At the 2020 Academy Awards, “Jojo Rabbit” director Taika Waititi won Best Adapted Screenplay for bringing Christine Leunens novel “Caging Skies” to the big screen. This award, which dates back to the first Oscars in 1928, has gone to the adapters of 47 novels over the year. The most recent of these prior to 2020 was in 2018 when James Ivory won his first Oscar for his adaptation of André Aciman‘s novel “Call Me by Your Name.” (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2021 Oscars predictions for Best Adapted Screenplay and be sure to check out our predictions for Best Original Screenplay.)
In between those two years, “BlacKkKlansman” director Spike Lee shared in the win for Best Adapted Screenplay for his written work on Ron Stallworth‘s memoir of the same name. In the 92-year history of this category, only a dozen adaptations of such books have prevailed. Five of those non-fiction books adaptations were winners in the last decade: “The Social Network” (2011), “Argo” (2012), “12 Years a Slave” (2013) and “The Imitation Game” (2014) and “The Big Short” (2015).
In 2017, “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney won this Oscar for adapting the latter’s un-produced play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” While screen versions of stage works had won 14 times before, the last of those had been in 1989 (“Driving Miss Daisy”).
Short stories provided source material for seven winners, with “Brokeback Mountain” in 2005 being the most recent. And remakes of other films and teleplays account for four winners, the most recent of which was 2006’s “The Departed” (adapted from the film “Infernal Affairs”). One-off sources have included a newspaper column (“Mrs. Miniver”) and a short film (“Sling Blade”).
UPDATED: February 26, 2021
Please note: To read full descriptions of each film, check out our Best Picture predictions.
PREDICT the 2021 Oscar nominations through March 15
Leading Contenders
“The Father” (Sony Pictures Classics – February 26, 2021)
Writers: Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller, who adapted the latter’s play of the same name.
“News Of The World” (Universal – December 25)
Writers: Greengrass, Luke Davies, who adapted Paulette Jiles’ novel of the same name.
“Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures – December 4)
Writer: Chloé Zhao, who adapted Jessica Bruder’s non-fiction book of the same name.
“One Night in Miami” (Amazon – December 25)
Writer: Kemp Powers, who adapted his play of the same name.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Netflix – December 18)
Writer: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who adapted the play of the same name by August Wilson)
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Strong Contenders
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (Amazon Studios)
Writers: Peter Baynham, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jena Friedman, Anthony Hines, Lee Kern, Dan Mazer, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Swimer (based on Borat Sagdiyev by Cohen)
“First Cow” (A24)
Writers: Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond, who adapted the latter’s novel “The Half Life.”
“French Exit” (Sony Pictures Classics – February 12, 2021)
Writer: Patrick deWitt, who adapted his novel of the same name.
“The Life Ahead” (Netflix – November 13)
Writers: Edoardo Ponti, Ugo Chiti, who adapted Romain Gary’s novel The Life Before Us.”
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” (Searchlight Pictures – August 28)
Writers: Simon Blackwell and Iannucci, who adapted Charles Dickens’s novel of the same name.
“The White Tiger” (Netflix- January 22, 2021)
Writer/Director: Ramin Bahrani, who adapted Aravind Adiga’s novel of the same name.
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Possible Contenders
“The Boys In The Band” (Netflix – September 30)
Writer: Matt Crowley, who adapted his play of the same name.
“Cherry” (Apple+ – Winter)
Writers: Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg, who adapted Nico Walker’s novel of the same name.
“Emma” (Focus Features – February 21)
Writer: Eleanor Catton, who adapted Jane Austen’s novel of the same name.
“The Glorias” (Roadside Attractions – September 30)
Writer: Sarah Ruhl, who adapted Gloria Steinem’s memoir “My Life on the Road.”
“Greyhound” (Apple+ – July 20)
Writer: Tom Hanks, who adapted C. S. Forester’s novel “The Good Shepherd.”
“Mulan” (Disney – September 4)
Writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin, based on the animated film “Mulan” adapted by Tony Bancroft from Barry Cook’s story “Ballad of Mulan.”
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday” (Paramount – February 12, 2021)
Writer: Suzan-Lori Parks, who adapted Johann Hari’s non-fiction book “Chasing the Scream.”
We will be updating our Oscar predictions for each competitive category often in the days to come so be sure to bookmark this page and keep checking back as the race heats up.
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture: Updated – February 22, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Director: Updated – February 23, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Actor: Updated – February 24, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Actress: Updated – February 24, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor: Updated – February 25, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actress: Updated – February 25, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Adapted Screenplay: Updated – February 26, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Screenplay: Updated – February 26, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Cinematography: Updated – February 12, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Costume Design: Updated – February 12, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Film Editing: Updated – February 12, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Makeup & Hairstyling: Updated – February 22 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Score: Updated – February 10, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Song: Updated – February 10, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Production Design: Updated – February 12, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Sound: Updated – February 12, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Visual Effects: Updated – February 10, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature: Updated – February 10, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best Documentary Feature: Updated – February 9, 2021
2021 Oscar Predictions: Best International Feature: Updated – February 9, 2021
