Final Oscars Predictions: Original Screenplay – Voters Respect Originality Putting ‘Everything Everywhere’ Out Front

The international voting bloc could push 'The Banshees of Inisherin' past the sci-fi comedy.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

LAST UPDATED: March 9, 2023

2023 Oscars Predictions: Best Original Screenplay

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, from left: Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, 2022. ph: Aidan Monaghan /© Searchlight Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection ©Searchlight Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

CATEGORY COMMENTARY:

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If Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheniert win the Oscars’ trifecta — best picture, directing and screenplay — they would become the ninth filmmaking duo to achieve this feat in a single year. In addition, Kwan would be the third Asian to win original screenplay.

Martin McDonagh won Golden Globe and BAFTA, which are typically a winning combination. Although McDonagh’s last film “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017) also won both and lost the Oscar to “Get Out” by Jordan Peele.

Sticking with the front-runner for best picture.

Will Win: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Could Win: “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures) – Martin McDonagh
Should Win: “Tár” (Focus Features) – Todd Field
Should have been here: “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” (Searchlight Pictures) – Katy Brand

See the latest film predictions, in all 23 categories, in one place on Variety’s Oscars Collective. To see the ranked predictions for each individual category, visit Variety’s Oscars Hub.

See the 2022-2023 Awards Season calendar for all key dates and timelines.

Countdown to the Oscars with Variety here.

ALL AWARDS CONTENDERS AND RANKINGS:

And The Nominees Are:
RankFilmWriter(s)Distributor
1“Everything Everywhere All at Once”Daniel Kwan, Daniel ScheinertA24
An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.
2“The Banshees of Inisherin”Martin McDonaghSearchlight Pictures
Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
3“Tár”Todd FieldFocus Features
Set in the international world of classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár. widely considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra.
4“The Fabelmans”Tony Kushner, Steven SpielbergUniversal Pictures
A semi-autobiography based on Spielberg’s own childhood growing up in post-war Arizona, from age seven to eighteen.
5“Triangle of Sadness”Ruben ÖstlundNeon
A cruise for the super-rich sinks thus leaving survivors, including a fashion model celebrity couple, trapped on an island.

2023 Academy Awards Predictions

BEST PICTURE | DIRECTOR | ACTOR | ACTRESS | SUPPORTING ACTOR | SUPPORTING ACTRESS | ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY | ADAPTED SCREENPLAY | ANIMATED FEATURE | PRODUCTION DESIGN | CINEMATOGRAPHY | COSTUME DESIGN | FILM EDITING | MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING | SOUND | VISUAL EFFECTS | ORIGINAL SCORE | ORIGINAL SONG | DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | ANIMATED SHORT | DOCUMENTARY SHORT | LIVE ACTION SHORT

The 95th Oscars ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre and televised live on ABC on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

2022 category winner: "Belfast" (Focus Features) - Kenneth Lonergan

About Variety Awards Circuit:

Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online and provides inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races. In addition to predictions, the section includes -- Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders in the race; Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly series featuring interviews with the top contenders in the awards race and an expert roundtable discussion with Variety's leading editors and columnists; Awards Circuit Predictions Video Series, a deep dive into specific categories, led by the leading pundits.

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