6 Best Oscar Best Adapted Screenplay Winning Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 11, 2026

Adapted Screenplay winners show how to translate novels, plays and true stories to the screen. The Social Network turns the founding of Facebook into a story of lawsuits and betrayal, Slumdog Millionaire follows a Mumbai slum kid answering game-show questions, and The Silence of the Lambs pairs an FBI trainee with an imprisoned killer. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Godfather and To Kill a Mockingbird round out the six.

The Social Network (2010)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A founding-myth drama about Facebook that plays like a genuine thriller.

Directed by David Fincher · 2h 01m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Apple TV, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

TMDB ★ 8.0

A rags-to-riches structure told through game-show trivia.

Directed by Danny Boyle · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 95% Metacritic 86

A trainee FBI agent consults an imprisoned cannibal to catch an active serial killer.

Directed by Jonathan Demme · 1h 59m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars71 wins & 50 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 92% Metacritic 84

A rebellious new patient clashes with a psychiatric ward's iron-fisted head nurse.

Directed by Miloš Forman · 2h 15m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars38 wins & 15 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Godfather (1972)

IMDb ★ 9.2 RT 97% Metacritic 100

A crime family's reluctant heir is pulled into the empire he swore he'd never want.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · 2h 55m · Rated R

Won 3 Oscars31 wins & 31 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 93% Metacritic 88

A small-town Southern lawyer defends a Black man falsely accused of assault.

Directed by Robert Mulligan · 2h 09m · Rated NR

Won 3 Oscars14 wins & 16 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Oscar Best Adapted Screenplay Winning Movies

The Social Network (2010)

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

The Godfather (1972)

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

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