Fans Are Upset After "Barbie" Was Considered An "Adapted" Screenplay Vs "Original" For The 2023 Academy Awards
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There's no doubt Greta Gerwig's blockbuster Barbie was one of the biggest films of 2023.
The surprise hit created a shake-up during its run and continues as we enter the height of awards season with the latest news about the film's screenplay and the Academy Awards. Now, fans are frustrated.
Barbie was recently "deemed an adapted screenplay by the Writers Branch executive committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, despite campaigning for original screenplay," according to Variety.
The film's director, Greta, her writing partner, and husband, filmmaker Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story), wrote the screenplay for Barbie.
The movie based on the 64-year-old Mattel toy has already dominated several upcoming awards shows with 18 nominations for the 2024 Critics Choice Awards and nine for the 2024 Golden Globes.
So, what's the big deal about this Academy Award category? Variety initially reported Barbie was campaigning for Best Original Screenplay since the film was designated an original by the Writers Guild of America.
According to the WGA, an adapted screenplay is "assigned material written outside of the Guild's jurisdiction including, but not limited to, previously published material ( e.g., a novel, comic book, graphic novel, play, or article) or literary material not covered by the MBA. Sequels and Remakes are also considered nonoriginal screenplays."
An original screenplay is "not based on assigned material."
*One caveat is if the "appointed material is non-fiction and does not contain a narrative or is used as research material for the project (i.e., the screenplay is not an adaptation of the underlying material), the rules for Original Screenplays will apply."
But, the Writers Branch of the Academy, which decides eligibility in submitted categories and has its own rules, thought differently. And fans are annoyed by the decision.
but that makes no sense. It wasn’t adapted from anything. Yeah, it was based on the Barbie doll. But this isn’t a remake of a previous movie or screenplay.
— ReelTalker (@TalkerReel92) January 3, 2024
Adapted from what? The story was completely original.
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) January 3, 2024
Sure, it's interesting to consider Barbie an adapted screenplay since there's no short film, book, or original content remotely close to the hilarious mayhem we saw in Greta's movie.
And, no, the animated Barbie movies are nothing close to the 2023 live-action. Trust me.
And if you argue, well, Barbie is still based on an existing character, and that's why — plenty of previous Original Screenplays are based on existing characters.
In the Academy Awards past, films like Spotlight, Green Book, and The King's Speech were all campaigned, nominated, and awarded Best Original Screenplay despite being based on historical figures, notable figures, interviews, and other source material — so why do they get a pass?
But remember, there's a caveat! According to the WGA, if "assigned material is non-fiction and does not contain a narrative or is used as research material for the project ( i.e., the screenplay is not an adaptation of the underlying material), the rules for Original Screenplays will apply." While Barbie is a real toy, she's not a real person like The Boston Globe, Don Shirley, and King George VI.
Now that Barbie has apparently shifted to Best Adapted Screenplay, it will most likely go up against movies like Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Oppenheimer — and you know what that means?
Do you think Barbie is an "Original" or "Adapted" screenplay? Let's discuss in the comments.
The official Academy nominations will be announced on January 23, 2024.
The Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 10, 2024.
