The 31st USC Scripter Awards nominees were announced by the USC Libraries this morning and they made the race for Oscar’s Adapted Screenplay even more intriguing than previously thought.
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The USC Scripter Award is given to both the original author and the screenwriter of the adapted work. This year’s film nominees include “Black Panther,” “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” “The Death of Stalin,” “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “Leave No Trace.” That differentiates from the WGA Awards who honored “BlacKkKlansman” and “A Star is Born” over “Leave No Trace” and “Death of Stalin.” The BAFTA Awards nominations lined up with the WGA except that instead of nominating “Black Panther” the Brits recognized “First Man.” So, with the USC honors announced there are still eight films in the mix for five Oscar slots.
On the television side, six programs were recognized: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” “The Looming Tower,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Patrick Melrose,” “Sharp Objects” and “A Very English Scandal.”
The USC Scripter Awards winners will be announced on Feb. 9. All of this year’s nominees are as follows:
FILM
Black Panther
Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, based on the character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Disney and Marvel Comics
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty and author Lee Israel
Fox Searchlight and Simon & Schuster
The Death of Stalin
Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, and David Schneider, based on the graphic novel by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin
IFC Films and Titan Comics
If Beale Street Could Talk
Barry Jenkins and author James Baldwin
Annapurna Pictures and Vintage International
Leave No Trace
Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini, based on the novel “My Abandonment” by Peter Rock
Bleecker Street and Mariner Books
TELEVISION
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Tom Rob Smith, for the episode “The Man Who Would Be Vogue,” and author Maureen Orth for the nonfiction book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History
FX and Bantam Books
The Handmaid’s Tale
Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder, for the episode “Holly”, and author Margaret Atwood
Hulu and Anchor
The Looming Tower
Dan Futterman and Ali Selim, for the episode “9/11,” and author Lawrence Wright
Hulu and Penguin Random House
Patrick Melrose
David Nicholls for the episode “Bad News,” based on the series of novels by Edward St. Aubyn
Showtime and Picador
Sharp Objects
Marti Noxon for the episode “Vanish,” and author Gillian Flynn
HBO and Broadway Books
A Very English Scandal
Russell T Davies and author John Preston
Amazon Studios and Other Press