Barbie Shifts To Adapted Screenplay Category for Oscar Consideration

A major shake-up in the Oscar race has taken place as Variety reports that the Writers Branch executive committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shared that Barbie is deemed an adapted screenplay.

Barbie has, so far, been campaigning as an original screenplay, already securing a nomination in the category at the Critics Choice Awards. It has also secured wins from critics associations, including at the St. Louis Film Critics Association awards.

It now means that when Oscar nominations open on January 11, eligible voters must only vote for Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach's screenplay in the adapted category.

Both Baumbach and Gerwig have secured multiple nominations for their writing previously. Baumbach has two nominations under his belt for his original screenplays, The Squid and the Whale and Marriage Story. Gerwig has a nomination in each category, Lady Bird in original and Little Women in adapted.

This year's Oscar nominations will be announced on January 23, and the ceremony will take place on March 10.