by Nathaniel R
The WGA nominations are out as as always they must be taken both seriously and not at all when considering Oscar predictions. Due to the WGA's very strict rules they often deem films ineligible that Oscar has no such aversion to (for instance, the WGA never honors animated films... not that any of them are really in the Oscar running this year).
This year's nominees with commentary are after the jump...
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- The Big Sick Written by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
- Get Out Written by Jordan Peele
- I, Tonya Written by Steven Rogers
- Lady Bird Written by Greta Gerwig
- The Shape of Water Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor; Story by Guillermo del Toro
Darkest Hour and Three Billboards , which have to be considered major contenders, were not eligible for this prize. Coco wasn't either but all three will be eligible for Oscar considersation. And the WGA nominations rarely transfer 5/5. Three Billboards is very obviously getting nominated so one of these (at least) will have to go. Newspaper drama The Post was WGA eligible and we assume Phantom Thread was too since P.T. Anderson is a regular nominee at the WGA event but they just didn't vote for them in sufficient numbers.
Before dumping the Spielberg freedom of the press true story from your predictions please know that something does have to give considering that the Original Screenplay competition still has way more than 5 films in it that are still going strong in awards season. But which film(s) must sit on the sidelines after January 23rd will be a nailbiter down to the moment the nominees are announced. Again, the WGA roster never just transfers over intact (the rules are different and so is the voting body) even though all five of these WGA nominated originals look like strong contenders.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- Call Me by Your Name Screenplay by James Ivory; Based on the Novel by André Aciman
- The Disaster Artist Screenplay by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber; Based on the Book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside the Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell
- Logan Screenplay by Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green; Story by James Mangold; Based on Characters from the X-Men Comic Books and Theatrical Motion Pictures
- Molly’s Game Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the Book by Molly Bloom
- Mudbound Screenplay by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees; Based on the Novel by Hillary Jordan
Victoria & Abdul was not eligible for this prize but will be for the corresponding category at the Oscars. We might also see Wonder pop up at the Oscars since that film was such a huge hit and one or more of these might not be as strong as they look. Logan is the big surprise in this mix but kind of a welcome one since the film really was trying in the writing department and is very much "adapted" in the way it's building off or and riffing on so much of what's come before it with this character.
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
- Betting on Zero Written by Theodore Braun
- Jane Written by Brett Morgen
- No Stone Unturned Written by Alex Gibney
- Oklahoma City Written by Barak Goodman
Curiously Jane is the only one of these films that made the finalist list for the Oscar competition (another reason to assume it's our frontrunner). Betting on Zero was not even on Oscar's longlist of 170 titles.
What do you make of the Writers Guild nominations this year? Which films do you think are NOT safe for an Oscar nomination on January 23rd?