The Black List

Overview

The Black List is an annual survey of Hollywood development executives that identifies the most-liked unproduced screenplays of the year. Founded in 2005 by Franklin Leonard, the 2025 list (the 21st edition) featured 74 scripts by 86 writers, selected by nearly 500 film industry executives. The top script of 2025 was "Best Seller" by Matisse Haddad, which received 48 mentions from voting executives.

Beyond the annual list, The Black List operates an online platform at blcklst.com where writers upload screenplays for professional evaluation and industry discovery. Scripts that receive high ratings from Black List readers are flagged for industry professionals, creating a pathway for unrepresented writers to get noticed outside the traditional agency system. The platform charges $30/month for hosting and $100 per evaluation for feature screenplays and one-hour pilots ($70 for half-hour pilots). Guild members receive 20% off.

The Black List also runs free annual labs, partners with the Academy on the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, and offers a Sloan Foundation Fellowship for science and technology-focused writers. The organization has become one of the most important mechanisms for discovering screenwriting talent outside the traditional studio and agency pipeline.

What It Covers

The Annual Black List

• Published every December since 2005.
• Compiled from votes by Hollywood development executives (not a competition writers enter).
• Scripts that appear on the list gain immediate industry attention from agents, managers, producers, and studio executives.
• The 2025 list included 6 writers with no representation listed, demonstrating the list's function as a discovery tool for unrepresented talent.
• Notable films that originated as Black List scripts include Slumdog Millionaire, The King's Speech, Argo, Spotlight, and The Social Network.

Online Platform

• Hosting: $30/month per script. Scripts are discoverable in the Black List database by industry professionals.
• Evaluations: $100 per evaluation for feature screenplays and one-hour pilots. $70 for half-hour pilots. Each evaluation is 1-2 pages with scores (1-10) for premise, plot, character, dialogue, and setting.
• Free rewards: Scripts that score 8 or higher from a paid reader earn free hosting months and additional free evaluations (2 months + 2 evaluations for an 8; 2 months + 3 for a 9; 2 months + 5 for a 10).
• Industry access: High-scoring scripts are flagged for industry professionals who browse the database. At least one paid evaluation is required to be considered for Black List programs.
• Turnaround: Evaluations typically take 2-4 weeks.

Annual Labs

The Black List runs two free, weeklong, in-person workshops in Ojai, California:

Both labs are free for selected writers. The selection process:

1. Up to 40 writers are invited based on script strength as determined by the Black List.
2. Invited writers submit a one-page personal statement and professional resume (Projects Lab also requires a directing sample link).
3. Up to 20 writers are shortlisted and asked to submit additional materials.
4. Select writers are interviewed via Zoom.
5. 6 writers are chosen per cohort.

Sloan Foundation Fellowship

Writers in both lab cohorts are eligible for the Sloan Foundation Fellowship, awarded to a writer with a science- or technology-focused feature screenplay. The Sloan Fellow receives extended mentorship beyond the lab week.

Nicholl Fellowships Partnership

Starting in 2025, The Black List serves as the public submission portal for the Academy's Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting:

• The Black List accepts up to 2,500 eligible submissions per cycle.
• From those, The Black List recommends up to 25 feature screenplays to the Academy based on script strength.
• For the 2025-2026 cycle, 5 of the 10 Nicholl finalists (including one fellow) came from Black List-recommended scripts.
• Each Nicholl fellow receives $35,000 and ongoing support from the Academy.
• 2026-2027 submissions close July 6, 2026, or when 2,500 eligible submissions are received (whichever comes first). The 2025-2026 portal reached capacity in 20 days.
• Scripts must be hosted on the Black List website with at least one paid evaluation to submit.

Eligibility

Annual List

The annual Black List is not a competition writers enter. It is compiled from votes by Hollywood development executives. There is no submission process for the annual list itself.

Online Platform

Open to any writer who creates a Black List account and pays the hosting fee. At least one paid evaluation is required to be considered for Black List programs (labs, Nicholl partnership).

Annual Labs

• Open to non-professional writers (writers who are not yet earning their primary income from screenwriting).
• Writers must have a completed feature screenplay hosted on the Black List platform.
• The Projects Lab requires a directing sample (a working link to previous directing work).
• Lab submissions typically close in early June.

Nicholl Fellowships (via Black List Portal)

• Open to non-professional screenwriters.
• Maximum one screenplay per writer or writing team.
• Script must be hosted on blcklst.com with at least one paid evaluation.
• Writers can submit via blcklst.com/nicholl.

How to Use the Platform

Getting Started

1. Create a free account at blcklst.com.
2. Upload a completed screenplay (feature, pilot, or play).
3. Pay $30/month hosting fee to make the script discoverable to industry professionals.
4. Purchase at least one evaluation ($100 for features/one-hour pilots, $70 for half-hour pilots).
5. If the script scores 8 or higher, you earn free hosting months and additional evaluations.
6. Scripts with strong evaluations are considered for Black List programs and flagged for industry members.

Cost Considerations

Hosting a script for 6 months with 2 evaluations costs approximately $380 ($180 hosting + $200 evaluations). Writers should budget for at least 2 evaluations to get a reliable sense of their script's reception, since a single evaluation may not reflect consensus. The platform does not guarantee industry attention, but high-scoring scripts do receive visibility among the approximately 1,300 industry professionals with platform access.

Submitting to Labs

Lab applications open in spring (typically April-May) and close in early June. Writers do not apply directly. Instead, the Black List identifies strong scripts on the platform and invites writers to submit additional materials. Writers interested in the labs should ensure their script is hosted, evaluated, and scoring well before the lab submission period.

Who Should Use It

The Black List platform is for screenwriters at all career stages who have completed feature-length screenplays and want industry exposure. The platform is particularly valuable for unrepresented writers who lack agency or management connections. Writers who consistently score 8 or above on evaluations gain the most from the platform, as those scores trigger free benefits and industry flagging.

The annual labs are for non-professional writers with strong feature scripts who want intensive, in-person mentorship. The Writers Lab is for writers targeting the studio system. The Projects Lab is for writer-directors developing their own features. Both are free but highly selective (6 writers per cohort from an initial pool of up to 40 invitees).

The Nicholl partnership is the most direct path to cash funding through the Black List. Writers who submit via the Black List portal and are recommended to the Academy compete for a $35,000 fellowship. The 2025-2026 results demonstrate that the Black List portal is a viable pathway: 5 of 10 finalists came from Black List-recommended scripts.

Writers from underrepresented backgrounds should explore the Black List's lab and fellowship programs, which actively seek diverse voices. The Sloan Foundation Fellowship specifically targets writers with science- and technology-focused screenplays.

See Also

For screenwriting craft and career guidance, see Screenwriting Essentials. For understanding spec scripts and development terminology, visit the Filmmaker Glossary. For planning a screenwriting project timeline, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator.