The last few years have produced a bevy of fantastic feature films. Here we’ve assembled some of the best feature scripts written to help you better understand the craft of screenwriting. Enjoy!
DRAMA
Anora (written by Sean Baker)When a young Brooklyn escort falls head over heels and marries the son of a powerful Russian oligarch, their world is quickly turned upside down when his parents arrive in New York, intent on annulling the marriage. Part love story, part drama, this film took home the 2024 Academy Award for Best Picture.
Maria (written by Steven Knight)
Also released in 2024, “Maria” focuses on the legendary opera singer, Maria Callas, as she reflects on her career and relationships. Set in Paris in the 1970s, Angelina Jolie garnered a Golden Globe nomination for the role, as she elucidated Maria’s efforts to close chapters of her life at the end of her career. This script is exceptional in its development of the protagonist, offering a tutorial in creating a character that is authentic to the real person.
COMEDY
Poor Things (written by Tony McNamara)
Based on the 1992 novel by Alastair Gray, the story takes place in Victorian London, and revolves around Bella (Emma Stone) who comes back to life after receiving a brain transplant from a fetus. Both delicately comedic and tortuous at times, this script explores themes of life and mortality in deft ways.
A Real Pain (written by Jesse Eisenberg)
Winner of the 2024 BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay, “A Real Pain” follows two cousins as they journey to Poland to pay tribute to their recently deceased grandmother. The film received, in addition to the BAFTA, several awards for Kieran Culkin, including the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. As an extra bonus – see our “Anatomy of a Feature Script” article exploring all of the excellent components of this script!
Triangle of Sadness (written by Ruben Ostlund)
Winner of the Palme d’Or, “Triangle of Sadness” provides a master class in writing funny, satirical characters who are thrown into a disaster that tests their own values, morals, and sensibilities.
HORROR
Nosferatu (written by Robert Eggers)
Set against a terrifying gothic landscape, a young woman finds herself at a crossroads with a vampire who is obsessed with her. A remake of the 1922 film by a similar name, “Nosferatu” demonstrates how to successfully infuse deep and authentic emotion into horror films, while still maintaining the terrifying nature of the genre.
FAMILY
Wicked
One of the biggest hits of the year, “Wicked” began as a book and was soon adapted into a hit Broadway musical. Now a feature film, “Wicked” continues to tell the story of the unexpected friendship between Elphaba and Galinda as they study at university.
Wonka (written by Paul King and Simon Barnaby)
The prequel to “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, “Wonka” tells the origin story of its title character. Starting out as a new chocolatier in a city where the corrupt elite keep new talent from achieving any level of success, this script effortlessly blends humor and song into a beautiful story of love, loss, and redemption.
HISTORICAL
Killers of the Flower Moon (written by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese)
Recounting the true story of the murders of members of the Osage tribe in 1920s Oklahoma after oil is found on Native American territory, the film is based off David Grann’s best-selling book by the same name. While in the “historical” category, the script also seamlessly blends drama and the western genres into a compelling film that honors the Native American experience.
Napoleon (written by David Scarpa)
While not necessarily a box-office hit, the epic tale of “Napoleon” offers a solid learning opportunity for writers interested in exploring well-known historical figures. While Napoleon’s wartime efforts are well known and documented, this script takes a bit of a turn, focusing more on his relationship with his wife, Josephine.
ACTION
Deadpool and Wolverine (written by Ryan Reynolds , Rhett Reese , and Paul Wernick)
While writing stories about copyrighted characters is not an option for most writers, writers can learn much from the next iteration of the “Deadpool” and “Wolverine” franchises, particularly how to build a central story and conflict that utilizes a dual-protagonist approach.
Gladiator II (written by David Scarpa)
The second David Scarpa film in this assembly of scripts, “Gladiator II” demonstrates how writers can show homage to an original film, while creating something new and interesting for audiences. Of particular note is the time span between the original “Gladiator” which was released in 2000 and Gladiator II, which was released 24 years later.
FANTASY
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald (written by JK Rowling) and
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (written by JK Rowling and Steve Kloves)
We’ve included two out of the three scripts from the “Fantastic Beasts” series as an opportunity to see anthology scripts in action, and how to best bridge one feature script to another in a seamless way, particularly when production times mean significant wait times between the release of each chapter.
We hope you enjoyed reading these scripts! And don’t forget to enter Shore Scripts’ Feature Contest. Our Feature Contest is for writers of all genres who are ready to gain representation with an agent or manager, sell their screenplay, or get hired on writing assignments.
