Which Screenplay Category Will 'Barbie' Compete In at the Oscars?

“Barbie” is a box office smash, along with its acclaim from critics and audiences alike. If you follow the social media chatter and the general feeling from most pundits, it could be a viable awards contender for Warner Bros. One category being debated is where the screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach would be able to compete — whether in original or adapted screenplay. The answer lies in how the WGA classifies it and whether the Academy could or would overrule that choice.

Variety confirms there are ongoing conversations with strategists and Warner Bros regarding where “Barbie” would compete at next year’s ceremony.

On the title cards, it reads “Based on ‘Barbie’ by Mattel,” which is, of course, a toy company. At the same time, there have been multiple CGI films and TV series featuring the fashion doll since its debut in the late 1980s (42 to be precise). This would point to an “adapted” run. However, take the case of Pixar’s inaugural feature “Toy Story” (1995), which picked up an original screenplay nom (Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Joe Ranft). In that case, it offers a pathway for original. The CGI classic features characters such as Mr. Potato Head, a Hasbro product, and other toys such as Etch A Sketch, Magic 8 Ball and even parts of Barbie herself. Part of the Mutant Toys, which are creations of Andy’s sadistic kid neighbor Sid, he has one called “Legs” — which are a pair of Barbie doll legs attached to a green toy fishing rod.

One of the most prominent examples of existing IP and toy products competing in original was Warner Bros’ “The Lego Movie,” based on the famed building blocks from Phil Lord and Chris Miller, although it was ultimately not nominated.

In addition, any number of biopics about historical figures have been able to compete and/or win original screenplay, such as Dustin Lance Black’s “Milk” about the first gay elected official Harvey Milk or Anthony McCarten’s “Darkest Hour” about British figure Winston Churchill.

Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” with Oscar winner Cate Blanchett was an inspired tribute to the 1951 Elia Kazan movie “A Streetcar Named Desire,” along with the original play by Tennessee Williams. Nonetheless, it was recognized as an original work.

The WGA is one step, but the Writers Branch of the Academy is another.

In the past, the WGA has classified works such as “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “Moonlight” and “Whiplash” as original works. However, the Academy felt the adapted category was the more appropriate route for all three. Even presumed adapted works such as “Syriana” by Stephen Gaghan, which the WGA and the filmmakers said was loosely based on the Robert Baer 20023 memoir “See No Evil,” was kicked to the opposite category.

From a competitive standpoint, previous Oscar nominees Gerwig and Baumbach competing against independent dramas like “Past Lives” (Celine Song) or dramedies like “May December” (Sam Burch, Alex Mechanik) would present a better winning opportunity than going against “Barbenheimer” rival “Oppenheimer” (Christopher Nolan) or a movie featuring legends like “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese). Also, comedies have a better track record in original screenplay, with past winners such as “Annie Hall,” “Juno” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” In adapted, it would be up against the more “serious” movies. Some examples of comedies losing include “The Devil Wears Prada” to “The Departed” or “The Full Monty” to “L.A. Confidential.”

Also noteworthy is the possibility of other significant films moving out of 2023, such as its Warner Bros counterpart “The Color Purple” and “Dune: Part Two.” Each film that gets moved improves the odds for those that have been released.

The debate will be ongoing, and we’ll likely not get the definitive answer until closer to the nomination voting opening in January, when ballots are shown. In the meantime, the world continues to enjoy the “sublime” Barbie world.

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