Oscar Patrol: Best Adapted Screenplay, 13 Weeks To Go Until Clooney Gets Some More Nominations

We're still 13 weeks away from nominations coming out, which is ridiculously early, but it's really early to start differentiating between Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Academy always does little tricks on this, and you never know what they're gonna put in each category. Right now, for example, "J. Edgar" isn't in this spot, but we can definitely see that being put here, from some book or something. So it's all just guessing. But that's all this has always been anyway, after all. Let's dig in, with the "Locks," those "On The Bubble," those "Still Holding Out Hope" and the poor souls who will have to make do with the "For Your Consideration" ads. Today: Best Adapted Screenplay.

LOCKS

Eric Roth, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." Early screening reports say it's moving, and it's a book by one of those hot young authors Hollywood types like to pretend they read.

ON THE BUBBLE

George Clooney and Grant Heslov, "The Ides of March." This year's basically like 2005, when Clooney was nominated for acting ("Syriana" that year, and "The Descendants" probably this year) and for co-writing and directing his own movie ("Good Night and Good Luck" then, "The Ides of March" now). We think people will mostly forget this movie by December, but if they want to honor him for being more than an actor, here's his spot.

Richard Curtis and Lee Hall, "War Horse." We're assuming it's good. It's good, right?

Nat Faxon, Jim Rash and Alexander Payne, "The Descendants." There are some who still consider this a sleeper Best Picture pick.

Tate Taylor, "The Help." Remember, when he wrote this script, the book hadn't even come out yet.

STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE

Christopher Hampton, "A Dangerous Method." Only if the movie gets hot.

Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Still might be too British in a non-"King's Speech" way.

Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball." Yeah, they're gonna forget about the baseball movie by January, easy.

INCLUDED SO THEY'LL KEEP BUYING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ADS

Hossein Amini, "Drive."
Cameron Crowe and Aline Brosh McKenna, "We Bought A Zoo."
Adrian Hodges, "My Week With Marilyn."
Rory Kinnear and Lynne Ramsey, "We Need To Talk About Kevin."
Roman Polanski and Yasmina Reza, "Carnage."
Steven Zaillian, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."

(Next Week: Best Picture.)