15 screenplay examples from each genre for you to download and study.
In this post, we've curated just for you three screenplay examples from each of the five major genres: drama, comedy, action/adventure, thriller and horror
Each screenplay example listed below comes in a PDF for easy download and has been carefully chosen by us to represent one of the best examples of a script in that genre.
Study them, absorb their storytelling techniques, soak in how the writer gets you to visualize what's on the page and apply what you learn to your own screenplays.
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3 drama screenplays.
Boogie Nights.
screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson.
This script was somewhat controversial… Mark Wahlberg originally didn't want the role, after seeing how Showgirls had tanked. He changed his mind after reading the screenplay. William H. Macy's agent didn't want him to take the part. Macy read the script, loved it, and immediately signed up. Burt Reynolds did the same but later regretted it and fired his agent for recommending the role to him.
Forrest Gump.
screenplay by Eric Roth / based on the novel by Winston Groom.
Whatever you may think of the movie, Roth is one of our generation's greatest screenwriters and this script doesn't disappoint. Just take a look at this gem of a line from the opening page: "And we see a Man, sitting on a Bus bench, reach to pick it up. In his forties, he looks like he smells like fish."
Her.
screenplay by Spike Jonze.
A lonely middle-aged guy falls in love with a Siri-like operating system in the near future. Once Jonze had this great idea, the script must have more or less written itself. Although it is an updated and expanded version of his 2010 short, I'm Here which is also well worth reading/watching.
3 comedy screenplays.
The Disaster Artist.
screenplay by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber / b ased on the novel by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell.
Since their 2009 breakout script, (500) Days of Summer, Neustadter and Weber have focused more on book adaptations and this one is the best of the bunch. The script tells the true story of Greg Sestero's friendship with the weird and wonderful Tommy Wiseau and their attempts to make it in Hollywood. Anyone who's writing a script from a novel should compare both for a masterclass in adaptation.
Election.
screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor / based on the novel by Rex Pickett.
Behind Sideways this is probably Payne and Taylor's greatest screenplay. Writing comedy is all about making your protagonist make the wrong choices due to their flaw, which is something lead character, Jim, does over and over while battling his antagonist, Tracy Flick. One of the very best comedy screenplay examples you'll find.
The Way, Way Back.
screenplay by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.
This fantastic comedy/drama script made it onto the Black List six years before being released as a movie in 2013. The inspiration behind the whole script came from an incident in real life—a conversation writer, Jim Rash, had with his own stepfather as portrayed in that soul-crushing opening scene.
3 action/adventure screenplay examples.
300.
screenplay by Michael Gordon, Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad.
Many aspiring screenwriters get stuck wondering how to write a fight scene. Well, here's the answer. With a body-count of 585, there's much to learn in this script on how to write action sequences, hand-to-hand combat and epic battle scenes. A must-read for any budding Action/Adventure writers out there.
Aliens.
screenplay by James Cameron.
The sequel that took Alien into action/adventure territory and away from its horror beginnings. Walter Hill only contributed to the story on this one, not the screenplay, so it's missing his vertical writing style. It's essential reading if you want to master self-contained action sequences.
Inglorious Basterds.
screenplay by Quentin Tarantino.
Whatever you do, don't follow the method Tarantino adopted while writing this script. It took him over a decade to squeeze this thing out. As he admitted, he became "too precious about the page," convinced the script was his magnum opus. As a famous writer/director, Tarantino could afford to write like this. Aspiring writers, of course, are much better off adopting a much more disciplined, even machine-like approach.
3 thriller screenplays.
Flightplan.
screenplay by Peter Dowling, Larry Cohen, Terry Hayes and Billy Ray.
Writing a limited location, self-contained thriller script is often advised as a way to break into the industry. That's exactly what Dowling did with this spin on the classic "loved one suddenly goes missing" tale, found in movies such as The Lady Vanishes, Frantic, and The Vanishing.
Pulp Fiction.
screenplay by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary.
"It is impossible to tell where the Young Woman is from or how old she is; everything she does contradicts something she did. The boy and girl sit in a booth. Their dialogue is to be said in a rapid-pace 'HIS GIRL FRIDAY' fashion." If you haven't already read what is perhaps the most celebrated screenplay of the modern era, you're in for a treat.
Shutter Island.
screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis / based on the novel by Dennis Lehane.
When talking about Shutter Island, Kalogridis really extolls the virtues of outlining. "I started this extensive outlining process when I was working for Jim Cameron… I found once I'd done it, it was hugely helpful. It's almost like doing an abbreviated first draft." We agree. Especially for a twisty thriller like this in which every beat and reversal must be meticulously tracked.
3 horror screenplays.
Let Me In.
screenplay by Matt Reeves / based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
As a writer, it's important to have a strong emotional connection to your work and screenwriter, Matt Reeves, had just that with this modern vampire tale. As he said in an interview, "I wrote Lindqvist and told him that it wasn't just that I was drawn to the story because it was a brilliant genre story—which it is—but also because of the personal aspect of it. It really reminds me of my childhood."
A Quiet Place.
screenplay by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
This script was written by childhood friends/co-writing team, Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, and was their third major project together. After being named as one of the top 10 scripts of the year on Tracking Board's 2017 Hit List, it was purchased by Paramount and rewritten with John Krasinski.
Us.
screenplay by Jordan Peele
While writing this script, Peele wanted to make sure people weren't confused by the genre, as they had been with his previous movie, Get Out, and write a full-on horror film. Hence, inspiration came from old and new classics of the genre, such as The Shining, The Sixth Sense, Let the Right One In, The Babadook and It Follows.
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Screenplay examples: conclusion.
You may also have heard that reading screenplays is one of the best ways to learn how to write. It's true. Don't just check out these screenplay examples and then leave it. Keep reading as many scripts as you can.
Start with our list of the 50 best screenplays to read and aim to read at least one new script a week. After just a couple of months, you'll already have a much greater command of the craft of screenwriting than before you started.
Enjoyed this post? Read more screenplay examples…
50 of the Best Screenplays to Read and Download in Every Genre
50 of the Best TV Scripts to Download and Study to Improve Your Writing
20 Best Comedy Scripts to Read and Download For Free
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