37th Annual Scripter Awards

Yesterday the USC Libraries announced the finalist for the current edition of the awards that honor the writers of the year's most accomplished film and episodic series adaptations, as well as the writers of works on which they are based.

Among the finalists there are some Oscar hopefuls, especially frontrunners in the adaptation category, Conclave and A Complete Unknown. As we know Conclave won the Golden Globe for adapted screenplay but was not eligible for the WGA awards with also The Wild Robot and Sing Sing not being eligible. The category is really complicated due to rules in each writing award but usually the Scripter winner goes to win the Oscar for adapted screenplay.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is The Wild Robot as is only the second animated movie nominated after Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, which won the Academy Award.

The Scripter Awards have strict eligibility rules that often result in significant exclusions; this is most notable is Wicked. But musicals are never recognized which would make Emilia Perez ineligible but also movie is in Spanish and to be considered film has to be in English. The last is the reason why I'm Still Here was also omitted.

The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a black-tie ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in the Town & Gown ballroom at the University of Southern California.

The Finalist Writers

Film Adaptation

James Mangold and Jay Cocks for A Complete Unknown
Based on the nonfiction book “Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties” by Elijah Wald

Peter Straughan for Conclave
Based on the novel by Robert Harris

RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes for Nickel Boys
Based on the book “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead

Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (screenplay and story) and Clarence Maclin and John “Divine G” Whitfield (story) for Sing Sing
Based on the Esquire magazine article “The Sing Sing Follies” by John H. Richardson

Screenwriter Chris Sanders and novelist Peter Brown for The Wild Robot

To check the nominations for episodic series go to official site here, eventually an article will be published with the finalists. In the meantime check the press release here.