William Goldman

Most of the time, when a book gets adapted to film, it isn't the original writer who gets to convert their baby to a new medium. Usually they'll send in someone flashy instead—maybe someone who's got a half-dozen credits writing Hot in Cleveland episodes or something—and they'll tear apart, bludgeon and otherwise butcher the source material until it's barely recognizable.

But with The Princess Bride, writer William Goldman was granted the opportunity to draft a script that would ensure his original vision was preserved. It didn't hurt that this guy was no slouch when it came to screenplays. He had already won two Oscars for screenwriting. One for the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and one for the political thriller All the President's Men. Throw in the fantasy story present in The Princess Bride, and it's really obvious that Goldman had trouble pigeonholing himself in a single genre.

He's even a go-to for a lot of aspiring screenwriters. His Adventures in the Screen Trade has long been one of the most recommended books to those seeking to crack their way into the movie writing business. We're just waiting for him to adapt that book into a movie, too. It'll be tough, but if anyone can do it, Goldman can.