Scorecards will be adjusted and awards prognosticator types will have to adjust their bets, as the WGA have revealed their nominees for their annual awards. Why do we care? The guilds have traditionally been the best augurs for how the Oscar nominees will take shape, mostly because these are the same folks who will be sending in ballots to the Academy. Let's start with the surprises.
"Win Win"? Looks like at least one guild has been making their way through their For Your Consideration pile of screeners. The excellent dramedy from Tom McCarthy, released last spring and then pretty much forgotten about, now seems like it could sneak in with a nomination for the writer/director. And the little engine that could, "50/50," continues to be a dark horse, with the overrated cancer laffer keeping hope alive with a nod for Will Reiser. Also, "Young Adult," which didn't seem to have much steam outside of Charlize Theron, looks like it could to go the Kodak with Diablo Cody earning a nomination here for her sharp writing on the film. Same applies to "Bridesmaids," which also seemed like a play for Melissa McCarthy, though Kristen Wiig (along with Annie Mumolo) could continue her hot run.
Steve Zaillian continues to display awards season heft, with the Oscar winner scoring 2 nominations for his adaptated screenplays for "Moneyball" and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" (which is shaping up to be potentially a bigger factor in the Oscars than we initially thought). No brainers like Woody Allen and Alexander Payne are also here, in what is, overall, a pretty solid nominee lineup.
You can check out the full list below and, if it pleases you, the Art Directors Guild nominees from earlier this week. Basically, these are the folks that may help get "Cowboys Vs. Aliens" the Oscar nomination it so richly deserves.
WGA Nominations
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios
Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight
Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming; Fox Searchlight
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian; Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, originally published by Norstedts; Columbia Pictures
The Help, Screenplay by Tate Taylor; Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett; DreamWorks Pictures
Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan; Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick; Paramount Pictures
Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin; Based on the book by Michael Lewis; Columbia Pictures
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Better This World, Written by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; Loteria Films
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Written by Marshall Curry and Matthew Hamachek; Oscilloscope Pictures
Nostalgia for the Light, Written by Patricio Guzmán; Icarus Films
Pina, Screenplay by Wim Wenders; Sundance Selects
Position Among the Stars, Script by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich, Leonard Retel Helmrich; HBO Films
Senna, Written by Manish Pandey; Producers Distribution Agency
Art Directors Guild Nominations
NOMINEES FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM IN 2011: Period Film
THE ARTIST
Production Designer: Laurence Bennett
HUGO
Production Designer: Dante Ferretti
THE HELP
Production Designer: Mark Ricker
ANONYMOUS
Production Designer: Sebastian Krawinkel
TINKER TAYLOR SOLDIER SPY
Production Designer: Maria Djurkovic
Fantasy Film
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
Production Designer: Stuart Craig
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
Production Designer: Rick Heinrichs
THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN: THE SECRET UNICORN
Production Designer: TBD
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
Production Designer: John Myhre
COWBOYS & ALIENS
Production Designer: Scott Chambliss
Contemporary Film
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Production Designer: Donald Graham Burt
THE DESCENDANTS
Production Designer: Jane Anne Stewart
EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE
Production Designer: K.K. Barrett
DRIVE
Production Designer: Beth Mickle
BRIDESMAIDS
Production Designer: Jefferson Sage