The USC Scripter Award is one of the few non-guilds targeting a specific Oscar category. With the Writers Guild of America having restrictive rules that leave some competitors out, the USC Scripter can often foreshadow some underrecognized scripts. That said, their winner selection is less accurate. We’ll see if they go with current wisdom or switch things up.

USC SCRIPTER AWARDS

Legend:

Winner Predictions:
Wesley Lovell Pete Patrick Thomas LaTourrette

Runner-Up Predictions:
Wesley Lovell Pete Patrick Thomas LaTourrette

Best Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown Nil
Conclave WL PP TL
Nickel Boys WL PP TL
Sing Sing Nil
The Wild Robot Nil

Wesley Lovell: With the battle of the Oscar nominees, we’ll see if Conclave continues its dominance or if Nickel Boys will stage a surprise comeback. Considering the material, I suspect USC will go for Nickel Boys but just barely.
Pete Patrick: My guess would be Conclave with Nickel Boys its only real competition.
Thomas La Tourrette: Conclave has won by far the most precursors and I believe it will continue doing that.