'Bridge of Spies' & 4 Other Movies You Didn't Know Were Written by Famous Directors

We're accustomed to thinking of directors as responsible for imagery and screenwriters as responsible for stories. However, in Hollywood, these roles often overlap.

Many renowned directors, such as Steven Spielberg and the Coen brothers, either started out as screenwriters or regularly write scripts for other people's projects.

1. 'Bridge of Spies', 2015

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

James Donovan, a lawyer, has received a serious assignment from the CIA. He must negotiate with the Soviet authorities to secure the release of an American pilot who was flying a spy plane. The task seems doomed to failure.

The Coen brothers wrote the screenplay for the film. Along with Matt Charman, the original author of the script, they were nominated for an Oscar. Steven Spielberg directed the movie after becoming fond of the story.

2. '10 Cloverfield Lane', 2016

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Michelle is in a car accident. Soon, she finds herself locked in a bunker with two men. They assure her that the outside world is unsafe – the entire planet has been poisoned, and an alien invasion has begun.

Michelle is terrified to be inside but also doubts that anything good awaits her outside.

Director Damien Chazelle, known for La La Land and Whiplash, revisited old scripts he had never adapted, and Dan Trachtenberg ultimately directed the movie.

3. 'Dear Wendy', 2005

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%

Dick leaves the mine where he worked with his father to become a sales assistant. There, he meets Stevie, a guy who doesn't like to talk much about himself.

One day, Dick finds what appears to be a toy gun, but Stevie recognizes it as a real firearm. Together, they start a pacifist gun club.

Lars von Trier, who wrote the screenplay, lost interest in the project and gave it to another director. Ultimately, Thomas Vinterberg, an old acquaintance of von Trier's, picked up the work.

4. 'True Romance', 1993

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Clarence falls in love with Alabama, a prostitute. He decides to help her by killing her pimp and stealing his drugs. Clarence and Alabama are forced to flee the town to avoid the criminals' revenge.

One year after the release of his cult film Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino decided to try his hand at screenwriting. True Romance is entirely in keeping with the director's style – it features excellent dialogue laced with brutality that is also funny and lively.

The movie, directed by Tony Scott, is still considered one of Tarantino's greatest achievements.

5. 'V for Vendetta', 2005

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

Following a terrible epidemic, a brutal dictatorship is established in England. A partisan named V leads the resistance against the authorities. He recruits a young woman whom he saved from the police.

The Wachowskis are best known as the screenwriters and directors of The Matrix, but their work on V for Vendetta is often overlooked.

They adapted Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name, giving it a darker tone. The result is an iconic dystopia that remains relevant to this day.