Writers Guild of America: Film Awards

Writers Guild of America: Film Awards, 1949-2024

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union organized to represent writers in film, television, radio, news, and online media. In 1949, they began giving out film awards to writers. Over the years, there have been various categories including awards for drama, comedy, and musicals as well as awards for adapted and original screenplays. The most recent ceremony was February 15, 2025. 2024: Anora (Best Original Screenplay) 2024: Nickel Boys (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2023: The Holdovers (Best Original Screenplay) 2023: American Fiction (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Best Original Screenplay) 2022: Women Talking (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2021: Coda (Best Original Screenplay) 2021: Don’t Look Up (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2020: Promising Young Woman (Best Original Screenplay) 2020: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2019: Parasite (Gisaengchung) (Best Original Screenplay) 2019: Jojo Rabbit (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2018: Eighth Grade (Best Original Screenplay) 2018: Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2017: Get Out (Best Original Screenplay) 2017: Call Me by Your Name (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2016: Moonlight (Best Original Screenplay) 2016: Arrival (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2015: Spotlight (Best Original Screenplay) 2015: The Big Short (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2014: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Best Original Screenplay) 2014: The Imitation Game (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2013: Her (Best Original Screenplay) 2013: Captain Phillips (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2012: Zero Dark Thirty (Best Original Screenplay) 2012: Argo (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2011: Midnight in Paris (Best Original Screenplay) 2011: The Descendants (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2010: Inception (Best Original Screenplay) 2010: The Social Network (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2009: The Hurt Locker (Best Original Screenplay) 2009: Up in the Air (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2008: Milk (Best Original Screenplay) 2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2007: Juno (Best Original Screenplay) 2007: No Country for Old Men (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2006: Little Miss Sunshine (Best Original Screenplay) 2006: The Departed (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2005: Crash (Best Original Screenplay) 2005: Brokeback Mountain (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2004: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Best Original Screenplay) 2004: Sideways (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2003: Lost in Translation (Best Original Screenplay) 2003: American Splendor (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2002: Bowling for Columbine (Best Original Screenplay) 2002: The Hours (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2001: Gosford Park (Best Original Screenplay) 2001: A Beautiful Mind (Best Adapted Screenplay) 2000: You Can Count on Me (Best Original Screenplay) 2000: Traffic (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1999: American Beauty (Best Original Screenplay) 1999: Election (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1998: Shakespeare in Love (Best Original Screenplay) 1998: Out of Sight (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1997: As Good As It Gets (Best Original Screenplay) 1997: L.A. Confidential (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1996: Fargo (Best Original Screenplay) 1996: Sling Blade (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1995: Braveheart (Best Original Screenplay) 1995: Sense and Sensibility (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1994: Four Weddings and a Funeral (Best Original Screenplay) 1994: Forrest Gump (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1993: The Piano (Best Original Screenplay) 1993: Schindler’s List (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1992: The Crying Game (Best Original Screenplay) 1992: The Player (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1991: Thelma & Louise (Best Original Screenplay) 1991: The Silence of the Lambs (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1990: Avalon (Best Original Screenplay) 1990: Dances with Wolves (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1989: Crimes and Misdemeanors (Best Original Screenplay) 1989: Driving Miss Daisy (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1988: Bull Durham (Best Original Screenplay) 1988: Dangerous Liaisons (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1987: Moonstruck (Best Original Screenplay) 1987: Roxanne (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1986: Hannah and Her Sisters (Best Original Screenplay) 1986: A Room with a View (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1985: Witness (Best Original Screenplay) 1985: Prizzi’s Honor (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1984: Broadway Danny Rose (Best Original Screenplay) 1984: The Killing Fields (Best Adapted Screenplay) 1984: Reuben, Reuben (Best Adapted Drama) 1984: Tender Mercies (Best Original Drama) 1984: Terms of Endearment (Best Adapted Comedy) 1984: The Big Chill (Best Original Comedy) 1983: Missing (Best Adapted Drama) 1983: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Best