“BlacKkKlansman” is the Oscar front-runner for Best Adapted Screenplay, with “If Beale Street Could Talk” poised to upset, but in our Writers Guild Awards predictions, the Expert journalists we’ve polled point to another possible surprise: “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
As of this writing “Klansman” is the overwhelming favorite at the WGA Awards with 31/10 odds, and it’s backed by six of our seven Experts: Edward Douglas (Weekend Warrior), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Susan King (Gold Derby), Peter Travers (Rolling Stone), Adnan Virk and Susan Wloszczyna (Gold Derby). And “Beale Street” ranks second with 39/10 odds with support from some of our Top 24 Users who got the highest scores predicting last year’s WGA Awards, but not from our Experts.
However, one of our Experts, Tariq Khan (Fox TV), is going out on a limb for “Forgive Me.” Is he onto something? The film has the benefit of being about a writer, biographer Lee Israel (played by Melissa McCarthy), who became infamous for selling forged letters to literary collectors. Industry writers may be especially able to relate to the film’s subject matter and references.
The guild may also want to reward writer Nicole Holofcener, who is a veteran of film and TV with a past WGA nomination for her original screenplay for “Please Give” (2011). Holofcener also has numerous directing credits on the small screen ranging from “Six Feet Under,” to “Enlightened,” to “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” so she has professional relationships that span the industry. And while her co-writer Jeff Whitty is a first-time screenwriter, he’s a past Tony winner for penning the book for “Avenue Q” (2004), so there may be continued good will for him as well.
So will writers will be swayed by a story about writers, or will “Klansman” continue its march towards Oscar following its win at the BAFTAs?
Be sure to make your WGA predictions so that Hollywood studio executives and top name filmmakers can see how their movies are faring in our odds. Keep changing your predictions until winners are announced on February 17. And join in the fierce debate over the 2019 WGA Awards taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our film forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
