by Nathaniel R
The French Dispatch, a movie about writers is honored for its writing
The Writer Guild have announced their nominations for the 2021 film year. Unlike the DGA and the PGA, the WGA aren't abundantly prophetic when it comes to Oscar nominations since their rules are so different. But the nominees and some notes are after the jump...
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- Being the Ricardos
- Don't Look Up
- The French Dispatch
- King Richard
- Licorice Pizza
It's worth noting that Belfast, Mass, Parallel Mothers, Pig and Worst Person in the World were all not eligible for this prize (only WGA guild members can be nominated so that often cuts out new writers and writers from other countries). In other words do not expect this list to transfer to Oscar without at least one adjustment; at the very least it would be a rather large shock to see Kenneth Branagh left out of Best Original Screenplay for his passion project memoir.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- CODA
- Dune
- Nightmare Alley
- tick...tick...BOOM!
- West Side Story
It's worth noting that MANY strong contenders were not eligible for this prize due to the Guild's rules. That includes Cyrano, Drive My Car, The Lost Daughter (Scripter nominee), Passing (Scripter nominee), and Power of the Dog (Scripter nominee). In other words, do not expect this list to transfer to Oscar. We expect only a 3/5 match but even only a 2/5 transfer is possible. It is interesting that Tragedy of Macbeth didn't make the WGA list, though, given its USC Scripter nomination and the fact that the WGA loves the Coen brothers.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
- Being Cousteau
- Exposing Muybridge
- Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres