One of several biopics on this year’s 18th annual Black List focuses on Britney Spears.
Most people look forward to treats like candy canes, gingerbread and eggnog during December. But for much of the film industry, it’s the release of the Black List, the annual collection of the year’s most-liked but yet-unproduced screenplays, that’s the most-anticipated December treat.
The list has become a way to identify new talent and revisit screenplays unfairly overlooked for one reason or another. Oscar winners including Juno, Argo and The King’s Speech first garnered broad attention on the Black List, founded by producer Franklin Leonard in 2005.
The Black List 2022 came out today, and as usual it’s causing a stir on social media and Reddit, where the list is dissected every year. The complete list appears below.
It was compiled from suggestions by more than 300 film executives asked to identify up to 10 favorite film screenplays written in or uniquely associated with 2022 that hadn’t started principal photography during the year.
“It is absolutely staggering that this is my 18th December asking people about their favorite unproduced screenplays, but the success of Black List scripts and the writers we’ve spotlit speaks for itself, I think” said Leonard. “However unacknowledged, the life blood of this industry has always been great stories well-told, and that begins with great writers writing. No one can do anything else until they do what they do. It remains an absolute nerdy joy to build a metal detector that finds needles in a near infinite field of haystacks and to serve those folks who do exceptional work.”
To land one of the 74 spots on the list, a script had to receive at least six mentions. The final list, which appears at the bottom of this story, represents the work of 80 writers. It includes several biopics, a look at that surreal Nov. 7, 2020, press conference at Four Seasons landscaping, supernatural thrillers, comedies and more.
Here is a rundown of the 15 of the most intriguing screenplays on the list.
1. COURT 17
A Groundhog Day-meets-U.S. Open saga of a tennis star forced to play the same match over and over.
2. Pumping Black
A Tour de France team takes dangerous gambles to try to win.
3. Madden
How John Madden went from washed-up coach to video game superstar.
4. Baby Boom
A gender reveal party triggers the apocolypse, which sounds about right.
5. Jambusters
Can paper jams teach us something about life? It seems so in this movie about a rookie detective.
6. White Mountains
Based on the true story of Barney and Betty Hill, an interracial couple has a life-altering encounter with a UFO.
7. Oh the Humanity
Guarantee this hasn’t been seen before: A comedy about the Hindenburg disaster.
8. Viva Mexico
Not your typical superhero movie: An aging superhero has to confront the Mexican government that betrayed him (and fight the Narcos).
9. Dumb Blonde
A biopic about the extremely not-dumb Dolly Parton in her early years.
10. Jingle Bell Heist
A holiday movie about robbing a department store and falling in love.
11. Mega Action Hit
A Hollywood superstar takes a knock on the head that has him believing he’s a real-life action hero.
12. Total Landscaping
Remember when Four Seasons Total Landscaping became the focus of the entire country days after the 2020 election? Relive it from the employees’ point of view.
13. The Sisters
Twins plot to escape a curse in a town where one twin always turns into a monster when adolescence hits.
14. The Homestead
A biracial inner-city teen helps his white, conservative grandfather defend his ranch from a local gang.
15. It’s Britney, Bitch
The Britney biopic the world needs, culminating in her recent courtroom victory.
This is the 18th year for the Black List.
The scripts on the 2022 Black List.
