Halloween is here. And that means it’s time to grab some popcorn, lock the front door, and scare the heck out of yourself with some classic horror movies. In all seriousness, if you want to become a better horror screenwriter, you need to immerse yourself in the best the horror genre has to offer. The horror movie genre is booming right now. So to help get your next spooky screenplay started, take a look at these 10 great horror scripts for tips, tricks, and formatting techniques you can use to write your horror screenplay.
Film Companion is a celebration of the movies. It’s a platform that is committed to quality journalism, which is well-researched and balanced, and isn’t paid news. We bring you engaging and informative content on movies that includes, reviews of films and web shows, interviews, film festival news, features and masterclasses.
Just click on the images to download each of these frightful feature films!
10 best horror movie scripts you can download right now
Get Out (2017)
This modern horror film from writer, director Jordan Peele has become an instant classic. And that’s because it’s a great horror movie. The screenplay builds interesting, intelligent characters and ramps up the tension with subverted expectations at every turn.
- There are currently 419 movie scripts available on Screenplay DB. More will be added pretty much daily, so keep checking back! Screenplay DB @ Twitter. Get our updates on Twitter! Screenplay DB Updates. Get notified every new screenplay! Find More Scripts. Daily Script; My PDF Scripts; Script Collector; Simply Scripts.
- 13 Ghosts by Neal Marshall Stevens (based on the screenplay by Robb White) revised by Richard D'Ovidio. 16 Blocks by Richard Wenk. One Eight Seven by Scott Yagemann. 25th Hour by David Benioff. 2001 Maniacs by Chris Kobin & Tim Sullivan. 2010 The Odyssey Continues by Peter Hyams (based on the novel by Arthur C.
- 4 CONTINUED: 4 ACHILLES Shh. The boy stares into the eyes of ACHILLES (30), who seems to have barely moved. Somehow he managed to seize the boy and put a knife to his throat without waking the women.
- Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads) I ntroducing StudioBinder’s screenplay library — your one-stop-shop for reading, downloading, and analyzing the best movie scripts online. Our collection contains all the feature-length screenplays in our database as well as scripts that we have broken down by plot.
A truly modern classic that still pays homage to tense suburban-style thrillers like The Stepford Wives, Get Out is a fantastic script to study for pacing, tension, drama, and character development.
28 Days Later (2002)
This post-apocalyptic zombie horror film redefined the zombie genre with one simple (horrific) change. Speed.
Sprinting, rage-filled zombies that literally spit virus-infected blood and gore are the stuff of nightmares. Add a fish out of water protagonist waking from a coma 28 days after the UK has been overwhelmed by this new breed of zombie and you have a truly terrifying — and engaging — horror classic.
Pay special attention to the way the script handles character development, dialogue, and the first ten pages — especially considering the limited budget of this blockbuster hit.
The Shining (1980)
It doesn’t get much scarier than this Stephen King classic. The Shining is a masterclass in horror screenwriting thanks to the incredible book adaptation from screenwriter, Diane Johnson. This script explores the darkest sides of humanity and how we’re all susceptible to the horrors of isolation.
Pay attention to how this contained screenplay handles such a limited cast and single location (the hotel). And remember that the scariest things in life are often the things we bring with us.
The Babadook (2014)
The Babadook is an Australian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent. It’s received significant praise for its complexly woven family storyline. Like every film on this list, The Babadook isn’t just about cheap scares but a compelling layered narrative that taps into primal, if unknown, fears.
This script is Kent’s directorial debut. That alone should inspire (and scare) first-time horror screenwriters into finishing their scripts as quickly as possible.
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
This horror film is one of the best examples of genre-blending from the past 40 years. It’s funny, oddly insightful, and entertaining for a wide range of audiences despite the overt horror themes and tropes. Don’t get me wrong — Evil Dead 2 is still super dark. But the ability to add levity and wit to a classic horror genre (and a sequel to boot!) is a rare skill.
Study this script. Pour over it. Learn what you can, and try to find ways to mix and match different screenwriting genres to keep audiences not only guessing, but entertained.
Saw (2004)
Every horror screenwriter should download the script for Saw. This movie almost single-handedly widened the appeal of horror films to an entirely new generation of viewers, spawning the mind-bending “puzzle” horror subgenre in the style of Se7en.
Filled with twists and turns, Saw is a complete example of the psychological side of a successful horror film with tension, betrayal, and characters that rise to previously unimaginable challenges to overcome horrific situations.
