EXCLUSIVE: : The Blacklist has named the six writers and projects selected for its 2026 Writers Lab. they are alton de almeida (a trace of kin), yasmin dewinter (Guillaume), scott lady (night Watch), marseille palais (one last summer), Alexander Seltzer and Kyle Jutkiewicz (depth) And emma taylor stock (denied).
The program, now in its 13th year, provides creative mentorship and professional support to promising feature writers as they further develop their selected project during a one-week workshop in Ojai, CA.
The Black List’s annual Lab program supports two distinct groups: writers and filmmakers. The Writers Lab focuses on developing feature scripts to be sold and/or used as voice samples in the studio system. The Projects Lab, which will be announced in November, gives writer-directors the chance to develop a screenplay they want to direct.
During the Lab, each writer will develop their screenplay through peer workshops and one-on-one sessions with working professional screenwriters, including returning mentors. travis braun (one night only), stephanie folsom (Toy Story 4, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power), katie silberman (Set it, don’t worry darling), Victoria Strauss (Seekers of Infinite Love, looking for Dori) And Christina Hodson (bird of prey, bumblebee).
Black List Annual Lab Alumni savion einstein (A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow) will also participate as session mentor. After the lab concludes, the group of writers will participate in a year-long support program that will include monthly meetings with screenwriters, agents, managers, producers, and executives.
“We’re excited to welcome the newest group of screenwriters to the Black List Lab. At a time when the industry can seem especially challenging and harder than ever to break into, we’re thrilled to be able to support the projects that get us excited about getting into movies. These writers are bringing distinctive voices, bold perspectives, and stories that deserve to be heard to the Lab and we encourage them to encourage them to take risks, challenge themselves, and build community with other writers in Ojai and Beyond,” said Blacklist SVP Megan Halpern.
Submissions for 2027 Labs are now open blacklist website.
Previous Black List Lab alumni include claire ayub (empire waist), minhal beg (we are grown up now), tom dean (carolina, caroline), Gia Gordon (law and order), danny hogan (the pit), jimmy keyros (broken keys), dagny looper (Shelter), alexandra kin (thirsty girl), Michelle Steffes (when you are lost), And jason young (magic flute).
Learn more about the 2026 Writers Lab projects and the creatives behind them below.
2026 Writers Lab Projects:
Alton de Almeida – a trail of relatives
Haunted by his family’s tragic past, a cunning scammer seeks revenge on his uncle who abandoned him decades ago – only to be caught up in a demonic curse that nourishes his lineage.
Yasmin DeWinter – Guillaume
Paris, 1898. Two American brothers go into a brothel. The rest take out knives. Within an hour, he owed a madame five thousand francs which he did not have. Their ship leaves at dawn. The old man has recently had an attack by a urine-soaked Eleji – and if anyone finds out, he loses his wife, his child, and his name.
Scott Lady – Nightwatch
In the midst of an apparent nuclear attack on NATO and the US, a communications blackout with the President puts the Secretary of Defense in the hot seat on America’s Doomsday Plane, but as the minutes pass, a comms expert discovers an anomaly that could change everything.
Marseille Palace – One Last Summer
A restless, impetuous teen yearning for meaning and adventure escapes to a wealthy seaside town, but is drawn to an attractive boy and his family’s deadly secret. Adapted from Northhanger Abbey by Jane Austen.
Alexander Seltzer & Kyle Jutkiewicz – DEPTHS
Trapped aboard an American nuclear submarine, a former priest turned naval engineer must stop a demon-possessed Soviet defector before the Cold War heats up.
Emma Taylor Stock – Denial
When a health insurance company denies their best friend’s cancer treatment, three friends attempt to get the claim approved themselves. But their plan goes awry when they accidentally kidnap the CEO and to save themselves they have to expose his fraud.