scripts, as voted on by 500 industry professionals, showcases an eclectic mix of bold storytelling, inventive premises, and untapped cinematic potential.
The 2024 Black List does not disappoint, offering everything from slasher horror to historical intrigue.
Topping the charts this year is Travis Braun’s One Night Only, a provocative comedy-drama about two strangers navigating a dystopian rule allowing premarital sex for just one night a year.
Mentioned 60 times by voters, he also topped last year’s list with Bad Boy, about a rescue dog suspecting its owner of murder.
Marie Østerbye’s Playdate landed the second spot, with its chilling psychological thriller tale of a woman unwittingly confronting her childhood bully during a playdate for their daughters.
In third place, Natan Dotan’s Alignment tackles timely themes with its story of an AI board member caught between corporate greed and a looming global catastrophe.
Some scripts on this year’s list stand out for their creativity and audacity:
A young George W. Bush hunted by a masked killer at Camp David?
Aaron Karo’s Tickle-Me-Elmo dives into the wild story of how the iconic toy saved Sesame Street, shook Wall Street, and captivated America.
Then there’s Alyson Weaver Nicholas’ Little Black Dress, which reimagines Audrey Hepburn as a CIA recruit chasing Nazis during breaks from filming Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Dan Woodward’s The Wrong Side of the Rainbow dives into the chaotic production of The Wizard of Oz, following an ambitious actress fighting to keep her role while witnessing the exploitation of Judy Garland.
In Matt Bailey’s King of the Freshmen, the rise and fall of Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is laid bare, exposing the dark underbelly of perfection at any cost—a topic made even more compelling by recent legal scandals involving Jeffries.
Another standout, Lou Howe and Todd Bartels’ Tony, which offers an origin story for the late Anthony Bourdain, chronicling his early days as a dishwasher in Provincetown and the experiences that sparked his culinary and cultural journeys.
This year’s Black List cover pays homage to storytelling as a human art, featuring a poignant quote from the late Alan Rickman:
“And it’s a human need to be told stories. The more we’re governed by idiots and have no control over our destinies, the more we need to tell stories to each other about who we are, why we are, where we come from, and what might be possible.”
The Black List continues to celebrate storytelling in its purest form- raw, ambitious, and full of potential. For cinephiles and industry insiders alike, it’s a glimpse into the unproduced gems that could become tomorrow’s iconic films.
If you want to check out the entire list, click here.