Scream (1993)
Scream did what no other horror movie ever had the courage to do. Kill a big name star in the first five minutes. When Drew Barrymore is savagely stabbed to death in the iconic first scene, audiences are immediately thrust into a deeply terrifying world where no one is safe. And that’s why this film launched an entire horror movie franchise.
Learn how to strip away plot armor and subvert audience expectations with this epic modern horror classic. Pay special attention to the first ten pages as they’re one of the best-written opening scenes in horror screenplay history.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Guillermo del Toro brings his nightmarish visions to life, but not in the typical horror fashion. Instead of guts and gore, Pan’s Labyrinth is a cerebral fantasy-inspired look at the inner depths and horror that form the heart of ancient myth and story. A take on the power of storytelling itself, Pan’s Labyrinth is a different — but equally terrifying vision of horror.
Pay special attention to character descriptions in the script to see how to set up your vision of horror in a way that works for not just costumes and sets, but DPs, directors, and of course the producers, agents, and managers that are going to buy and sell your script in the first place.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
This movie is just plain terrifying. How did they manage to make falling asleep horrifying? This horror movie is an incredible example of what a memorable and unique character can do to scare generations of children right before bedtime. Freddy Krugar is an iconic character that will literally haunt my dreams for years to come.
Pay attention to the dialogue, and remember that some of these catchphrases were pretty original in 1984.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Horror movies don’t typically have a lot of dialogue. Many scenes are simply accompanied by tense violin tracks. But if you’d have said that you could write an Oscar-caliber horror film without a single word of dialogue in the first thirty minutes, no one would have believed you.
A Quiet Place highlights how screenwriters can ramp up not only tension but character connection and development with clear concise settings, well-informed plot devices, and cohesive world-building. If you want to elevate your horror screenplay, study A Quiet Place. Just make sure you keep your voice down.
Subscribe to learn more about Horror Screenplay Writing Competitions so you can submit your spooky script and win cash prizes and a chance to get your script in front of agents, managers, producers, and industry decision-makers.
0 - 9 Film Scripts
Below are all the film scripts currently in the database starting with a number.
12 and Holding by Anthony S. Cipriano
Download | 100 pages | 132 Kb | Digital PDF Format
April 6, 2004 Unspecified Draft
IMDB
Download | 100 pages | 132 Kb | Digital PDF Format
April 6, 2004 Unspecified Draft
IMDB
12 Years a Slave by John Ridley
2014 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Download | 142 pages | 751 Kb | Digital PDF Format
January 24, 2013 Final Shooting Script
IMDB | Amazon
2014 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Download | 142 pages | 751 Kb | Digital PDF Format
January 24, 2013 Final Shooting Script
IMDB | Amazon
17 Again by Jason Filardi
Download | 102 pages | 248 Kb | Digital PDF Format
October 5, 2007 Rewrite
IMDB
Download | 102 pages | 248 Kb | Digital PDF Format
October 5, 2007 Rewrite
IMDB
2012 by Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser
Download | 130 pages | 217 Kb | Digital PDF Format
February 19, 2008 Second Draft Polish
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 130 pages | 217 Kb | Digital PDF Format
February 19, 2008 Second Draft Polish
IMDB | Amazon
30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson
Download | 101 pages | 248 Kb | Digital PDF Format
July 22, 2006 Production Polish
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 101 pages | 248 Kb | Digital PDF Format
July 22, 2006 Production Polish
IMDB | Amazon
3:10 to Yuma by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas
Download | 121 pages | 322 Kb | Digital PDF Format
January 23, 2007 Tan Revised Final Shooting Script
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 121 pages | 322 Kb | Digital PDF Format
January 23, 2007 Tan Revised Final Shooting Script
IMDB | Amazon
Film Scripts Pdf
42 by Brian Helgeland
Download | 150 pages | 2436 Kb | Digital PDF Format
July 9, 2012 Double Blue Revisions
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 150 pages | 2436 Kb | Digital PDF Format
July 9, 2012 Double Blue Revisions
IMDB | Amazon
(500) Days of Summer by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
Download | 120 pages | 215 Kb | Digital PDF Format
Unknown 2006 First Draft
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 120 pages | 215 Kb | Digital PDF Format
Unknown 2006 First Draft
IMDB | Amazon
9 by Pamela Pettler
Download | 78 pages | 138 Kb | Digital PDF Format
Undated Unspecified Draft
IMDB | Amazon
Download | 78 pages | 138 Kb | Digital PDF Format
Undated Unspecified Draft
IMDB | Amazon
Short Film Scripts Pdf
(9 scripts)