Variety’s class included a seven-figure spec sale, a spec adaptation that landed at Paramount, Netflix’s most-watched film and a Cannes premiere, offering a map of how screenwriting careers take off
A Class Worth Studying
Every year, Variety names a group of screenwriters to watch, writers whose recent work suggests careers on the rise. Its 2025 class, honoured at a panel during the Santa Fe International Film Festival, offers a revealing snapshot of the routes writers are taking into the industry. The list was reported in coverage of Variety’s screenwriters to watch for 2025, including the scribes behind Ma 2, Supergirl and KPop Demon Hunters.
The Spec Route
Several honorees broke through with spec scripts. Ross Evans wrote How to Save a Marriage, a spec that drew a seven-figure offer from Sony after Robert Pattinson attached himself to the project. That deal illustrates how a strong script combined with a major attachment can transform a writer’s prospects overnight. Austin Everett adapted The Traveler on spec, a project now at Paramount. Everett, who is also making his directing debut with Akiya, offered a memorable insight into commercial screenwriting: a lot of times, it has to start with the title, because that sells the movie.
From Performance To Page
Other writers came to screenwriting from performance. Ashley Nicole Black, whose screenwriting debut is Ma 2 and who has a romantic comedy, Accidentally Married, in development, started writing through improvisation at Chicago’s Second City. You have to write to get on stage, she said. Comedy and improvisation have long been training grounds for writers, teaching timing, character and the discipline of generating material quickly.
Animation’s Breakout
Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan co-wrote KPop Demon Hunters, which became Netflix’s most-watched film. Its success was one of the surprises of the year, demonstrating the global appetite for original animated stories and the potential of streaming to turn a new property into a phenomenon. The pair are developing a Wild West project and a series, A Really Bad Person, showing how one major success can open doors across formats.
Working With Major Directors
Several honorees have worked with established directors. Jonathan Abrams wrote Juror Number 2, directed by Clint Eastwood, and a reboot of The Bodyguard. He described his approach as populist entertainment done at a high level, and expressed gratitude that Eastwood kept him involved throughout the process. Austin Kolodney wrote Dead Man’s Wire, directed by Gus Van Sant, and has another project he plans to direct himself. Ana Nogueira wrote Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie, and is working on further DC projects as well as a romantic comedy sold to New Line.
Adaptation And Festivals
Ben Shattuck adapted his own work into The History of Sound, which premiered at Cannes. He described his relationship to the finished film with a striking image, saying he slightly feels like a moon orbiting the planet that is the film. His comment captures the experience of many screenwriters, whose work becomes something larger and different once directors, actors and editors bring it to life. Alyssa Hill, after years as a writer for hire, saw her thriller The Housewife produced, and is writing another project, Zygote.
A Call For Risk
Ajon Singh co-wrote and executive produced Primetime for A24 and is co-writing a Spider-Verse project with Daniel Kaluuya. His comment about his ambitions resonated: I want Hollywood to feel dangerous again. It reflects a hunger among many writers for bolder, riskier storytelling at a time when the industry often feels cautious and dominated by familiar franchises.
Lessons From The Class
Taken together, the class suggests several lessons for aspiring screenwriters. Spec scripts can still change careers, especially when they attract significant talent. Titles and concepts matter for selling. Performance backgrounds, including improvisation, can be valuable preparation. Animation offers enormous opportunities for original storytelling. Relationships with directors can carry writers into high-profile projects. And many writers are expanding into directing, producing and television, building careers that span multiple roles.
Another notable feature of the class is how many honorees work across film and television, and how many are moving into directing or producing. Everett, Kolodney and Singh all have projects they are directing or producing. The boundaries between roles are blurring, and writers who can shepherd their work through development and production often have more control over how their stories reach the screen.
The Long Road Behind The Breakthrough
It is worth remembering that most of these breakthroughs followed years of work. Alyssa Hill spent years as a writer for hire before her own thriller was made. Many honorees wrote multiple scripts, worked in other parts of the industry or developed skills in comedy, animation or prose before their screenwriting careers took off. Lists like this capture a moment of arrival, but the journeys behind them are usually long.
The Takeaway
Variety’s 2025 class shows that there is no single path to screenwriting success. A seven-figure spec, a Netflix animated hit, a Cannes premiere and a Clint Eastwood film all appear on the same list. What connects them is persistence, a distinctive voice and the ability to recognize and seize opportunities when they arrive. For writers still working toward their breakthrough, the class offers both inspiration and a reminder that the road is long, varied and, for those who keep going, still open.