PURE
Catherine Schetina
MANAGEMENT
HOUSEFIRE MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
JON HERSH
PRODUCERS
BURN LATER PRODUCTIONS
COURT 17
Elad Ziv
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JOHN ZAOZIRNY
PRODUCERS
BIG SWELL PRODUCTIONS
PUMPING BLACK
Haley Bartels
AGENCY
CREATIVE
AGENTS
BRANDON
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
JOSEPH CAVALIER, SAM WARREN
PRODUCERS
MIMI CAVE, SHINY PENNY, SEBASTIAN STAN
PIZZA GIRL
Jean Kyoung Frazier
AGENCY
WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR
AGENTS
JILL GILLETT, ERICA LING, BRETT ROSEN
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
ERICK MENDOZA
PRODUCERS
AMY LO, INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, LUCKYCHAP
BEACHWOOD
Briggs Watkins & Wes Watkins
MANAGEMENT
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
MANAGERS
DERRICK EPPICH, DAN SECO
PRODUCERS
BIRCHALL ENTERTAINMENT, DAVID KAPLAN, EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
A GUY GOES TO THERAPY
Shane Mack
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS
PRODUCERS
DANE ECKERLE
MADDEN
Cambron Clark
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
ANGELA DALLAS, PAIGE HOLTZMAN, BRIAN KEND
MANAGEMENT
EPICENTER
MANAGERS
JARROD MURRAY
FINANCIER
AMAZON
PRODUCERS
ESCAPE ARTISTS, JONATHAN SHUKAT
DYING FOR YOU
Travis Braun
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
CHARLES FERRARO
MANAGEMENT
ECHO LAKE ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
MATTHEW HORWITZ, KEGAN SCHELL, AMOTZ ZAKAI
SANG FROID
Michael Basha
MANAGEMENT
RAIN MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
MATT ROSEN
PRODUCERS
1.21 PRODUCTIONS
BABY BOOM
Jack Waz
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
ALEX RINCON
MANAGEMENT
FOURTH WALL
MANAGERS
RUSSELL HOLLANDER
PRODUCERS
ANONYMOUS CONTENT, MARK WATERS
JAMBUSTERS
Filipe Coutinho
MANAGEMENT
RAIN MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
MATT ROSEN
WHITE MOUNTAINS
Becky Leigh & Mario Kyprianou
MANAGEMENT
ECHO LAKE ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
TRENT HUBBARD, BRITTANY KAHAN WARD
FINANCIER
NETFLIX
PRODUCERS
HIGHER GROUND
GOAT
Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie
AGENCY
WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR
AGENTS
ERIC DARNELL, BEN DAVIS, MEYASH PRABHU
FINANCIER
UNIVERSAL
PRODUCERS
MONKEYPAW PRODUCTIONS
RESURFACED
Alyssa Ross
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
KATE SHARP
PRODUCERS
21 LAPS ENTERTAINMENT, RELIGION OF SPORTS
OH THE HUMANITY
Gillian Weeks
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
VERN CO, SANDRA LUCCHESI
MANAGEMENT
ENTERTAINMENT 360
MANAGERS
MARC MOUNIER, GEOFF SHAEVITZ
PRODUCERS
21 LAPS ENTERTAINMENT
THERE YOU ARE
Brooke Baker
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
OLIVE BLAUSTEIN, CHRIS LICATA
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
GABRIELLE LEWIS, BENJAMIN ROWE
PRODUCERS
CHIPPYTEA FILMS
VIVA MEXICO
Miguel Flatow
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
FERNANDA BUZO, CRYSTAL CAICEDO, MICHAEL GORDON, KATIE LANER
MANAGEMENT
RAIN MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
JONATHAN BARUCH, MATT ROSEN
COLORS OF AUTHORITY
Kevin Sheridan
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JOHN ZAOZIRNY
PRODUCERS
STAR THROWER ENTERTAINMENT
THE MIDNIGHT POOL
Jonathan Easley
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
DAVE ALEXANDER
MANAGEMENT
TRACTION
MANAGERS
ZAK KRISTOFEK, JASON TAMASCO
PRODUCERS
TRACTION
THEY CAME FROM A BROKEN WORLD
Vanessa Block
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
BRYAN BESSER, ROSS PUTMAN, VIVIANE TELIO
MANAGEMENT
SUGAR23
MANAGERS
SUKEE CHEW, MEREDITH WECHTER
PRODUCERS
MAD CHANCE
DUMB BLONDE
Todd Bartels & Lou Howe
MANAGEMENT
MOSAIC
MANAGERS
CULLEN CONLY, EMILY ROSE
PIKESVILLE SWEEP
Brendan McHugh
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
MATTHEW DOYLE, ROSS PUTNAM, VIVIANE TELIO
MANAGEMENT
RAIN MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
MATT ROSEN
WILD
Michael Burgner
MANAGEMENT
SUGAR23
MANAGERS
SUKEE CHEW
PRODUCERS
SUKEE CHEW
CLEMENTINE
David L. Williams
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
ROBERTO LARIOS, NOAH LIEBMILLER, NICKY MOHEBBI, ROSS PUTNAM
MANAGEMENT
GRAMERCY PARK ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
MITCHELL BENDERSKY, SCOTT HALLE
PRODUCERS
PAPERCLIP LTD.
