NEW YORK — Sam Mendes’ World War I tale “1917” followed up its big night at the Golden Globes with a nomination for best screenplay from the Writers Guild on Monday.
Alongside “1917,” the writers guild nominated for best original screenplay the scripts to “Booksmart,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story” and “Parasite.”
In the adapted screenplay category, the guild selected “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “The Irishman,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Joker” and “Little Women.”
A handful of contenders weren’t eligible because the Writers Guild only rewards films produced under a WGA contract. Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” which won best screenplay Sunday at the Globes, was ineligible. (Tarantino years ago refused to join the guild after a dispute over crediting on Oliver Stone’s “Natural Born Killers.”) Also out of the running were “The Farewell” and “Pain and Glory.”
Because of those exceptions, the WGA Awards don’t always predict Oscar nominees. But their choices otherwise largely overlap with eventual Academy Awards nominees.
That’s good news for nominees like Greta Gerwig’s Louisa May Alcott adaptation “Little Women,” which has struggled to find traction in awards season despite rave reviews and strong box office. Bong Joon Ho’s thriller “Parasite,” which also received a best ensemble nomination from the Screen Actors Guild, also continues to look like a rare foreign language Oscar heavyweight.
The nomination for “1917,” a movie most celebrated as a visual achievement, suggests the film is resonating outside of technical categories. In an upset on Jan. 6, Mendes’ film won best drama and best director at the Globes. It’s the first script the British director has written, penned with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.
While a number of front-runners like Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” “The Irishman” (written by Steven Zaillian) and Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” were predictably selected by the WGA, the guild also chose a handful of genre movies including the teen comedy “Booksmart” and Rian Johnson’s whodunit “Knives Out.”
The awards will be presented on Feb. 1 in concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. The Directors Guild and the Producers Guild are expected to announce their nominees Tuesday.
