Each year members of the Writers Guild of America vote to recognize the year’s writing accomplishments in the categories of film, television, new media, audio/radio, news and promotional writing. For the purpose of this blog, we will be specifically focusing on the WGA Award nominees for film, which were recently announced.
This year, Amazon scored four nods, with Netflix landing three nominations. Universal Pictures is the only other distributor with multiple nominations, landing nods for News of the World and Red Penguins.
A number of high-profile films that are expected to contend for Oscar nominations — such as Nomadland, Mank, The Father and Minari — were not eligible for WGA award nominations due to guild regulations.
The 73rd Writers Guild Awards are set for March 21.
A complete list of the nominees in the film screenplay categories follows:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King, Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
Palm Springs (Hulu)
Screenplay by Andy Siara, Story by Andy Siara & Max Barbakow
Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
Written by Emerald Fennell
Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)
Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder, Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Written by Aaron Sorkin
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern, Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad, Based on Characters Created by Sacha Baron Cohen
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Screenplay by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Based on the Play Written by August Wilson
News of the World (Universal Pictures)
Screenplay by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies, Based upon the Novel by Paulette Jiles
One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
Screenplay by Kemp Powers, Based on the Stage Play One Night in Miami by Kemp Powers
The White Tiger (Netflix)
Screenplay by Ramin Bahrani, Based on the Book The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Written by Jack Youngelson
The Dissident (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Written by Mark Monroe and Bryan Fogel
Herb Alpert Is… (Abramorama)
Written by John Scheinfeld
Red Penguins (Universal Pictures)
Written by Gabe Polsky
Totally Under Control (Neon)
Written by Alex Gibney
Those are the nominees for this year’s Writers Guild of America Awards! What do you make of the contenders? Are you surprised by any of the results? Is there a film on the list that does not deserve the honor of its recognition? If so, what do you think should have taken its place? Sound off in the comments below and let me and the rest of the movie loving world know your thoughts on the matter!
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