Now, before you see red and exclaim, "Why isn’t [awards season movie] here!!?!?," it should be noted that the eligibility requirements for a Writers Guild Award nomination are complex, to say the least. First, you have to be a member (Quentin Tarantino, for example, isn’t part of the guild, so that’s why there’s no "The Hateful Eight"), and then there are all sorts of other rules too, which I don’t even know the ins and outs of. This is all to say, don’t count on this being representative of the Oscars.
Nonetheless, among those who can play in the WGA space, some great films got nominated. In the Original Screenplay category, "Trainwreck" by Amy Schumer managed to slide in alongside fare like "Sicario" and "Spotlight." Meanwhile, the Adapted Screenplay category featured heavyweights like "Carol," "Steve Jobs," "The Big Short," and "The Martian." Over in the documentary category, I’m kinda puzzled by "Being Canadian" landing a nod because I barely remember it being released, but kudos to the small movie making it in.
The WGA Awards will be handed out on February 13th.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bridge of Spies, Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen; DreamWorks Pictures
Sicario, Written by Taylor Sheridan; Lionsgate
Spotlight, Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy; Open Road Films
Straight Outta Compton, Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by
S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff; Universal Pictures
Trainwreck, Written by Amy Schumer; Universal Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short, Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures
Carol, Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy; Based on the Novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith; The Weinstein Company
The Martian, Screenplay by Drew Goddard; Based on the Novel by Andy Weir; Twentieth Century Fox
Steve Jobs, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the Book by Walter Isaacson; Universal Pictures
Trumbo, Written by John McNamara; Based on the Biography by Bruce Cook; Bleecker Street Media
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Being Canadian, Written by Robert Cohen; Candy Factory Films
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Written by Brett Morgen; HBO Documentary Films
Prophet’s Prey, Written by Amy J. Berg; Showtime Documentary Films