**Festival premieres and critical consensus have positioned Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine and Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut as the clearest frontrunners for Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 99th Oscars, with strong support also building for Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care, Simon Rich’s Artificial, and Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid.** Many of this year’s biggest Best Picture contenders landed in Adapted Screenplay, opening the original category to established writers who are past nominees without wins. McDonagh’s Venice success with John Malkovich and Eisenberg’s Gotham buzz have reinforced trader sentiment, while Leigh’s likely final film adds emotional narrative weight. With the Governors Awards approaching and shortlist voting set for December, early guild and critics’ circle signals will determine which additional titles break through before nominations are announced January 21, 2027.