Can you imagine a world where Jim Carrey’s rubbery antics never graced the big screen or where the spine-tingling tales of Quentin Tarantino didn’t ever unfold? Welcome to 1994—a cinematic year that didn’t just introduce us to unforgettable characters and iconic lines, but redefined what film could be. This was the year that blended talent, innovation, and box office gold into a cocktail that would inspire generations of filmmakers. From the gritty underbelly of “Pulp Fiction” to the heartfelt journey of “Forrest Gump,” this year painted a rich tapestry of stories that forced other storytellers to raise their game. So, grab your popcorn and let’s dive into the films that changed the landscape of Hollywood forever! LEARN MORE.
1994 was a turning point in film history. It showcased up-and-coming writing and directing talent, created movie stars, proved that animation could sell, and even introduced the world to a new type of filmmaker that budding screenwriters tried to emulate. 30 years ago, a movie transformed the filmmaking landscape, shaping the industry for the rest of the 1990s and
These are the films that changed the style of the movie industry in 1994.
Scripts from this Article
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Pulp Fiction (1994)
Screenplay by: Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary
Quentin Tarantino crafted Pulp Fiction unlike any other film, yet he “stole” so much to make it a masterpiece. There are literally dozens of references and themes from any number of pop culture and obscure cinema that appear in the film that made Tarantino a household name. This movie also arguably relaunched John Travolta’s and Bruce Willis’s careers and made Samuel L. Jackson a box office star.
Pulp Fiction is a collection of stories all centered around a pair of hitmen, an aging boxer, a gangster and his wife, and two criminals vying for a new way to make money in a robbery. Read the Academy Award-winning Original Screenplay.
Read More: Inspiring Writing Lessons from the Greats: Quentin Tarantino
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Forrest Gump (1994)
Screenplay by: Eric Roth
This Oscar-winning film became a box office powerhouse in the summer of 1994 and while Pulp Fiction was a strong contender, Forrest Gump reigned at the awards including winning Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was never a surefire hit though as it followed a low-IQ individual throughout the 1950s-1970s as he shares his story of United States history and a desire to see his undying love while eating chocolate at a bus stop.
It did have star power with Tom Hanks coming off an Oscar win the previous year for Philadelphia (1993) (he won for Forrest Gump as well) and Robert Zemeckis at the helm.
This movie goes against a lot of conventional Hollywood wisdom, such as a protagonist with no character arc and a love interest that barely shows any interest, so take a look at the script and see how Eric Roth broke the rules and wrote an Academy Award-winning film.
Read More: 15 Most Quotable Movies of All Time
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The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Screenplay by: Frank Darabont
In 1994, it was hard to imagine the writer of Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and The Fly II (1989) would write and direct one of the best films of all time but Frank Darabont came onto the scene with, well, a whimper. The Shawshank Redemption was a bit of a box office failure making $29 million off a $25 million budget. It didn’t help that this movie was released in theaters the same day as Pulp Fiction.
But The Shawshank Redemption, which starred no women and had a title that gave no clue of what the film was about, had the era of cable TV, Blockbuster Video, and a stellar word-of-mouth that made it a classic. The Shawshank Redemption follows a convicted killer as he navigates prison life with the hope that one day he will be proven innocent and find freedom once again.
As for Darabont, he did alright and even created a little TV series called The Walking Dead. The Shawshank Redemption was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay.
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Speed (1994)
Screenplay by: Graham Yost
Both Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock had been establishing themselves as solid actors but when 1994’s Speed was released, they were launched into full-blown celebrities.
This movie also made Jan de Bont a major director who would go on to direct Twister (1996). Speed is essentially Die Hard (1988) on a bus and with its exciting action set pieces and character actors, it became a big hit that changed what an action film could be. The film’s premise: there’s a bomb on a bus, if it drops below 50 miles per hour, it blows up. What do you do?
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Léon: The Professional (1994)
Screenplay by: Luc Besson
After her family is murdered, a 12-year-old girl is taken in by a neighbor/professional hitman. They form an unusual bond as she seeks to learn how to become an assassin and get revenge on those who killed her family. This film brought Luc Besson to American audiences and introduced the world to Natalie Portman (her first movie role). With the right balance of action and drama, Léon: The Professional shows how screenwriters can craft a relatively small film set in a big world.
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Stargate (1994)
Screenplay by: Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich was building a solid career as a sci-fi action director but with Stargate he took the concept of popcorn sci-fi and world-building to a whole new level. The film follows a military team and a linguist who opens up a device that connects to an ancient, yet highly-developed civilization on a different planet that worships the Egyptian Sun God: Ra.
The originality of the idea and the use of science fiction gave Emmerich and Devlin the freedom to follow up two years later with the Will Smith smash hit Independence Day (1996).
Read More: 10 Films That Teach You Everything You Need to Know About Sci-Fi
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True Lies (1994)
Screenplay by: James Cameron
In a time when James Bond was going through a bit of a midlife crisis, James Cameron wrote the perfect 007 story with a spin: What if a spy of an elite organization and his family life cross paths?
There is so much crammed into this script it could be a masterclass on character development, action set pieces, and how to constantly raise the stakes. Arnold Schwarzenegger reteams with Cameron and brings on board Jamie Lee Curtis to deliver an action-comedy that follows a secret agent who must not only save America from nuke-wielding terrorists but also his marriage.
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The Lion King (1994)
Screenplay by: Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton
The Lion King held the title of highest-grossing animated feature for 10 years until Shrek 2 (2004) knocked it off its pedestal (by only $20 million). This massive hit for Disney showed the potential of a four-quadrant film that could bring moviegoers of all ages to the theaters. In comparison, audiences considered Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) successful, but their combined box office gross barely surpassed that of The Lion King.
The film follows a young lion destined to take over his father’s throne until the patriarch dies in a stampede leaving the kingdom to his malicious brother–it’s a Disney movie, a parent must die, right?
Read More: 10 of the Most Influential Animated Movies of All Time
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Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Screenplay by: Richard Curtis
A group of friends seem to spend most of their time together attending weddings and, in one case, a funeral. These folks are constantly looking and never finding love until one day Charles meets Carrie and both seem attracted to each other. Unfortunately, the two just can’t seem to make it work.
Four Weddings and a Funeral was an unexpected global box office hit proving British rom-coms and a new leading man (Hugh Grant) can gain an audience.
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Ace Ventura: Pet Detective/The Mask (1994)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Screenplay by: Jack Bernstein, Tom Shadyac, and Jim Carrey
The Mask Screenplay by: Mike Fallon, Mark Verheiden, and Mike Werb
Jim Carrey wasn’t a new face. He had appeared in In Living Color (1990) for four years and had co-starring roles in films like Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), and The Dead Pool (1988).
But in 1994, he skyrocketed to stardom with his rubbery face and zany antics in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. These films didn’t just make Carrey a household name and box office star over the next 30 years but The Mask also introduced Cameron Diaz. It proved a whacky comedy can gain an audience, especially among teenage boys.
Download the script!
Download the script!
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It’s hard to imagine the last 30 years without films starring Jim Carrey, Hugh Grant, Cameron Diaz, and Sandra Bullock or masterpieces by Quentin Tarantino, Frank Darabont, Richard Curtis, and Luc Besson.
It was a transformative year for films bringing some of the greatest pieces of cinema in the industry’s history to life and setting up a future where storytellers would continue making their marks in the movie and TV industry.
Read More: Why 1974 Might Be the Greatest Year in Screenwriting
