District 9 and Star Trek join awards front-runner Avatar in the Producers Guild of America’s top ten for the Darryl F. Zanuck award in theatrical motion pictures.
Not happy today are the folks behind The Messenger, Bright Star, Nine and A Serious Man, who could have used a boost. These films may have to settle for acting, writing or technical nods, if they wind up in the Oscar race at all. Jane Campion got bad news yesterday when the Academy ruled that her Bright Star screenplay was adapted, not original. She based her script on the real-life love affair between Fanny Brawne and poet John Keats. The adapted category is far more competitive than original screenplay, where the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man, which generates intense positive and negative reactions, could still land.
The PGA is a strong bellwether of Academy sentiment–over the past 20 years their winner has matched Oscar’s 13 times. They provide a good indication of where the Academy mainstream may go. But with ten films to choose, the Oscar voters, who are dominated by actors and are made up of a range of crafts, from animators, costume designers and documentary filmmakers to directors, writers and publicists, could still fill their ballots with other titles. Disney/Pixar’s Up landed in both the best theatrical and animated producer categories.
Full list at indieWIRE and on the jump.
Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Avatar Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau
District 9 Producers: Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson
An Education Producers: Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey
The Hurt Locker Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.Inglourious Basterds Producer: Lawrence Bender
Invictus Producers: Clint Eastwood, Rob Lorenz, Lori McCreary , Mace Neufeld
Precious Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness
Star Trek Producers: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
Up Producer: Jonas Rivera
Up In The Air Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
9 Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
Coraline Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
Fantastic Mr. Fox Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
The Princess and the Frog Producer: Peter Del Vecho
Up Producer: Jonas Rivera
PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Burma VJ Producer: Lise Lense-Moller
The Cove Producers: Paula DuPre Pesman, Fisher Stevens
Sergio Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.
Soundtrack For a Revolution Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination
