18 Scripts Wannabe Screenwriters Should Read Right Now

7. Lethal Weapon (1987)

The Script: "A veteran cop, Murtaugh, is partnered with a young suicidal cop, Riggs. Both having one thing in common; hating working in pairs. Now they must learn to work with one another to stop a gang of drug smugglers." - IMDb What You'll Learn: Aside from being a brilliant structured script with tons of memorable dialogue cues and characters who feel fleshed out and human (a bonus in any action movie, you'll likely agree), Shane Black's Lethal Weapon screenplay is notable for its unique tone of voice, which is both playful and self-aware. Not to say that all screenplays should follow suit - just that Black ensures that his work feels original and true to him. Black he sold the screenplay to Hollywood when he was in his early twenties on account of its sheer readability. Take note, ya'll. You can read Shane Black's script for Lethal Weapon here.