Among the many movies that will open during the holidays are several that are drawing Oscar speculation. Some of them are based on books.

The field has narrowed, as several titles that received earlier Oscar buzz have been moved to next year — The Soloist, The Reader [Update: it looks like The Reader will have a limited opening on Dec. 10th, making it eligible. We’ve added it back to the list] and The Road.

Variety is tracking all the contenders at their Awards Central section.

We’ve set up a page with all the movies getting Oscar speculation that are based on books. The nominees will be announced Jan. 22nd (with the Awards on Feb. 22nd).

The Reader

Contender for:

Best Picture

Best Director

Best Screenplay

Best Actress: Kate Winslet (see also, Revolutionary Road)

Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes (see also, best suporting for The Duchess)

Opens: Dec 10, limited; Jan 9, wide

Director: Stephen Daldry

Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes

Based on: The Reader by Bernard Schlink

Movie Tie-in:

The Reader

Bernhard Schlink

• Mass Market Paperback: $7.99; 224 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Mti edition (December 30, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0307473465
• ISBN-13: 978-0307473462

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Revolutionary Road

Best Picture

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio

Best Actress: Kate Winslet

Opens DEC 26 in selected theaters

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring:

Leonardo DiCaprio — Frank Wheeler

Kate Winslet — April Wheeler

Based on: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Movie tie-in:

Revolutionary Road

Richard Yates

• Paperback: $14.95; 368 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (November 25, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0307454622
• ISBN-13: 978-0307454621

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Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Picture

Best Actor: Brad Pitt

Best Actress: Tilda Swinton

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett

Opens: DEC 25

Director: David Fincher

Based on: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Starring: Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond

Many editions are available. Below is the tie-in:

• Paperback: $9.95; 64 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (August 14, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 1416556052
• ISBN-13: 978-1416556053

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Defiance

Best Picture (dark horse)

Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen

Best Director: Ed Zwick

Opens: DEC 31 (Limited); JAN 16 (Wide)

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Starring: Daniel Craig, George MacKay, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Allan Cordun

Based on: Defiance : The Bielski Partisans, by Nechama Tec (Oxford University Press, 1994)

The Bielski Partisans

Nechama Tec

• Paperback: $14.95; 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 26, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0195376854
• ISBN-13: 978-0195376852

This entry was posted on Monday, November 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm and is filed under Books & Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.