Franklin Leonard
@franklinleonard.bsky.social
The Black List founder. Film & TV producer. Politics & Football person. Vanity Fair contributing editor.
Pinned
16 Oscar nominations later… open.substack.com/pub/franklin...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
Sorry, y’all, it’s DEI Settlement now
This race was such a massive swing blowout that Democrat Taylor Rehmet literally won a city called White Settlement
February 1, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Sorry, y’all, it’s DEI Settlement now
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
📣 NEW SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Black List Founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social!
STATE OF THE STORY CONFERENCE
WGA Theater
March 22, 2026, 10am-5pm
🎟️Tickets & line-up:
Storytelling360.com
LIVE&VIRTUAL💻
LEARN, NETWORK, GET INSPIRED
#screenwriting #screenwriter #scriptsky #writingcommunity
The Black List Founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social!
STATE OF THE STORY CONFERENCE
WGA Theater
March 22, 2026, 10am-5pm
🎟️Tickets & line-up:
Storytelling360.com
LIVE&VIRTUAL💻
LEARN, NETWORK, GET INSPIRED
#screenwriting #screenwriter #scriptsky #writingcommunity
February 1, 2026 at 12:35 AM
📣 NEW SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Black List Founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social!
STATE OF THE STORY CONFERENCE
WGA Theater
March 22, 2026, 10am-5pm
🎟️Tickets & line-up:
Storytelling360.com
LIVE&VIRTUAL💻
LEARN, NETWORK, GET INSPIRED
#screenwriting #screenwriter #scriptsky #writingcommunity
The Black List Founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social!
STATE OF THE STORY CONFERENCE
WGA Theater
March 22, 2026, 10am-5pm
🎟️Tickets & line-up:
Storytelling360.com
LIVE&VIRTUAL💻
LEARN, NETWORK, GET INSPIRED
#screenwriting #screenwriter #scriptsky #writingcommunity
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
It appears that this legend owns a little bookstore — and you can order books from him instead of Bezos. Link in next post.
Protester in Minneapolis just before disappearing in gas: "Fuck you! Stop. Damn! I'm 70 years old and I'm fuckin' angry!"
January 25, 2026 at 5:45 PM
It appears that this legend owns a little bookstore — and you can order books from him instead of Bezos. Link in next post.
Alex Pretti was a 37 year old ICU nurse who put his body between ICE and a woman they were physically assaulting.
They sprayed chemical irritants into his face, beat him, and then shot him to death.
They sprayed chemical irritants into his face, beat him, and then shot him to death.
January 24, 2026 at 11:04 PM
Alex Pretti was a 37 year old ICU nurse who put his body between ICE and a woman they were physically assaulting.
They sprayed chemical irritants into his face, beat him, and then shot him to death.
They sprayed chemical irritants into his face, beat him, and then shot him to death.
Congratulations to everybody getting off their first “it could have been me” tweets today.
January 24, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Congratulations to everybody getting off their first “it could have been me” tweets today.
37 year old white male citizen with a lawful permit to carry a firearm, says the Minneapolis Police Department.
January 24, 2026 at 6:09 PM
37 year old white male citizen with a lawful permit to carry a firearm, says the Minneapolis Police Department.
If you’re gonna run around on the internet talking about Oscar snubs, you have to say who you’d swap out.
Those are the rules.
We live in a society (barely.)
Those are the rules.
We live in a society (barely.)
January 22, 2026 at 9:13 PM
If you’re gonna run around on the internet talking about Oscar snubs, you have to say who you’d swap out.
Those are the rules.
We live in a society (barely.)
Those are the rules.
We live in a society (barely.)
16 Oscar nominations later… open.substack.com/pub/franklin...
January 22, 2026 at 9:08 PM
16 Oscar nominations later… open.substack.com/pub/franklin...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
I share some thoughts on an article by Black List founder - and friend - @franklinleonard.bsky.social about the resurrected commercial spec script market, breaking into Hollywood today, and whatever "selling out" means. If you're an aspiring screenwriting, this one's for you.
The Screenwriter's Guide to 'Selling Out' in 2026 (and Why It Might Be OK)
Some thoughts on an article by Black List founder Franklin Leonard about the resurrected commercial spec market and breaking into Hollywood today
colehaddon.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:53 PM
I share some thoughts on an article by Black List founder - and friend - @franklinleonard.bsky.social about the resurrected commercial spec script market, breaking into Hollywood today, and whatever "selling out" means. If you're an aspiring screenwriting, this one's for you.
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
Want to know more about what The Black List team is watching, reading and listening to this winter?
Open this: blcklst.substack.com/p/open-tabs-...
Open this: blcklst.substack.com/p/open-tabs-...
January 16, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Want to know more about what The Black List team is watching, reading and listening to this winter?
Open this: blcklst.substack.com/p/open-tabs-...
Open this: blcklst.substack.com/p/open-tabs-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
Tired: Committing fraud, getting a Trump pardon
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
January 16, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Tired: Committing fraud, getting a Trump pardon
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
Read part two of "The Moral Case for Selling Out" from Black List founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social on our Substack now: blcklst.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
THE MORAL CASE FOR "SELLING OUT" 2
A Meditation on the Nature of Water
blcklst.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Read part two of "The Moral Case for Selling Out" from Black List founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social on our Substack now: blcklst.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
The book-club-ready PAINTED FLOWERS NEVER DIE follows a widow on the other side of tragedy, but it's a hopeful story about art and love. @theblcklst.bsky.social said it has "strong commercial appeal" in the vein of THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY and THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE.