FOG OF WAR
Peter Haig
MANAGEMENT
ENTERTAINMENT 360
MANAGERS
KATHLEEN DOW, MARC MOUNIER, GEOFF SHAEVITZ
JINGLE BELL HEIST
Abby McDonald
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
SUE CARLS
MANAGEMENT
EXILE ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
GARY UNGAR
FINANCIER
ACE ENTERTAINMENT
PRODUCERS
ACE ENTERTAINMENT
LET’S GO AGAIN
Colin Bannon
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS, ADAM LEVINE
MANAGEMENT
SUGAR23
MANAGERS
SUKEE CHEW
PRODUCERS
SCRAP PAPER PICTURES, SUKEE CHEW
THE AMERICANO
Nico Bellamy & Chase Pestano
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
DAVE ALEXANDER
MANAGEMENT
ZERO GRAVITY MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
MATT DI PAOLO
PRODUCERS
BROKEN ROAD PRODUCTIONS
THE BOY HOUDINI
Matthew Tennant
MANAGEMENT
ECHO LAKE ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
NICK ARMSTEIN, KARA HUME, KEGAN SCHELL
PRODUCERS
IAN BRYCE PRODUCTIONS, OLIVE BRIDGE
MATCH CUT
Will Lowell
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
ERIC GARFINKEL, DANNY TOTH
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
HARRY LENGSFIELD, SAM WARREN
PRODUCERS
CONCORDIA
MEGA ACTION HIT
Sean Tidwell
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
KYLE JENSEN, SARA NESTOR
PRODUCERS
DIBONAVENTURA PICTURES
SEMPTER MATERNUS
Laura Kosann
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
ALBERT LEE, STEPHANIE SMALLING
MANAGEMENT
HEROES AND VILLAINS ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
CHRIS COGGINS
SUBVERSION
Andrew Ferguson
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
MATT MARTIN, PJ PICON
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
MICHAEL CLAASSEN
TOTAL LANDSCAPING
Woody Bess
History.
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JEFF PORTNOY
CHEAT DAY
Emma Dudley
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
FAITH BROWN, AMANDA JO SMITH
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
LAUREN DINELEY
PRODUCERS
GREY MATTER PRODUCTIONS
GOING FOR TWO
Kevin Arnovitz
MANAGEMENT
HEROES AND VILLAINS ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
AARON LIPSETT
FINANCIER
VILLAGE ROADSHOW
POPULAR
Marley Schneier
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
MATTHEW DOYLE, NOAH LIEBMILLER, SARA NESTOR
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
LAUREN DINELEY
RAVENSWOOD
Evan Enderle
PRODUCERS
DIVIDE/CONQUER, WHIT’S ENDE
THE HOUSE IN THE CROOKED FOREST
Ian Shorr
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
EMERSON DAVIS, CHARLES FERRARO
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JOHN ZAOZIRNY
PRODUCERS
ANDREW LAUREN PRODUCTIONS, AUTOMATIK, BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
THE PACK
Rose Gilroy
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
LUCAS BARNES, HOUSTON COSTA, RICH KLUBECK
MANAGEMENT
MOSAIC
MANAGERS
PAUL NELSON, JOHN TYNAN
FINANCIER
30WEST
PRODUCERS
JENNIFER FOX
VITUS
Julian Wayser
MANAGEMENT
ENTERTAINMENT 360
MANAGERS
KATHLEEN DOW, MARC MOUNIER
PRODUCERS
SARAH BORCH-JACOBSON, REBECCA DAYAN, KILLER FILMS
WHAT WE BECOME
Amy Jo Johnson
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
FAITH BROWN, ZOE PRINCE, BEC SMITH
MANAGEMENT
ENTERTAINMENT 360
MANAGERS
GEOFF SHAEVITZ
WHO MADE THE POTATO SALAD?
