Announced on December 6, 2021.
• • •
w/ most titles on the list:
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen = 4
Christopher Nolan = 4
Paul Thomas Anderson = 3
Alfonso Cuarón = 3
Quentin Tarantino = 3
List by Eduardo Patron
Writers Guild of America: 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (*so far)
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2.Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004
Screenplay by
Charlie KaufmanStory by
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry & Pierre BismuthWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2005
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2005 -
3.The Social Network 2010
Screenplay by
Aaron SorkinBased on the book “The Accidental Billionaires” by
Ben MezrichWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2011
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2011
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2011 -
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5.No Country for Old Men 2007
Screenplay by
Joel Coen & Ethan CoenBased on the novel by
Cormac McCarthyWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2008
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2008
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2008 -
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7.There Will Be Blood 2007
Screenplay by
Paul Thomas AndersonBased on the novel “Oil!” by
Upton Sinclair -
8.Inglourious Basterds 2009
Written by
Quentin Tarantino -
9.Almost Famous 2000
Written by
Cameron CroweWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2001 -
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11.Adaptation. 2002
Screenplay by
Charlie Kaufman & “Donald Kaufman”Based on the book “The Orchid Thief” by
Susan Orlean -
12.Bridesmaids 2011
Written by
Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo -
13.Brokeback Mountain 2005
Screenplay by
Larry McMurtry & Diana OssanaBased on the short story by
Annie ProulxWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2006
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2006
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2006 -
14.The Royal Tenenbaums 2001
Written by
Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson -
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18.Children of Men 2006
Screenplay by
Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus & Hawk OstbyBased on the novel by
P.D. James -
19.Lost in Translation 2003
Written by
Sofia CoppolaWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2004
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2004
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2004 -
20.Michael Clayton 2007
Written by
Tony Gilroy -
21.Little Miss Sunshine 2006
Written by
Michael ArndtWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2007
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2007 -
22.Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood 2019
Written by
Quentin TarantinoWinner:
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2020 -
23.Promising Young Woman 2020
Written by
Emerald FennellWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2021
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2021 -
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25.The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014
Screenplay by
Wes AndersonStory by
Wes Anderson & Hugo GuinnessInspired by the writings of
Stefan ZweigWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2015 -
26.The Dark Knight 2008
Screenplay by
Christopher Nolan & Jonathan NolanStory by
Christopher Nolan & David S. GoyerBased upon Batman characters created by
Bob Kane
and published by DC Comics -
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28.Jojo Rabbit 2019
Screenplay by
Taika WaititiBased on the novel “Caging Skies” by
Christine LeunensWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2020
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2020 -
29.Inside Out 2015
Screenplay by
Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve & Josh CooleyOriginal story by
Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen -
30.The Departed 2006
Screenplay by
William MonahanBased on the motion picture “Infernal Affairs” written by
Alex Mak & Felix ChongWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2007
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2007 -
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34.Mean Girls 2004
Screenplay by
Tina FeyBased on the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by
Rosalind Wiseman -
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36.Pan's Labyrinth 2006
Written by
Guillermo del Toro -
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38.Slumdog Millionaire 2008
Screenplay by
Simon BeaufoyBased on the novel “Q & A” by
Vikas SwarupWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2009
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2009
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2009 -
39.Before Sunset 2004
Screenplay by
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan HawkeStory by
Richard Linklater & Kim KrizanBased on characters created by
Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan -
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41.Mulholland Drive 2001
Written by
David Lynch -
42.A Serious Man 2009
Written by
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen -
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44.Toy Story 3 2010
Screenplay by
Michael ArndtStory by
Lee Unkrich, John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton -
45.The Favourite 2018
Written by
Deborah Davis & Tony McNamara -
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48.The Incredibles 2004
Written by
Brad Bird -
49.Knives Out 2019
Written by
Rían Johnson -
50.Ex Machina 2015
Written by
Alex Garland -
51.Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) 2014
