Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are fifteen original scripts for your reading pleasure.

And, as always, these scripts are not in the public domain. Please contact the screenwriter for permission to use any script you find here.

Thanks!

– Don

Thanks to Bob, SW, Barksid, Richie, Riley for all these scripts studios are posting for award consideration.

The White Tiger – December 11, 2020 continuity draft script by Ramin Bahrani (Based on the novel by Aravind Adiga) – hosted by: Deadline Hollywood – in pdf format

Balram Halwai narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, our young hero jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok and Pinky, who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing – a servant – so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realizes the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

News of the World – Undated, unspecified draft script by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies (Based Upon the Novel by Paulette Jiles) – hosted by: Universal Pictures – in pdf format

A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.

Information courtesy of imdb.com
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – Undated, unspecified draft script by Ruben Santiago-Hudson (based on the play by August Wilson) – hosted by: Variety – in pdf format

Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) — who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry — spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Promising Young Woman – Undated, unspecified draft script by Emerald Fennell – hosted by: Focus Features – in pdf format

A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks, Richie for the heads up.

Mauritanian – January, 2020 unspecified draft script by M. B. Traven and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani (Screen Story by M. B. Traven; Based on ‘GUANTANAMO DIARY’ by Mohamedou Ould Slahi – hosted by: STX Films – in pdf format

This is the true story of Slahi’s fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks Barksid for this script up for award consideration.

The Forty-Year-Old Version – August 4, 2019 pink revised draft script by Radha Blank – hosted by: Netflix – in pdf format

Radha is a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. Reinventing herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime, she vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theater in order to find her true voice.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Over on the Oscar Scripts page is Palmer

Palmer – Undated, unspecified draft script by Cheryl Guerriero – hosted by: Apple TV – in pdf format

An ex-convict strikes up a friendship with a boy from a troubled home.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks to Richie, Bob, and SW have told me that Soul is up on the Scripts studios are posting for award consideration page.

Soul – July 17, 2020 Academy Draft script by Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers – hosted by: Deadline – in pdf format

Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn’t quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz — and he’s good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

THE GIFT OF GIVING (6-page short drama screenplay) Written by John Staats

An elderly man and his dog enjoy another memorable Christmas Eve.

In our December, holiday-themed OWC, there were some really heartwarming, touching tales that really captured the spirit of the holidays and explored the importance of family and togetherness during this time of year. However, this 3rd place OWC winner, a mind-bending tearjerker, explores another common feeling many people experience during the holidays – loneliness. All while bending our perception of reality with unique storytelling and structure.

The tale starts off like many holiday-themed tales: Charley and his wife, June – an elderly couple – prepare a nice Christmas dinner, waiting for family to arrive. Charley sits in front of fireplace, looking over a gift box as his spry, energetic golden terrier, Sam, sits by his feet.

Soon their son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Mary and four-year-old grandson, Phillip arrive bearing gifts. Unfortunately, there’s a pretty bad snowstorm in progress outside and they need to get going before the roads get too bad.

But, before they leave, Charley’s son, Bill, gives him a Christmas gift he picked up from Romania while on business – a very unique crystal ball ornament.

And before we know it, Bill, Mary and Phillip leave. The abruptness of their stay and the way they leave, it almost feels like a dream, but in a very subtle way. But things truly get strange when Charley notices that his once-energetic dog, Sam, is suddenly walking with a limp, for reasons unknown. What is going on here, exactly?

I won’t give away the gut-punch of an ending. But I encourage you to check out this script and I highly recommend this to filmmakers. It really does tug at the heartstrings, but not in a conventional way. It carries a sadness to it in the way we see in Charlie Kaufman projects such as, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and, most recently, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” on Netflix (though easier to follow).

BUDGET: Low. Minimal cast, one location (a house).

ABOUT THE WRITER: As a fly-fishing fanatic and skier living in the Arizona desert, John Staats finds plenty of time for writing. His feature Impasse was a 2019 Filmmatic Season 4 Drama Screenplay Finalist and has been published as an e-book on Amazon. In addition to features and shorts for the screen, John has found a niche writing for the illustrated page (comics!). John can be contacted at jestaats (a) hotmail.

Read: THE GIFT OF GIVING (6-page short drama screenplay)

Discuss on the Discussion Board

*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

Find more scripts available for production.

About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

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For January 24th, there are ten original scripts on the Unproduced Scripts page for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Thanks Richie for the heads up:

Prom – Undated, unspecified draft script by Bob Mrtin & Chad Beguelin (based on the Broadway musical by Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin and Matthew Sklar) – hosted by: Netflix – in pdf format

A troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theater stars swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.

Information courtesy of imdb.com