Judd Apatow disagrees with calling “Barbie” a screenplay

Judd Apatow is not a fan of the Academy’s decision to place him Barbie In the race for best adapted screenplay.

Last week, Variety reported that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would not consider Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s script an original screenplay, as previously assumed. Instead, when Academy voters decide whether to nominate the film’s screenplay, they will only be able to cast their votes in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

about this subject I knocked The director did not hesitate to express his opposing position on social media.

“It’s an insult to writers to say they were working from existing material,” Apatow books Saturday on X (formerly Twitter). “There was no substance or story there. There was just a clear box.”

Between Ken’s dream ballets and Barbie’s cellulite, it goes without saying that the 2023 movie is radically different from any Barbie stories that have come before. No other corner of this franchise dares to say that Kane is not Keane! But even though the film follows a completely original story by Gerwig and Baumbach, the Academy’s decision likely came down to the simple fact that… Barbie Features pre-existing characters from Mattel’s doll line.

Last year, films that told original stories but contained pre-existing characters were classified as adaptations – even sequels to original works: this included nominees such as Top Gun: Maverick, toy story 3,borat 2, And before sunset.

As the Academy’s decision continues to spark online controversy from commentators debating whether this is an accurate designation for the film, the Writers Guild of America has rated Barbie An original work and will be considered for the upcoming WGA Awards.

If the film receives an Oscar nod for its script, it will be Gerwig’s fourth nomination. The actress-turned-writer-director received two nominations for her directorial debut, Lady Bird (direction and original screenplay) followed by another for 2019 little Women (Adapted scenario). The latter film received six nominations, including Best Picture.

Only Academy voting members will be able to cast their votes BarbieAdapted scenario, when nomination voting begins on January 11.

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