For TOO many years, screenwriters were told the same lie....
“We want adaptions... we dont really care about your... writing voice”.
Studios only wanted superheroes, sequels, or IP they could franchise to death.
The spec script became a graveyard—until now.
2025 Flipped the Script.
Studios and streamers are back to buying fresh, unproduced screenplays — and they’re paying real money for them.
August alone saw nine spec sales, the highest in nearly a decade. The spec gold rush is officially on.
So, what changed?
The Streaming Effect: Original > Franchise
Streaming platforms have a content addiction.
They can’t feed audiences the same caped crusaders forever. When every app has thousands of titles fighting for clicks, only originality cuts through.
Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Max — they’re not just buying stories. They’re buying hooks.
The kind of concepts that make someone stop scrolling and say, “I need to watch that.”
Think:
A child psychologist treats a boy who sees dead people. (The Sixth Sense)
A hacker discovers reality is a simulation. (The Matrix)
A detective falls for his prime murder suspect. (Basic Instinct)
That’s the new currency: High Concept Pitches.
The Genre Winners: Action, Thrillers & the Smart Hook
High-concept thrillers are killing it.
They’re global. They travel. They translate.
A thriller like Alignment sold for $1.25M — proof that timely, intelligent concepts with international appeal still drive big paydays.
Rom-coms are quietly rebounding, too — but only when they come with a killer hook.
Crazy Rich Asians worked because “A New Yorker discovers her boyfriend is Asian royalty” isn’t just romantic — it’s a flex.
And while horror cooled off slightly, character-first high-concept scares still sell. (If it’s sharp, scary, and cheap to make, someone’s buying it.)
The Real Shift: Straight Spec Sales
Forget “package deals.”
Studios are back to buying scripts without attached stars or directors.
Why? Freedom. They want to build their own packages internally.
Writers are winning again — and the checks prove it.
Test Drive — mid-six figures
Alignment — $1.25M
Love of Your Life — $2M
Your concept is once again your currency.
The Playbook
1. Hone the hook. If your script doesn’t sell itself in one line, keep refining.
2. Write fast, revise smarter. The window’s open, but not forever.
3. Think visual, emotional, global. Streamers buy stories that travel across borders and screens.
4. Lead with voice. It’s not just the idea — it’s how you execute it.
Hollywood’s finally hungry again.
So feed it something it’s never tasted before.
Originality’s back on the menu — and if you’ve got the chops, it’s your time to eat.
2 people like this
I love to see it, Khari Telesford! Like I've been seeing all over social media: "Write your spec!" And pitch your specs, writers!
4 people like this
Inspiring post! Nice to hear this take instead of the frequent bellyaching of how tough it is for everyone...and of course, we all get it...its always been tough to get reps, reads, options, deals, and it always will be. Yet hearing that the industry is back to exploring original projects is encouraging. Thanks.
2 people like this
I certainly hope so.
3 people like this
Great post!
2 people like this
Great article!
4 people like this
Wonderful news. I hope my simpler, less weird stuff actually has a chance, though ^^;
3 people like this
Finally - light at the end of the tunnel! Thanks for sharing, Khari Telesford!
2 people like this
Khari, thanks so DOGGONE much for the great news!
2 people like this
Applause
4 people like this
Great post! It's very important.
3 people like this
Khari-what have you sold or had optioned during this new change?
2 people like this
Great... WELL SAID
1 person likes this
link to more info: https://www.finaldraft.com/blog/the-return-of-the-spec-screenplay-sale
1 person likes this
Note: Salty screenwriters will think it cant get done... but ambitious writers will scripts, concepts and a plan, will win