Original Drama) 1983: Victor/Victoria (Best Adapted Comedy) 1983: Tootsie (Best Original Comedy) 1982: On Golden Pond (Best Adapted Drama) 1982: Reds (Best Original Drama) 1982: Rich and Famous (Best Adapted Comedy) 1982: Arthur (Best Original Comedy) 1981: Ordinary People (Best Adapted Drama) 1981: Melvin and Howard (Best Original Drama) 1981: Airplane! (Best Adapted Comedy) 1981: Private Benjamin (Best Original Comedy) 1980: Kramer vs. Kramer (Best Adapted Drama) 1980: The China Syndrome (Best Original Drama) 1980: Being There (Best Adapted Comedy) 1980: Breaking Away (Best Original Comedy) 1979: Midnight Express (Best Adapted Drama) 1979: Coming Home (Best Original Drama) 1979: Heaven Can Wait / Same Time, Next Year (Best Adapted Comedy) 1979: Movie Movie (Best Original Comedy) 1978: Islands in the Stream (Best Adapted Drama) 1978: The Turning Point (Best Original Drama) 1978: Oh, God! (Best Adapted Comedy) 1978: Annie Hall (Best Original Comedy) 1977: All the President’s Men (Best Adapted Drama) 1977: Network (Best Original Drama) 1977: The Pink Panther Strikes Again (Best Adapted Comedy) 1977: The Bad News Bears (Best Original Comedy) 1976: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Best Adapted Drama) 1976: Dog Day Afternoon (Best Original Drama) 1976: The Sunshine Boys (Best Adapted Comedy) 1976: Shampoo (Best Original Comedy) 1975: The Godfather Part II (Best Adapted Drama) 1975Chinatown (Best Original Drama) 1975: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (Best Adapted Comedy) 1975: Blazing Saddles (Best Original Comedy) 1974: Serpico (Best Adapted Drama) 1974: Save the Tiger (Best Original Drama) 1974: Paper Moon (Best Adapted Comedy) 1974: A Touch of Class (Best Original Comedy) 1973: The Godfather (Best Adapted Drama) 1973: The Candidate (Best Original Drama) 1973: Cabaret (Best Adapted Comedy) 1973: What’s Up, Doc? (Best Original Comedy) 1972: The French Connection (Best Adapted Drama) 1972: Sunday Bloody Sunday (Best Original Drama) 1972: Kotch (Best Adapted Comedy) 1972: The Hospital (Best Original Comedy) 1971: I Never Sang for My Father (Best Adapted Drama) 1971: Patton (Best Original Drama) 1971: M*A*S*H (Best Adapted Comedy) 1971: The Out-of-Towners (Best Original Comedy) 1970: Midnight Cowboy (Best Adapted Drama) 1970: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Best Original Drama) 1970: Goodbye, Columbus (Best Adapted Comedy) 1970: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (Best Original Comedy) 1969: The Lion in Winter (Best Written Drama) 1969: The Odd Couple (Best Written Comedy) 1969: Funny Girl (Best Written Musical) 1968: The Producers (Best Original Screenplay) 1968: Bonnie and Clyde (Best Written Drama) 1968: The Graduate (Best Written Comedy) 1968: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Best Written Musical) 1967: Bonnie and Clyde (Best Original Screenplay) 1967: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Best Written Drama) 1967: The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (Best Written Comedy) 1966: The Pawnbroker (Best Written Drama) 1966: A Thousand Clowns (Best Written Comedy) 1966: The Sound of Music (Best Written Musical) 1965: Becket (Best Written Drama) 1965: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Best Written Comedy) 1965: Mary Poppins (Best Written Musical) 1964: Hud (Best Written Drama) 1964: Lilies of the Field (Best Written Comedy) 1963: To Kill a Mockingbird (Best Written Drama) 1963: That Touch of Mink (Best Written Comedy) 1963: The Music Man (Best Written Musical) 1962: The Hustler (Best Written Drama) 1962: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Best Written Comedy) 1962: West Side Story (Best Written Musical) 1961: Elmer Gantry (Best Written Drama) 1961: The Apartment (Best Written Comedy) 1961: Bells Are Ringing (Best Written Musical) 1960: The Diary of Anne Frank (Best Written Drama) 1960: Some Like It Hot (Best Written Comedy) 1960: The Five Pennies (Best Written Musical) 1959: The Defiant Ones (Best Written Drama) 1959: Me and the Colonel (Best Written Comedy) 1959: Gigi (Best Written Musical) 1958: 12 Angry Men (Best Written Drama) 1958: Lost in the Afternoon (Best Written Comedy) 1958: Les Girls (Best Written Musical) 1957: Friendly Persuasion (Best Written Drama) 1957: Around the World in 80 Days (Best Written Comedy) 1957: The King and I (Best Written Musical) 1956: Marty (Best Written Drama) 1956: Mister Roberts (Best Written Comedy) 1956: Love Me or Leave Me (Best Written Musical) 1955: On the Waterfront (Best Written Drama) 1955: Sabrina (Best Written Comedy) 1955: Seven Bridges for Seven Brothers (Best Written Musical) 1954: From Here to Eternity (Best Written Drama) 1954: Roman Holiday (Best Written Comedy) 1954: Lili (Best Written Musical) 1953: High Noon (Best Written Drama) 1953: The Quiet Man (Best Written Comedy) 1953: Singin’ in the Rain (Best Written Musical) 1952: A Place in the Sun (Best Written Drama) 1952: Father’s Little Dividend (Best Written Comedy) 1952: An American in Paris (Best Written Musical) 1951: Sunset Boulevard (Best Written Drama) 1951: All About Eve (Best Written Comedy) 1951: Annie Get Your Gun (Best Written Musical) 1950: All the King’s Men (Best Written Drama) 1950: A Letter to Three Wives (Best Written Comedy) 1950: On the Town (Best Written Musical) 1949: The Snake Pit (Best Written Drama) 1949: Sitting Pretty (Best Written Comedy) 1949: Easter Parade (Best Written Musical) Resources: Dave’s Movie Database: Awards Page Wikipedia.org: Writers Guild of America Awards: Films WGA.org (Writers Guild of America West website) WGAeast.org (Writers Guild of America East website) Originally posted 6/5/2023; last updated 2/15/2025.

