The 74th annual Writers Guild Awards will take place on Sunday, March 20, 2022 — right in the middle of final Oscar voting. The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), which jointly honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional categories with annual awards, announced the 2021-2022 timeline (including eligibility periods) for next year’s awards on Tuesday.
The March 20 date will make the WGA Awards the last of the major guild ceremonies during this upcoming film awards season. The PGA Awards take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on Feb. 26; the 28th annual SAG Awards will air from the Shrine Exposition Center on Feb. 27; and DGA Awards will be held on March 12.
This also places the WGA Awards just one week before the 94th Oscars, which are scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 27, 2022. This past year, the WGA Awards took place on Sunday, March 21, more than a month before the Oscars.
Here is this year’s WGA Awards timetable:
September 2021
Tuesday, Sept. 7: Submissions Open in ALL Categories: Screenplays (Original, Adapted, Documentary), Series (Drama, Comedy, New), TV-Radio-New Media Scripts and Paul Selvin Award (WGAW)
December 2021
Friday, Dec. 3: Deadline for submissions: Series (Drama, Comedy, New); TV-Radio/Audio-New Media Scripts and Paul Selvin Award (WGAW)
Wednesday, Dec. 15: Preliminary Series (Drama, Comedy, New) online voting begins
Friday, Dec. 17: Deadline for submissions: Screenplays (Original, Adapted, Documentary)
January 2022
Wednesday, Jan. 5: Deadline for Preliminary Series (Drama, Comedy, New) online voting
Wednesday, Jan. 12: Preliminary Screenplay (Original, Adapted) online voting begins
Thursday, Jan. 13: Television, New Media, News, Radio/Audio, and Promotional Writing Nominations Announced
Wednesday, Jan. 26: Deadline for Preliminary Screenplay (Original, Adapted) online voting
Thursday, Jan. 27: Screenplay (Original, Adapted, Documentary) Nominations Announced
February 2022
Wednesday, Feb. 16: Deadline for Final Screenplay (Original, Adapted) and Series (Drama, Comedy, New) online voting
March 2022
TBA: “And the Nominees Are…” Writers Guild Awards nominees panel
Thursday, March 10: Beyond Words: Writers Guild Awards-nominated screenwriters panel
Sunday, March 20: 2022 Writers Guild Awards (74TH Annual)
Awards Eligibility Periods
TV & New Media eligibility period: First broadcast or exhibited between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021
News & TV Documentary categories only (6, 7A, 7B, 10, 11, 12, 16): First broadcast or exhibited between Dec. 1, 2020 and Oct. 31, 2021
Theatrical Screenplay eligibility period: Exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles for one week between Mar. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021
Documentary Screenplays: Exhibited theatrically in Los Angeles or New York for one week between Mar. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2021