The Writers Guild is hosting their annual awards ceremony Sunday night, one week ahead of the Academy Awards on February 24th. It is important to note that the WGA, like most guilds in the film industry, recognize achievements in mediums outside of film as well; however, I will only include the film categories here in this article seeing is how this is mostly a film blog. It is also worth pointing out that the WGA only includes three film categories and that the screenplay categories are considered among the major categories at the Academy Awards. As with my other awards articles, I have listed the nominees under each category and highlighted the winner in red.
And the winners are…
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Eighth Grade, Written by Bo Burnham **WINNER
Green Book, Written by Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly
A Quiet Place, Screenplay by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck and John Krasinski, Story by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck
Roma, Written by Alfonso Cuarón
Vice, Written by Adam McKay
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Blackkklansman, Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, Based on the book by Ron Stallworth
Black Panther, Written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole, Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener andJeff Whitty, Based on the book by Lee Israel ** WINNER
If Beale Street Could Talk, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Based on the novel by James Baldwin
A Star is Born, Screenplay by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters, Based on the 1954 screenplay by Moss Hart and the 1976 screenplay by John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion and Frank Pierson, Based on a story by William Wellman and Robert Carson
BEST DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Bathtubs Over Broadway, Written by Ozzy Inguanzo & Dava Whisenant **WINNER
Fahrenheit 11/9, Written by Michael Moore
Generation Wealth, Written by Lauren Greenfield
In Search of Greatness, Written by Gabe Polsky
My take: An already unpredictable awards season just got even more unpredictable. Eighth Grade won Best Original Screenplay despite not being nominated for the award at the upcoming Academy Awards. Bo Burnham’s script even topped Roma here at the WGAs, which is largely considered the front runner for the Best Picture Oscar. Similarly, Can You Ever Forgive Me? took home the Best Adapted Screenplay award. Though the film is nominated for the equal Academy Award, this is the first time any attention has been given to the film leading up to the Oscars. There has been more hype behind Blackkklansman, If Beale Street Could Talk and A Star Is Born, all of which were also nominated for the equivalent Oscar.
What do you make of this year’s WGA winners? Were you surprised by any of the outcomes? Is there a film you think should have been nominated but was not? Let me know in the comments below!
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