The
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the
Academy Award for the best
script not based upon previously published material. It was created for 1940 as a separate writing award from the
Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the Oscars for 1957, the two categories were combined to honor only the screenplay. In 2002, the name of the award was changed from
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) to
Writing (Original Screenplay).