‘Boyhood,’ ‘Grand Budapest,’ ‘Imitation Game’ earn WGA nominations

The Writers Guild of America announced its award contenders Wednesday morning, and the screenwriters of “Boyhood,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Nightcrawler” and “Whiplash” were nominated for original screenplay, and the writers of “American Sniper,” “Gone Girl,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Imitation Game” and “Wild” were nominated for adapted screenplay.

Several high-profile films including “Selma,” “The Theory of Everything” and “Birdman” were not eligible for nomination because of guild regulations.

To be eligible for a WGA Award feature films had to be exhibited theatrically for at least one week in Los Angeles in 2014 and written under the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement or under a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of Canada, Writers Guild of Great Britain, Irish Playwrights & Screenplay Guild or the New Zealand Writers Guild.

Not being eligible for a WGA Award doesn’t equal omission from Oscar consideration. Two year ago, Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay for “Django Unchained” didn’t qualify for the WGA, but it won the Oscar for original screenplay.

The winners will be announced at the 67th Writers Guild Awards on Feb. 14 during simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. The guild also will honor outstanding writing in television, new media, video games, radio, promotion and graphic animation. The L.A. ceremony will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

The full list of motion picture nominees:

Original screenplay
“Boyhood,” written by Richard Linklater; IFC Films
“Foxcatcher,” written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman; Sony Pictures Classics
“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” screenplay by Wes Anderson, story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight
“Nightcrawler,” written by Dan Gilroy; Open Road Films
“Whiplash,” written by Damien Chazelle; Sony Pictures Classics

Adapted screenplay
“American Sniper,” written by Jason Hall, based on the book by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice; Warner Bros.
“Gone Girl,” screenplay by Gillian Flynn, based on her novel; 20th Century Fox
“Guardians of the Galaxy,” written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, based on the Marvel comic by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
“The Imitation Game,” written by Graham Moore, based on the book “Alan Turing: The Enigma” by Andrew Hodges; Weinstein Co.
“Wild,” screenplay by Nick Hornby, based on the book by Cheryl Strayed; Fox Searchlight

Documentary screenplay
“Finding Vivian Maier,” written by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel; Sundance Selects
“The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz,” written by Brian Knappenberger; FilmBuff
“Last Days in Vietnam,” written by Mark Bailey and Kevin McAlester; American Experience Films
“Red Army,” written by Gabe Polsky; Sony Pictures Classics

For a full list of nominees, visit the WGA website.

Twitter: @mymackie