The Saturn Awards for Best Writing is a Saturn Award presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.
Unlike most awards rewarding writing in films, it recognizes only the writer(s) of the screenplay, and not those of the story.
Winners and nominees
1970s YearWriter(s) Motion PictureWilliam Peter BlattyThe ExorcistHarlan Ellison (for his career)Ib Melchior (for his career)Jimmy Sangster (for his career)George LucasStar Wars Larry Gelbart Oh, God! Laird Koenig The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane Steven Spielberg Close Encounters of the Third Kind Michael Winner and Jeffrey Konvitz The SentinelElaine May and Warren BeattyHeaven Can Wait Heywood Gould The Boys from Brazil Cliff Green Picnic at Hanging Rock Rosemary Ritvo and Alfred Sole Alice, Sweet Alice (Communion) Anthony Shaffer The Wicker ManNicholas MeyerTime After Time Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns The Muppet Movie Robert Kaufman Love at First Bite Dan O'Bannon Alien Jeb Rosebrook and Gerry Day The Black Hole
1980s Year Writer(s) Motion PictureWilliam Peter BlattyThe Ninth Configuration Sidney Aaron Altered States Leigh Brackett (posthumous nomination) and Lawrence Kasdan The Empire Strikes Back Lewis John Carlino Resurrection John Sayles AlligatorLawrence KasdanRaiders of the Lost Ark David Eyre and Michael Wadleigh Wolfen Peter Hyams Outland John Landis An American Werewolf in London Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam Time BanditsMelissa MathisonE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Jay Presson Allen Deathtrap Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant Mad Max 2 Tom Karnowski, John Stuckmeyer and Albert Pyun The Sword and the Sorcerer Jack B. Sowards Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanRay BradburySomething Wicked This Way Comes Jeffrey Boam The Dead Zone William Condon and Michael Laughlin Strange Invaders Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas Return of the Jedi Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes WarGamesJames Cameron and Gale Anne HurdThe Terminator Chris Columbus Gremlins Alex Cox Repo Man Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Earl Mac Rauch The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th DimensionTom HollandFright Night Woody Allen The Purple Rose of Cairo Tom Benedek Cocoon Chris Columbus Young Sherlock Holmes Terry Hayes and George Miller Mad Max 3: Beyond ThunderdomeJames CameronAliens Howard Ashman Little Shop of Horrors Nick Castle The Boy Who Could Fly Paul Hogan, Ken Shadie and John Cornell "Crocodile" Dundee Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Harve Bennett and Nicholas Meyer Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeEdward Neumeier, Michael Miner RoboCop Michael Cristofer The Witches of Eastwick James Dearden Fatal Attraction William Goldman The Princess Bride Bob Hunt The Hidden Alan Parker Angel HeartGary Ross and Anne SpielbergBig David Cronenberg and Norman Snider Dead Ringers Don Mancini, John Lafia and Tom Holland Child's Play Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren Beetlejuice Alan B. McElroy Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman Who Framed Roger RabbitWilliam Peter BlattyThe Exorcist III Jerry Belson Always Jeffrey Boam Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade James Cameron The Abyss Don Jakoby and Wesley Strick Arachnophobia Phil Alden Robinson Field of Dreams Bruce Joel Rubin Ghost Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon and Gary Goldman Total Recall
1990s Year Writer(s) Motion PictureTed TallyThe Silence of the Lambs Albert Brooks Defending Your Life James Cameron and William Wisher Terminator 2: Judgment Day Charles Gale Guilty as Charged William Goldman Misery Richard LaGravenese The Fisher KingJames V. HartBram Stoker's Dracula Martin Donovan and David Koepp Death Becomes Her Joe Eszterhas Basic Instinct David Giler, Walter Hill and Larry Ferguson Alien 3 David Lynch and Robert Engels Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Nicholas Meyer and Denny Martin Flinn Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Bernard Rose CandymanMichael Crichton and David KoeppJurassic Park Shane Black and David Arnott Last Action Hero Brent Maddock, S. S. Wilson, Gregory Hansen and Erik Hansen Heart and Souls Tim Metcalfe Kalifornia Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis Groundhog Day Quentin Tarantino True Romance Tracy Tormé Fire in the SkyJim Harrison and Wesley StrickWolf Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski Ed Wood Frank Darabont The Shawshank Redemption Steph Lady and Frank Darabont Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Eric Roth Forrest Gump Mark Verheiden TimecopAndrew Kevin WalkerSe7en James Cameron and Jay Cocks Strange Days George Miller and Chris Noonan Babe David Peoples and Janet Peoples 12 Monkeys Quentin Tarantino From Dusk till Dawn Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow Toy StoryKevin WilliamsonScream Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich Independence Day Jonathan Gems Mars Attacks! The Wachowskis Bound Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson The Frighteners Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore Star Trek: First ContactMike Werb and Michael CollearyFace/Off James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg Contact Jonathan Lemkin and Tony Gilroy The Devil's Advocate Edward Neumeier Starship Troopers Matthew Robbins and Guillermo del Toro Mimic Ed Solomon Men in BlackAndrew NiccolThe Truman Show Brandon Boyce Apt Pupil Don Mancini Bride of Chucky Alex Proyas, Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer Dark City Gary Ross Pleasantville Joseph Stefano PsychoCharlie KaufmanBeing John Malkovich Ehren Kruger Arlington Road M. Night Shyamalan The Sixth Sense Stephen Sommers The Mummy The Wachowskis The Matrix Andrew Kevin Walker Sleepy Hollow
