Explore 50 professional movie prompts for screenwriters and filmmakers across 10 unique genres. From emotional dramas to mind-bending thrillers, supernatural horror to heartfelt romance - find the perfect story idea for your next screenplay.
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A once-famous musician is forced to return to their hometown to care for an estranged parent, only to uncover a long-buried family secret that explains why they left—and why they were never meant to come back.
After losing everything in a financial scandal they didn't commit, a quiet accountant must decide whether clearing their name is worth destroying the lives of the people they still love.
A single night at a hospital emergency room connects five strangers whose lives are permanently changed by one irreversible decision made before sunrise.
A teacher in a failing school discovers a student with extraordinary talent, but helping them succeed means breaking rules that could cost the teacher their career.
Two siblings reunite to sell their childhood home, only to relive a traumatic event they each remember very differently.
A small-town journalist receives anonymous letters predicting crimes hours before they happen—until one letter describes a murder that hasn't occurred yet… and names the journalist as the suspect.
After waking up with no memory of the past 48 hours, a woman discovers multiple versions of her own handwriting scattered across the city, all warning her not to trust herself.
A private investigator is hired to find a missing person who officially never existed—no records, no photos, no digital trace.
A group of strangers trapped in an elevator realize each of them is connected to the same unsolved crime from years ago.
During a city-wide blackout, a surveillance operator watches a crime unfold live on cameras—but no one else can see it.
In a future where memories can be legally erased, a technician discovers fragments of deleted memories that point to a global conspiracy.
Humanity makes first contact with aliens—but the aliens refuse to communicate with leaders and will only speak to one random civilian.
A time traveler keeps returning to the same moment to prevent a disaster, only to realize they are the cause of it.
In a society where emotions are regulated by implants, one person's device malfunctions, allowing them to feel everything at once.
An AI designed to write movie scripts begins predicting real-world events with terrifying accuracy.
Magic disappears overnight, leaving a once-powerful kingdom defenseless—except for one person who never had magic to begin with.
A young courier discovers that the packages they deliver are enchanted artifacts capable of reshaping reality.
An immortal guardian begins aging for the first time and must decide who will inherit their ancient responsibility.
A peaceful village worships a god who has secretly been living among them as a normal human for decades.
A forbidden spell allows people to relive their happiest memory—but using it slowly erases the present.
A family moves into a house where every mirror reflects something slightly different than reality.
A true-crime podcast host realizes the ghost haunting their apartment is trying to confess a murder.
A town experiences a strange phenomenon where no one can sleep—and something watches when their eyes close.
A therapist discovers that all their patients are being haunted by the same entity, appearing in different forms.
A filmmaker documenting abandoned places captures footage that changes every time it's played back.
Two people fall in love through messages sent to the wrong phone number, never seeing each other—until one message suddenly stops.
A couple relives their first date every year, but one year only one of them remembers why it matters.
A marriage counselor secretly falls in love with the idea of love again while helping others fix their relationships.
Two strangers agree to fake a relationship for practical reasons, only to realize they're terrified of what happens when it ends.
A love story told entirely through missed connections and moments that almost happened.
A group of coworkers must pretend to be a perfectly functional family during a high-stakes corporate retreat.
A struggling actor accidentally becomes famous for a role they never actually played.
A wedding planner has to save a ceremony while hiding the fact that the bride and groom secretly broke up hours before.
A life coach who has everything 'figured out' loses control when their own life starts falling apart publicly.
A town treats a completely normal event as a massive supernatural crisis.
A retired criminal is forced back into the underworld—not for money, but to protect someone who doesn't know their past.
A detective and a criminal unknowingly compete against each other to solve the same case.
A heist goes perfectly—until the crew realizes they stole the wrong thing.
A courtroom drama where the crime is clear, but the motive is impossible to prove.
A criminal empire is taken down by its weakest link: an overlooked administrative error.
A man begins noticing subtle changes in his surroundings that only occur when he's alone.
A woman attends therapy sessions she doesn't remember scheduling, discussing events she hasn't lived yet.
A character slowly realizes the narration of their life is unreliable—and possibly controlled.
A social experiment meant to last one week spirals into something no one can stop.
A person discovers that everyone they know is responding to a version of them that isn't real.
A quiet film following a single day in the life of someone preparing to leave everything behind.
A story told entirely through unanswered voicemails and unread messages.
A character reflects on their life through objects they find while cleaning an empty apartment.
A long walk through a city becomes a meditation on identity, regret, and change.
A film where nothing dramatic happens—but everything meaningful does.
Welcome to the ultimate collection of movie prompts designed for screenwriters, filmmakers, and film students. Whether you're working on your first short film or developing a feature-length screenplay, these carefully crafted prompts will inspire your next cinematic masterpiece across 10 essential genres.
Emotionally powerful stories exploring human relationships, family secrets, and life-changing decisions with character-driven narratives.
Suspenseful plots filled with unexpected twists, mysterious disappearances, and crimes that keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Futuristic concepts exploring technology, time travel, alien contact, and the philosophical implications of scientific advancement.
Magical worlds with enchanted artifacts, ancient guardians, and supernatural elements that challenge reality itself.
Terrifying scenarios featuring supernatural entities, psychological fear, and situations that explore our deepest anxieties.
Heartfelt love stories exploring connection, missed opportunities, and the complexities of modern relationships.
Hilarious situations with mistaken identities, absurd predicaments, and characters whose plans hilariously fall apart.
Gripping criminal underworlds, heists gone wrong, and morally complex characters navigating the line between right and wrong.
Mind-bending narratives that question reality, explore unreliable narrators, and delve into the human psyche.
Contemplative films with minimal dialogue, exploring themes of identity, loss, and the beauty of everyday moments.
Each prompt provides a complete story concept with compelling characters, emotional stakes, and narrative hooks. Use them as-is for screenplay exercises, or adapt them to fit your unique vision. These prompts are perfect for film school assignments, screenplay competitions, or developing your portfolio.
Looking for more screenplay inspiration? Explore our Sci-Fi Movie Prompts and Horror Movie Prompts pages for genre-specific collections, or check out our Book Prompts Generator for novel-length story ideas.