The writers behind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Iron Man, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Slumdog Millionaire have been named finalists for the 21st-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. Since the finalists were announced on January 6, Scripter 21 coverage has included articles in Daily Variety and the Envelope section of the Los Angeles Times.
Entertainment industry reporters are taking notice of the inclusion of Iron Man in the group of films vying for the annual honor. In the Times article, Susan King writes, "Superhero films are proving to be more than just popcorn escapism this award season."
This year’s finalists, in alphabetical order by film title, are: screenwriter Eric Roth, who shares story credit with Robin Swicord, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald; screenwriters Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway for Iron Man, based on the comic book series authored by Stan Lee and Don Heck; screenwriter David Hare and author Bernhard Schlink for The Reader; screenwriter Justin Haythe for Revolutionary Road, based on the novel by Richard Yates; and Vikas Swarup, author of Q & A, adapted for the screen as Slumdog Millionaire by Simon Beaufoy.
Three of the 2009 finalists are Scripter alums. Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby won in 2007 for their work on the writing team that adapted P.D. James’ The Children of Men. David Hare adapted Michael Cunningham’s The Hours for his 2003 Scripter win.