#bluepit 📖 #Q #SP #WF #A
#bluepit 📖 #Q #SP #WF #A
January 13, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
Read part one of "The Moral Case for Selling Out" from Black List founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social on our Substack now: blcklst.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
THE MORAL CASE FOR SELLING OUT
Black List founder and CEO Franklin Leonard explains why the widest door leads to the highest art
blcklst.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:19 PM
Read part one of "The Moral Case for Selling Out" from Black List founder and CEO @franklinleonard.bsky.social on our Substack now: blcklst.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
More from @franklinleonard.bsky.social.
"Fundamentally, your job when you’re talking about your script is to lead the horse to water and convince it to drink. You don’t have to explain the chemical composition of water and why it’s good for mammals."
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
"Fundamentally, your job when you’re talking about your script is to lead the horse to water and convince it to drink. You don’t have to explain the chemical composition of water and why it’s good for mammals."
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
THE MORAL CASE FOR "SELLING OUT" 2
A Meditation on the Nature of Water
franklinleonard.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:34 PM
More from @franklinleonard.bsky.social.
"Fundamentally, your job when you’re talking about your script is to lead the horse to water and convince it to drink. You don’t have to explain the chemical composition of water and why it’s good for mammals."
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
"Fundamentally, your job when you’re talking about your script is to lead the horse to water and convince it to drink. You don’t have to explain the chemical composition of water and why it’s good for mammals."
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
If this were anywhere close to accurate, how could my white privilege allow me to brush past the fallacy of your premise to be stupefied by your spelling of “ma’am”
Before Trump, law enforcement were trained to behave professionally. At a traffic stop they would start with words such as "Mam, may I see your drivers license and registration."
ICE evidently trains their goons to start a stop with screamed profanity, quickly followed by violence.
ICE evidently trains their goons to start a stop with screamed profanity, quickly followed by violence.
January 12, 2026 at 1:44 PM
If this were anywhere close to accurate, how could my white privilege allow me to brush past the fallacy of your premise to be stupefied by your spelling of “ma’am”
I wrote a sequel, if only because I find the irony hilarious. open.substack.com/pub/franklin...
January 11, 2026 at 8:59 PM
I wrote a sequel, if only because I find the irony hilarious. open.substack.com/pub/franklin...
Question 1 (of 9) every screenwriter should ask themselves before writing FADE IN if they want to write a commercial screenplay. franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
January 10, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Question 1 (of 9) every screenwriter should ask themselves before writing FADE IN if they want to write a commercial screenplay. franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
If I posted the best parts of this I'd just be posting the whole thing. So go read it, then read it again. An absolute must for anyone working in film or publishing. Brilliant.
January 10, 2026 at 1:03 AM
If I posted the best parts of this I'd just be posting the whole thing. So go read it, then read it again. An absolute must for anyone working in film or publishing. Brilliant.
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
January 8, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
I could keep posting brilliant quotes from @franklinleonard.bsky.social's post today, or you can all just go and read it.
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
THE MORAL CASE FOR “SELLING OUT”
Why the widest door leads to the highest art
franklinleonard.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:53 PM
I could keep posting brilliant quotes from @franklinleonard.bsky.social's post today, or you can all just go and read it.
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
franklinleonard.substack.com/p/the-moral-...
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
This man speaks TRUTH.
I teach at USC and I encounter so many minds already poisoned by the false dichotomy this lays bare. It’s just as true for games, but in a different way.
In games we’ve confused who we think our audience is for who our audience COULD BE, and that audience wants THIS.
I teach at USC and I encounter so many minds already poisoned by the false dichotomy this lays bare. It’s just as true for games, but in a different way.
In games we’ve confused who we think our audience is for who our audience COULD BE, and that audience wants THIS.
January 8, 2026 at 5:22 PM
This man speaks TRUTH.
I teach at USC and I encounter so many minds already poisoned by the false dichotomy this lays bare. It’s just as true for games, but in a different way.
In games we’ve confused who we think our audience is for who our audience COULD BE, and that audience wants THIS.
I teach at USC and I encounter so many minds already poisoned by the false dichotomy this lays bare. It’s just as true for games, but in a different way.
In games we’ve confused who we think our audience is for who our audience COULD BE, and that audience wants THIS.
Reposted by Franklin Leonard
"[Write] a script that when it lands on a desk at 11:48 pm makes the reader finish it... because they’re a human being and they absolutely have to find out what happens next, and how it ends, even though their kids are going to wake them up in a few hours...
"That’s what commercial actually means."
"That’s what commercial actually means."
January 8, 2026 at 6:50 PM
"[Write] a script that when it lands on a desk at 11:48 pm makes the reader finish it... because they’re a human being and they absolutely have to find out what happens next, and how it ends, even though their kids are going to wake them up in a few hours...
"That’s what commercial actually means."
"That’s what commercial actually means."
January 8, 2026 at 5:03 PM