The Black List

At least three transgender narratives were amongst the titles on Hollywood’s annual Black List, an indicator of the most popular as-of-yet unmade scripts in Hollywood. Many scripts that appear on The Black List eventually go on to be made into films.

Queen (written by Harry Tarre), Me & Tammy Faye At The Betty Ford Clinic (written by Pamela Garcia Rooney), and Rub & Tug (written by Gary Spinelli) were amongst the highest vote-getting titles this year. All three scripts feature transgender lead characters.

Almost one-third of this year’s Black List scripts were written by women and more than 40% are female-driven. Over half of the scripts are represented by females at various agencies.

Read or download the full list, here.

The Black List is compiled from the suggestions of over 300 film executives, each of whom contributed the names of up to ten favorite scripts that were written in, or are somehow uniquely associated with, 2018 and will not have begun principal photography during this calendar year. This year, scripts had to receive at least seven mentions to be included on The Black List. The Black List further explains on their site that, “The Black List is not a ‘best of’ list. It is, at best, a ‘most liked’ list.”

“This year’s Black List of the industry’s favorite unproduced film scripts includes three films with transgender lead characters. The votes for these screenplays speak to Hollywood’s interest and excitement about portraying the transgender community, which has largely been unrepresented or misrepresented in film. The Black List is one of the most reputable resources in Hollywood for identifying quality film scripts and helping them get made. The Black List voters reflect the industry’s collective thoughts on popular screenplays, and we’re excited that they value the importance of well-written transgender narratives,” said Nick Adams, Director of Transgender Media & Representation at GLAAD.

In August, GLAAD and 5050by2020 (a project of Time’s Up) published an Open Letter to Hollywood, signed by 45 agencies and organizations, calling on creators to include transgender people in all aspects of production, and the TRANSform Hollywood resource guide with concrete tips on how to create more authentic transgender characters in films and TV.

Other titles of LGBTQ interest on this year’s Black List include a new script by Lena Waithe titled Queen & Slim, as well as The Half Of It (written by Alice Wu) and Your Boy (written by Matt Whitaker).

Other popular titles on this year’s list include features on Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel (Frat Boy Genius, written by Elissa Karasik, which garnered the most votes), Richard Williams (King Richard, written by Zach Baylin, about the father of tennis greats Venus and Serena), and internet reporter Matt Drudge (Drudge, written by Cody Brotter).

Earlier in the day Monday, The Black List teased this year’s announcement with a star-filled six-minute short film that contained clues to the screenplays on this year’s list. The video was produced entirely by women and people of color and was directed by three women.

Descriptions of the featured LGBTQ films are below:

QUEEN by Harry Tarre – Based on the inspiring true story of the world’s first openly transgender high school Prom Queen, Corey Rae.

ME & TAMMY FAYE AT THE BETTY FORD CLINIC by Pamela Garcia Rooney – The unlikely bond between a Latinx transgender woman and the queen of Christian televangelism. Inspired by the very real life of Tammy Faye Bakker.

RUB & TUG by Gary Spinelli – In 1970s Pittsburgh, Dante “Tex” Gill (fka Jean Marie Gill) runs a massage parlor and steroids operation that challenges the mob, rising to power with the support of the gay community and girlfriend Cynthia.

THE HALF OF IT by Alice Wu – A smart, lonely teen is commissioned by the high school running-back to write love letters to the object of his, and his, affection.

YOUR BOY by Matt Whitaker – Home for the summer on Long Island, a shy black college student comes out to his oldest and closest friend. But after an internship in Manhattan leads him to an exhilarating gay social scene, the 21-year-old is caught between his newly confident lifestyle and the unpopular straight friend who once knew him best.

QUEEN & SLIM by Lena Waithe – The story of a black man and a black woman whose first date goes awry after they are pulled over by a police officer at a traffic stop. After killing the police officer in self-defense, they decide against turning themselves in and go on the run.