An original screenplay is a movie script that is not based on any pre‑existing material like a novel, play, comic, or specific true story.

Instead, it’s:

  • A story invented by the writer from scratch.
  • Built on their own characters, plot, world, and dialogue, rather than retelling an existing work.
  • Allowed to be inspired by real life or other art, as long as it creates its own independent story and structure.

In awards like the Oscars, “Best Original Screenplay” is given to scripts that meet this idea of being a unique creation, as opposed to “Best Adapted Screenplay,” which is for scripts based on something that already exists (book, stage play, biography, etc.).

So if you’re wondering “what does original screenplay mean” in simple terms:

It’s a film script that tells a new story the writer invented, not a direct adaptation of another work.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.