Writers Guild Awards 2017: Film Nominations – LA LA LAND, DEADPOOL, MOONLIGHT, & More

Writers Guild Awards 2017 Film Nominations

La La Land, Deadpool, Moonlight, and the other nominations for the 2017 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The 69th Annual Writers Guild Awards (WGA) are presented by the “Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE)…for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen.”

2016 was a great year for films in the United States and in international markets. Most of the films nominated for a Writers Guild award this year are films that have been catching fire with regard to critical praise. Those films include: Hell or High Water, La La Land, Fences, and Manchester by the Sea. Deadpool getting a nomination was a big surprise (though the film was humorous – thanks to the script). Arrival‘s nomination was dubious as well as the film, despite the hype, was simply an “okay” film. The short story Arrival was based on deserves the writing nomination.

Some of the other films nominated for a writing award I have not seen yet. A comment about what I have heard about them would not be fair.

The full listing of film nominations for the 2017 Writers Guild Awards:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Hell or High Water, Written by Taylor Sheridan; CBS Films

La La Land, Written by Damien Chazelle; Lionsgate

Loving, Written by Jeff Nichols; Focus Features

Manchester by the Sea, Written by Kenneth Lonergan; Amazon Studios/Roadside Attractions

Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Story by Tarell McCraney; A24

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer; Based on the Story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang; Paramount Pictures

Deadpool, Written by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick; Based on the X-Men Comic Books; Twentieth Century Fox Film

Fences, Screenplay by August Wilson; Based on his Play; Paramount Pictures

Hidden Figures, Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi; Based on the Book by Margot Lee Shetterly; Twentieth Century Fox Film

Nocturnal Animals, Screenplay by Tom Ford; Based on the Novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright; Focus Features

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Author: The JT LeRoy Story, Written by Jeff Feuerzeig; Amazon Studios

Command and Control, Telescript by Robert Kenner & Eric Schlosser, Story by Brian Pearle and Kim Roberts; Based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser; American Experience Films

Zero Days, Written by Alex Gibney; Magnolia Pictures

Eligibility for the 2017 Writers Guild Awards are as follows:

Feature films eligible for a Writers Guild Award were exhibited theatrically for at least one week in Los Angeles during 2016 and were written under the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) or under a bona fide collective bargaining agreement…

Documentaries eligible for a Writers Guild Award featured an onscreen writing credit and were exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles or New York for one week during 2016. Theatrical documentaries must have been produced under the jurisdiction of the WGA or an affiliate Guild to be eligible for awards consideration.

Leave your thoughts on the Writers Guild Awards 2017 film nominations below in the comments section. Readers seeking more film awards news can visit our Film Awards Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook. The 2017 Writers Guild Awards will be handed out on February 19, 2017 simultaneously in New York City and Los Angeles.