WRITERS GUILD AWARDS (WGA)
This year's nominees for the WGA Awards were announced yesterday afternoon (15th January). Here they are:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
A Real Pain
Anora
Challengers
Civil War
My Old Ass
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two
Hit Man
Nickel Boys
Wicked
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Jim Henson: Idea Man
Kiss The Future
Martha
War Game
I don't ever try to predict any of the nominees for the screenplay categories, but I do have an interest on which scripts get nominated. Last year, the WGA announced their nominees and winners outside of the usual awards season window, so I didn't end up including them in my countdown (for anyone interested, the winners were The Holdovers for Original Screenplay, American Fiction for Adapted Screenplay, and The Pigeon Tunnel [about John le Carré] for Documentary)
However, the WGA Awards aren't as good a predictor as some other guild awards because of the eligibility criteria to be nominated for one. Eligibility for the Writers Guild Awards is restricted to screenplays that were written under the guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement or under related agreements from affiliated international guilds.
This does mean that many screenplays that are eligible to be nominated for the Oscars aren't eligible for the WGA Awards. So, for instance, the screenplays for a lot of movies that have featured heavily in other awards ceremonies won't get a WGA nod: these include (deep breath) The Brutalist, The Substance, Hard Truths, September 5, All We Imagine As Light, Conclave, Emilia Pérez, Sing Sing, I’m Still Here, The Piano Lesson, Inside Out 2, The Outrun, Nosferatu, Nightbitch, Saturday Night, Babygirl, and Heretic. Given that there are only five slots in each category (Original and Adapted), there's a lot of these movie that won't get a look-in. But it'll be interesting to see how the Academy goes with it.
The Writers Guild Awards will take place on Saturday 15th February 2025.
PRODUCERS' GUILD AWARDS (PGA)
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
Anora
A Complete Unknown
A Real Pain
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
September 5
The Substance
Wicked
Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
Flow
Inside Out 2
Moana 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures
(previously announced)
Gaucho Gaucho
Mediha
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa
Porcelain War
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
We Will Dance Again
The inclusion of September 5 and A Real Pain is a bit of a surprise in the "Theatrical Motion Picture" category, as (in terms of Best Picture nods) they only featured as nominees at the Golden Globes but have been absent elsewhere, whereas films such as Sing Sing and Nickel Boys have appeared more frequently (with both garnering Critics' Choice and Independent Spirit Award noms).
However, with the exception of last year, the ten PGA and ten Oscar Best Picture nominees aren't always 100% identical. There's usually around an 80% crossover, which I see potentially happening here.
Chuffed to see both Inside Out 2 and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl included in the "Animated Theatrical Motion Picture" category; I thoroughly enjoyed both films. I am intrigued to try and see Flow if I can as it sounds very interesting.
The PGA Awards ceremony is due to take place on Saturday 8th February 2025.
Congratulations to all nominees!
I think, if all is up-to-date, our next Awards Season stop is going to be the announcement of the Razzie Awards nominations on Wednesday (22nd January). I'm fully expecting to see Joker: Folie à Deux, Madame Web, and Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey II (yep, they made a sequel) getting dishonoured. Should provide a bit of levity if nothing else.