Kyle Drew
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS, KYLE JENSEN
MANAGEMENT
REJ ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
ADAM REJWAN
IT’S A WONDERFUL STORY
Alexandra Tran
AGENCY
AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
AGENTS
DANNY ALEXANDER, HALLE MARINER, ADAM PERRY
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
KATE SHARP
THE SISTERS
Alexander Thompson
MANAGEMENT
CIRCLE OF CONFUSION
MANAGERS
JOSH DOVE
AN OAKLAND HOLIDAY
Yudho Aditya & Emma Dudley
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY (DUDLEY)
AGENTS
FAITH BROWN, AMANDA JO SMITH (DUDLEY)
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
MATT DARTNELL (ADITYA)/LAUREN DINELEY (DUDLEY)
PRODUCERS
MUNIKA LAY
BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
Kristen Tepper
I LOVE YOU NOW AND FOREVER
Robert Machoian
AGENCY
WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR
AGENTS
ROBERT NEWMAN
MANAGEMENT
MOSAIC
MANAGERS
JEREMY BERNEY, CULLEN CONLY
PRODUCERS
HAPPY FRIDAY PRODUCTIONS, BEN STILLMAN
JERRY!
Greg Roque
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
ZACK ZUCKER
POP
James Morosini
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS, MATTHEW DOYLE, IVANA MARTINEZ, ROSS PUTMAN, JR RINGER
MANAGEMENT
ANONYMOUS CONTENT
MANAGERS
TRENT ANDERSON, JOE BELLO, RYAN CUNNINGHAM, KAMI PUTNAM-HEIST
PRODUCERS
INVENTION STUDIOS
THE DEMOLITION EXPERT
Colin Bannon
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS, ADAM LEVINE
MANAGEMENT
SUGAR23
MANAGERS
SUKEE CHEW
PRODUCERS
SUKEE CHEW
THE HOMESTEAD
Bradley Kaaya Jr.
AGENCY
AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
AGENTS
CHRIS RIDENHOUR, DAVID SAUNDERS, LUCY TASHMAN
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JOHN ZAOZIRNY, ZACK ZUCKER
PRODUCERS
STORY IN THE SKY
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES
Becca Gleason
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
ANGELA DALLAS, ANNA JINKS, ELLEN JONES, JACQUIE KATZ, STEPHANIE SMALLING, WILL WATKINS
MANAGEMENT
NAVIGATION MEDIA GROUP
MANAGERS
JAMES ENGLE
PRODUCERS
HAPPY FRIDAY PRODUCTIONS
UNDO
Will Simmons
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
BRYANT BARILE, JON CASSIR
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
FAISAL KANAN, JEREMY PLATT
PRODUCERS
BEAU FLYNN
WEARY RIDE THE BELMONTS
Josh Corbin
AGENCY
PARADIGM
AGENTS
ETHAN NEALE, MATT SNOW
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
NOAH ROSEN
PRODUCERS
DIBONAVENTURA PICTURES
42.6 YEARS
Seth Reiss
AGENCY
UNITED TALENT AGENCY
AGENTS
GREG CAVIC, ALEX RINCON
MANAGEMENT
BRILLSTEIN ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS
MANAGERS
BRAD PETRIGALA, TIM SARKES
PRODUCERS
PARTY OVER HERE
BREAK POINT
Zachary Joel Johnson
MANAGEMENT
WRIT LARGE
MANAGERS
MICHAEL CLAASSEN
CARAVAN
Lindsay Michel
AGENCY
WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR
AGENTS
CONNOR ARMSTRONG
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
KATE SHARP
GATHER THE ASHES
Vikash Shankar
HIMBO
Jason Hellerman
IT’S BRITNEY, BITCH
Cerina Aragones
MANAGEMENT
HOUSEFIRE MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
JON HERSH
PRODUCERS
SELECT FILMS
LIFE OF THE PARTY
Julie Mandel Folly & Hannah Murphy
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
AUSTIN DENESUK, ILANA GOREN
MANAGEMENT
MOSAIC (MURPHY)/
RAIN MANAGEMENT (FOLLY)
MANAGERS
CHELSEA CONNORS (MURPHY)/
JACQUELINE MOSHER (FOLLY)
PRODUCERS
GENIUS ENTERTAINMENT
RIPPLE
Max Taxe
MANAGEMENT
ENTERTAINMENT 360
MANAGERS
JILL MCELROY
PRODUCERS
21 LAPS ENTERTAINMENT
WILDFIRE
Chaya Doswell
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
ALANA DUTHIE, FRANK WULIGER
PRODUCERS
AURORAVISTA ENTERTAINMENT, PERMUT PRESENTATIONS, RANDY JACKSON
BELOW
Geoff Tock & Greg Weidman
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
DARIAN LANZETTA, PETE STEIN
MANAGEMENT
GRANDVIEW
MANAGERS
ZAC FROGNOWSKI, ADAM KLEIN
FINANCIER
NETFLIX
PRODUCERS
ATOMIC MONSTER, MANGATA, VERTIGO ENTERTAINMENT
BLACK DOGS
Kieran Turner
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
JEFF PORTNOY
BLACK KITE
Dan Bulla
AGENCY
VERVE
AGENTS
PARKER DAVIS, CHRIS NORIEGA
CHATTER
Chris Grillot
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
BRYANT BARILE
MANAGEMENT
RAIN MANAGEMENT
MANAGERS
MATT ROSEN
CRAIGSHAVEN
Nicole Ramberg
MANAGEMENT
BELLEVUE PRODUCTIONS
MANAGERS
KATE SHARP
ETERNITY
Pat Cunnane
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
JONAS BROOKS, JON CASSIR, ROB COLEMAN, ANNA JINKS, STEPHANIE SMALLING
MANAGEMENT
HEROES AND VILLAINS ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
AARON LIPSETT
FINANCIER
A24
PRODUCERS
STAR THROWER ENTERTAINMENT
MARRIAGE BRACKET
Liv Auerbach & Daisygreen Stenhouse
MANAGEMENT
UNTITLED ENTERTAINMENT
MANAGERS
ALEX PLATIS
THE SEEKER
Camrus Johnson
AGENCY
GERSH
AGENTS
LAUREN CRANIOTES, MELANIE ELMAN, BOB HOHMAN, JONATHAN MARTIN, DAISY WU
MANAGEMENT
CANOPY MEDIA PARTNERS
MANAGERS
CHRIS REID
PRODUCERS
5 MORE MINUTES
THE TRAP
Julie Lipson
AGENCY
AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
AGENTS
HALLE MARINER
MANAGEMENT
THE GOTHAM GROUP
MANAGERS
JUSTIN LITTMAN, NICK MCCABE
FINANCIER
ACE ENTERTAINMENT
PRODUCERS
ACE ENTERTAINMENT
YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND
Mary Beth Barone & Erin Woods
AGENCY
CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
AGENTS
ANNA JINKS, JACOB SCHIFF
MANAGEMENT
BRILLSTEIN ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS
MANAGERS
BRANDON STEIN, CAIT TAYLOR
PRODUCERS
BURN LATER PRODUCTIONS
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2022/12/12/the-15-most-intriguing-scripts-on-the-newly-released-2022-black-list/