The Films That Won’t Be Making an Appearance at the WGA
A look at the titles ruled out by this year’s Writers Guild of America.
January 15, 2026 | Lisa Hatzenbeller
Every season, the WGA redraws the screenplay race long before nominations are announced. Not because of voting. Not because of momentum. Because of rules. The guild’s eligibility requirements quietly take several major contenders off the board, creating a WGA lineup that looks very different from what we track at the Oscars, BAFTA, or any other awards race. This year is no different, and the list of films shut out feels heavier than usual.
The Titles Left Off the WGA Ballot
I am not saying every title on this list would have been an Academy player, but it would be interesting to see how they would have performed if they had been part of the same conversation. We’ll start with the Adapted titles that cannot compete at the WGA this year:
Ballad of a Small Player
The Chronology of Water
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight
The History of Sound
No Other Choice
Peter Hujar’s Day
Pillion
The biggest impact is in the Original category, mostly because so many of this year’s top titles come from the international film space. Several films that have been central to the awards conversation are off the WGA ballot:
Blue Moon
Dead Man’s Wire
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
It Was Just an Accident (Cannes Palme d’Or winner)
A Private Life
Rental Family
Rosemead
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
Sorry, Baby
Why These films Are Out
WGA eligibility is straightforward.
If a film is made outside the guild’s collective bargaining agreement or written by someone who is not a WGA member, it cannot compete. Those rules remove a significant number of international and independently produced titles every season.
Final Thoughts
WGA has always been one of the clearest indicators of what ends up nominated and winning at the Oscars. And while a few heavy hitters are out of the running this year, I do not see it shifting the eventual Academy outcome. One Battle After Another and Sinners are still eligible across the board, and both remain the dominant forces in the screenplay race.
If you want to see how the eligible titles stack up, my WGA predictions are now updated across all three categories, including Documentary, are here.
The 2026 WGA Awards nominations will be announced on Jan. 27, with winners revealed on March 8.