2000s YearWriter(s) Motion PictureDavid HayterX-Men Toby Emmerich Frequency David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson Gladiator Karey Kirkpatrick Chicken Run Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson The Gift Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, Tsai Kuo Jung Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonSteven SpielbergA.I. Artificial Intelligence Alejandro Amenábar The Others Stéphane Cabel and Christophe Gans Brotherhood of the Wolf Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman and Roger S. H. Schulman Shrek Andrew Stanton and Dan Gerson Monsters, Inc. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingScott Frank and Jon CohenMinority Report Brent Hanley Frailty Hayao Miyazaki Spirited Away Mark Romanek One Hour Photo Hillary Seitz Insomnia Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair and Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersFran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter JacksonThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and David Hayter X2 Alex Garland 28 Days Later Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon Freaky Friday Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson and David Reynolds Finding Nemo Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Volume 1Alvin SargentSpider-Man 2 Stuart Beattie Collateral Charlie Kaufman Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Steve Kloves Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Brad Bird The Incredibles Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Volume 2Christopher Nolan and David S. GoyerBatman Begins Steve Kloves Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire David Koepp War of the Worlds George Lucas Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Ann Peacock, Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson King KongMichael Dougherty and Dan HarrisSuperman Returns Andrew Birkin, Bernd Eichinger and Tom Tykwer Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Guillermo del Toro Pan's Labyrinth Zach Helm Stranger than Fiction Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis Casino Royale The Wachowskis V for VendettaBrad BirdRatatouille Joel and Ethan Coen No Country for Old Men Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary Beowulf Michael Goldenberg Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix John Logan Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon 300Jonathan Nolan, Christopher NolanThe Dark Knight Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway Iron Man David Koepp, John Kamps Ghost Town John Ajvide Lindqvist Let the Right One In Eric Roth The Curious Case of Benjamin Button J. Michael Straczynski ChangelingJames CameronAvatar Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell District 9 David Hayter and Alex Tse Watchmen Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers Where the Wild Things Are Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman Star Trek Quentin Tarantino Inglourious Basterds
2010s Year Writer(s) Motion PictureChristopher NolanInception Michael Arndt Toy Story 3 Alex Garland Never Let Me Go Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin Black Swan Peter Morgan Hereafter Matt Reeves Let Me InJeff NicholsTake Shelter J. J. Abrams Super 8 Woody Allen Midnight in Paris Mike Cahill, Brit Marling Another Earth Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver Rise of the Planet of the Apes John Logan HugoQuentin TarantinoDjango Unchained Tracy Letts Killer Joe David Magee Life of Pi Martin McDonagh Seven Psychopaths Joss Whedon The Avengers Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard The Cabin in the WoodsSpike JonzeHer Joel and Ethan Coen Inside Llewyn Davis Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón Gravity Jennifer Lee Frozen Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright The World's End Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugJonathan Nolan and Christopher NolanInterstellar Wes Anderson The Grand Budapest Hotel Damien Chazelle Whiplash James Gunn and Nicole Perlman Guardians of the Galaxy Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth Edge of Tomorrow Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesLawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams and Michael ArndtStar Wars: The Force Awakens Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins Crimson Peak Alex Garland Ex Machina Drew Goddard The Martian Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn Kingsman: The Secret Service Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly Jurassic World George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris Mad Max: Fury RoadEric HeissererArrival Melissa Mathison (posthumously) The BFG Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick Deadpool Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill Doctor Strange Taylor Sheridan Hell or High Water Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryRian JohnsonStar Wars: The Last Jedi Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole Black Panther Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor The Shape of Water Hampton Fancher and Michael Green Blade Runner 2049 Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green Logan Allan Heinberg Wonder Woman Jordan Peele Get Out Bryan Woods, Scott Beck and John Krasinski A Quiet Place Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely Avengers: Endgame Drew Goddard Bad Times at the El Royale Oh Jung-mi and Lee Chang-dong Burning Christopher McQuarrie Mission: Impossible – Fallout Jordan Peele Us S. Craig Zahler Dragged Across ConcreteQuentin TarantinoOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood J. J. Abrams and Chris Terrio Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Mike Flanagan Doctor Sleep Lauren Hynek, Rick Jaffa, Elizabeth Martin, and Amanda Silver Mulan Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won Parasite Christopher Nolan Tenet Todd Phillips and Scott Silver Joker
2020s