Written by
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. & Armando BóWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2015
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2015 -
52.The Lives of Others 2006
Written by
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck -
53.Nightcrawler 2014
Written by
Dan Gilroy -
54.12 Years a Slave 2013
Screenplay by
John RidleyBased on “Twelve Years a Slave” by
Solomon NorthupWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2013 -
55.The Big Short 2015
Screenplay by
Adam McKay & Charles RandolphBased on the book by
Michael LewisWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2016
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2016 -
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57.Black Panther 2018
Written by
Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert ColeBased on the Marvel comics by
Stan Lee & Jack Kirby -
58.You Can Count on Me 2000
Written by
Kenneth LonerganWinner:
• Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award — Sundance Film Festival, 2000
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2000 -
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60.Finding Nemo 2003
Screenplay by
Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson & David ReynoldsOriginal story by
Andrew Stanton -
61.The Hurt Locker 2008
Written by
Mark BoalWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2010
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2010 -
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63.The Wolf of Wall Street 2013
Screenplay by
Terence WinterBased on the book by
Jordan Belfort -
64.Hell or High Water 2016
Written by
Taylor Sheridan -
65.Manchester by the Sea 2016
Written by
Kenneth LonerganWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2017 -
66.A Separation 2011
Written by
Asghar Farhadi -
67.Spirited Away 2001
Written by
Hayao Miyazaki -
68.Mad Max: Fury Road 2015
Written by
George Miller, Brendan McCarthy & Nico Lathouris -
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70.City of God 2002
Screenplay by
Bráulio MontovaniBased on the novel by
Paulo Lins -
71.Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2018
Screenplay by
Rodney Rothman & Phil LordStory by
Phil LordBased on the Marvel comics
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72.Inside Llewyn Davis 2013
Written by
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen -
73.The King's Speech 2010
Written by
David SeidlerWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2011 -
74.Django Unchained 2012
Written by
Quentin TarantinoWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2013
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2013 -
75.Ocean's Eleven 2001
Screenplay by
Ted GriffinBased on a screenplay by
Harry Brown & Charles Lederer
and a story by
George Clayton Johnson & Jack Golden Russell -
76.The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001
Screenplay by
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Philippa BoyensBased on the novel “The Fellowship of the Ring” by
J.R.R. Tolkien -
77.Shaun of the Dead 2004
Written by
Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg -
78.Erin Brockovich 2000
Written by
Susannah Grant -
79.Call Me by Your Name 2017
Screenplay by
James IvoryBased on the novel by
André AcimanWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2018
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2018 -
80.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 2017
Written by
Martin McDonaghWinner:
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2018
• Best Screenplay — Venice Film Festival, 2017 -
81.The Lobster 2015
Written by
Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthymis Filippou -
82.The Prestige 2006
Screenplay by
Christopher Nolan & Jonathan NolanBased on the novel by
Christopher Priest -
83.Midnight in Paris 2011
Written by
Woody AllenWinner:
• Best Original Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2012
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2012
• Best Original Screenplay — Writers Guild of America, 2012 -
84.The Master 2012
Written by
Paul Thomas Anderson -
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86.Y Tu Mamá También 2001
Written by
Alfonso Cuarón & Carlos CuarónWinner:
• Best Screenplay — Venice Film Festival, 2001 -
87.Phantom Thread 2017
Written by
Paul Thomas Anderson -
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89.Little Women 2019
Screenplay by
Greta GerwigBased on the novel by
Louisa May Alcott -
90.BlacKkKlansman 2018
Screenplay by
Spike Lee, Charlie Watchel, David Rabinowitz & Kevin WillmottBased on the book by
Ron StallworthWinner:
• Best Adapted Screenplay — Academy Awards, 2019 -
91.The Farewell 2019
Written by
Lulu Wang -
92.La La Land 2016
Written by
Damien ChazelleWinner:
• Best Screenplay — Golden Globes, 2017 -
93.Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan 2006
Screenplay by
Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham & Dan MazerStory by
Sacha Baron Cohen, Peter Baynham, Anthony Hines & Todd PhillipsBased on a character created by
Sacha Baron Cohen -
94.The 40 Year Old Virgin 2005
Written by
Judd Apatow & Steve Carell -
95.Ratatouille 2007
Screenplay by
Brad BirdOriginal story by
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava & Jim Capobianco -
96.Lars and the Real Girl 2007
Written by
Nancy Oliver -
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98.Winter's Bone 2010
Screenplay by
Debra Granik & Anne RoselliniBased on the novel by
Daniel WoodrellWinner:
• Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award — Sundance Film Festival, 2010 -
99.O Brother, Where Art Thou? 2000
Written by
Joel Coen & Ethan CoenBased on “The Odyssey” by
Homer -
100.Legally Blonde 2001
Screenplay by
Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten SmithBased on the novel by
Amanda Brown