As one of the strictest guilds in the entertainment industry, quite often the outcome of the Writers Guild nominations (and even wins) isn’t all that reflective of the Oscar race. With so many top contenders ineligible due to the screenwriters not being part of the guild or a film’s script not being registered with the WGA, we at least often end up with some really fun and deserving choices.
For example, just some of the titles that you won’t see nominated: Ammonite, Emma., The Father, Let Them All Talk, Mank, The Mauritanian, Minari, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman and so much more. Animated films are always out so that means no Soul (or Wolfwalkers, for that matter).
Where these films lack of eligibility may not necessarily hurt them, it does – or can – raise the profile of a screenplay that may have been bubbling under in the 6-10 area of Oscar predictions and give it the boost it needs. Judas and the Black Messiah is a film that was such a late-breaker it’s only just now starting to crack the later critics’ awards. It could make the cut in original screenplay as their voting was closest to the film’s release. But I think it’s going to be close between Judas, Palm Springs and Sound of Metal there unless the Da 5 Bloods train comes to a halt.
The USC Scripter nominations gave us First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and One Night in Miami, all of which should easily be nominated for the WGA’s Adapted Screenplay prize. Charlie Kaufman missed their but is a three-time WGA nominee and winner for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. News of the World should fight for a spot, along with Borat and possibly The White Tiger, which could be making a surprise surge. Or even…Hillbilly Elegy. One caveat with First Cow though, A24 didn’t send any screeners to the WGA (c’mon, A24) so that could leave a spot open. If so, it’s Borat‘s for the taking.
Here are my predictions for the Writers Guild of America nominations, which will be announced on Tuesday, February 16.
Watch out for: Judas and the Black Messiah (Screenplay by Will Berson and Shaka King, story by Keith Lucas and Kenny Lucas), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Eliza Hittman)
Watch out for: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Peter Baynham, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jena Friedman, Anthony Hines, Lee Kern, Dan Mazer, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Swimer, based on characters created by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips), The White Tiger (Ramin Bahrani, based on the novel “The White Tiger” by Aravind Adiga)
Image courtesy of Warner Bros Entertainment
SFFILM announced the winners of the juried Golden Gate Awards competition and the Audience Awards at the 67th San Francisco International… Read More
Apple TV+ today debuted the teaser for Presumed Innocent, the upcoming, eight-part limited series starring… Read More
Michael Showalter was a bit of a weirdo comedy maverick during his initial years in… Read More
Frameline48, the largest LGBTQ+ cinema showcase in California, runs June 19-29, 2024 and will announce… Read More
In what feels like a long time ago, in our own galaxy not far, far… Read More
Two music artist-driven shows found themselves on the top of the Tony nominations this morning… Read More
This website uses cookies.