The Top 10 Movies of 2024

Dave’s Movie Database: Top 10 Movies of 2024 These are the top 10 movies of the year based on their overall status in Dave’s Movie Database.

#1. Anora This romantic drama was written and directed by Sean Baker. The title character of Anora (Mikey Madison) is a sex worker who marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Vanya’s family tries to have the marriage annulled. Won Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing, Producers Guild of America for Best Picture, and Writers Guild of America for Best Original Screenplay. 5 Oscar wins, including Best Picture. See DMDB page.

#2. Dune: Part Two This and 2021’s Dune serve as director Denis Villenueve’s epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 sci-fi novel. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, and others return alongside new cast members Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, and Florence Pugh. 5 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. See DMDB page.

#3. Wicked This is the first of a two-part adaptation of the blockbuster 2003 stage musical. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande is Galinda, the future Good Witch of the North in this reimagining of events from The Wizard of Oz told from the witches’ point of view. 2024 box office champ. Winner of National Board of Review – Best Film. 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. See DMDB page.

#4. Inside Out 2 The sequel to Pixar Studios 2015 animated blockbuster sees the return of Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, and others revoicing their characters alongside Maya Hawke, Tony Hale, and others. As Wikipedia says, “The film tells the story of Riley’s emotions as they find themselves joined by other new emotions that want to take over Riley’s mind.” Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature.

#5. The Brutalist Brady Corbet directed, produced, and co-wrote this epic period drama with Adrien Brody starring as László Tóth, an architect and Holocaust survivor who immigrates to the United States. Golden Globe winner for Best Drama. 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. See DMDB page.

#6. Deadpool & Wolverine The third movie in the Deadpool series paired the titular superhero (Ryan Reynolds) with Wolverine. Hugh Jackman portrayed the character from the X-Men series over nine films. Although his character died in the 2017 film Logan, a multiverse story allowed his return in this movie. The first two movies were made by 20th Century Fox, but the third was developed by Marvel Studios after Disney acquired Fox.

#7. Conclave This political thriller is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. The story focuses on Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) organizing a conclave to elect the new pope. He ends up investigating secrets and scandals about the major candidates. Winner of the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Picture and Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Cast. 8 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Won Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

#8. A Complete Unknown Timothée Chalamet secured an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of a young Bob Dylan in this musical biopic focused on the iconic folk-rock poet’s pre-fame years through the controversy over Dylan going electric. 8 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

#9. Moana 2 This was a sequel to the 2016 musical animated film from Disney. Auli’I Carvalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their voice roles from the original film. As Wikipedia says, “Set three years later, it follows Moana reuniting with the demigod Maui and assembling a wayfinding crew to find the lost island of Motufetu, break its curse, and reconnect the people of the ocean.”

#10. Nickel Boys IMDB.com: “Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, Nickel Boys chronicles the powerful friendship between two young African-American men navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida.” Winner of Writers Guild of America’s award for Best Adapted Screenplay. 2 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Other Links: Dave’s Movie Database: Eras Dave’s Movie Database: Movies of the Year Dave’s Movie Database: Awards Page Originally posted 2/28/2025; last updated 3/3/2025.