As we inch closer and closer to the Oscars, other awards continue to give hints as to what we should expect when the big night arrives. WhereasThe Shape of WaterandGuillermo del Torolook primed to take home statues for Best Picture and Best Director in the aftermath of the DGA and PGA awards, the SAG awards and Golden Globes point towardFrances McDormand,Sam Rockwell,Allison Janney, andGary Oldmantaking the acting awards. And if last night’s USC Scripter Awards are any indication, octogenarianJames Ivorynow looks likely to take home Oscar honors for his adapted screenplay forCall Me By Your Name.
The USC Scripter awards have correctly predicted the Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay every year thus far this decade. The last time that it diverged was in 2009 when USC gave its top film honors toLee Daniels’Preciousin advance ofJason Reitman’sUp in the Airbringing home the gold at the Oscars. This also happened elsewhere in the aughts -Children of MenoverThe Departedin 2006,CapoteoverBrokeback Mountainin 2005 - but as of 2010, the picks have lined up exactly. If a similar break were to happen this year, hopefully the Oscar would be presented toMudboundorLoganoverAaron Sorkin’s mind-numbing script forMolly’s Game.
As for the TV side of things, USC gave its big award to (you guessed it)The Handmaid’s Tale, specificallyBruce Miller’s screenplay for “Offred.” Miller beat out stiff competition fromBig Little Lies,Alias Grace, andMindhunter, even if the award would have been more deservingly placed in the hands ofDavid LynchandMark Frostor any of the writers behind Netflix’sShe’s Gotta Have It. That being said, neither the Oscars nor USC have a history of awarding truly daring and ambitious shows, just the ones that seem most politically timely from the outset. Following that logic, the winners were about as unsurprising and deserving as one could have expected. you’re able to see the full list of winners and nominees below.
Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2018 USC Scripter Awards:
Film Adaptation
AuthorAndré Acimanand screenwriterJames Ivoryfor“Call Me by Your Name” – WINNER
ScreenwritersScott NeustadterandMichael H. Weberfor“The Disaster Artist”and authorsGreg SesteroandTom Bissellfor their nonfiction book“The Disaster Artist:
My Life Inside ‘The Room,’ the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made”
ScreenwritersScott Frank, Michael GreenandJames Mangoldand authorsRoy Thomas, Len WeinandJohn Romita Sr.,for“Logan”
ScreenwriterJames Grayand authorDavid Grannfor“The Lost City of Z”
ScreenwriterAaron Sorkinand authorMolly Bloomfor“Molly’s Game”
ScreenwritersVirgil WilliamsandDee Reesand authorHillary Jordanfor“Mudbound”
ScreenwriterAllan Heinbergand authorWilliam Moulton Marstonfor“Wonder Woman”
Television Adaptation
ScreenwriterSarah Polleyand authorMargaret Atwoodfor“Alias Grace”
David E. Kelleyfor the episode “You Get What You Need” from“Big Little Lies”and authorLiane Moriarty
Noah PinkandKen Billerfor the episode “Einstein: Chapter One” from“Genius”and authorWalter Isaacsonfor his book“Einstein: His Life and Word”
Bruce Millerfor the episode “Offred” from“The Handmaid’s Tale”and authorMargaret Atwood – WINNER
Peter Landesman, George C. WolfeandAlexander Woofor the television film“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”and authorRebecca Skloot
Joe PenhallandJennifer Haleyfor “Episode 10” of“Mindhunter”and authors John Douglas and Mark Olshaker for their nonfiction book“Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit”
