The Writers Guild of America honored the best in screenwriting across film, television, and documentary at the 78th Annual WGA Awards, held Sunday night at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. Among the night’s notable winners were Ryan Coogler, who took home Original Screenplay for his Warner Bros. film Sinners, and Cynthia Adarkwa, whose HBO drama The Pitt earned multiple television honors.
Coogler’s win adds another major milestone to Sinners’ strong awards-season run. The film has been one of the most talked-about projects on the circuit and now heads into the Academy Awards as a contender in the Best Original Screenplay race.
On the television side, The Pitt emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, taking home Drama Series, New Series, and Episodic Drama for the episode “7:00 A.M.” The series’ writing team includes Adarkwa alongside Simran Baidwan, Valerie Chu, R. Scott Gemmill, Elyssa Gershman, Joe Sachs, and Noah Wyle.
Elsewhere in film, Paul Thomas Anderson won Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another, the Warner Bros. project inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland.
The ceremony came during an unusual year for the guild. The traditional West Coast event was canceled amid an ongoing strike by unionized staffers against WGA West management, and the awards arrive just days before the guild is set to begin new contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on March 16.
Below is the full list of winners from the 2026 Writers Guild Awards.
Full List of Winners
Original Screenplay
Sinners, Written by Ryan Coogler — Warner Bros. Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
One Battle After Another, Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson, Screen Story by Paul Thomas Anderson, Inspired by the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon — Warner Bros. Pictures
Documentary Screenplay
2,000 Meters to Andriivka, Written by Mstyslav Chernov — Frontline Features
Drama Series
The Pitt — Written by Cynthia Adarkwa, Simran Baidwan, Valerie Chu, R. Scott Gemmill, Elyssa Gershman, Joe Sachs, Noah Wyle (HBO | Max)
Comedy Series
The Studio — Written by Evan Goldberg, Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Frida Perez, Seth Rogen (Apple TV+)
Limited Series
Dying for Sex — Written by Sheila Callaghan, Harris Danow, Madeleine George, Elizabeth Meriwether, Kim Rosenstock, Sasha Stewart, Sabrina Wu, Keisha Zollar (FX/Hulu)
New Series
The Pitt — Written by Cynthia Adarkwa, Simran Baidwan, Valerie Chu, R. Scott Gemmill, Elyssa Gershman, Joe Sachs, Noah Wyle (HBO | Max)
Episodic Drama
“7:00 A.M.” (The Pitt), Written by R. Scott Gemmill (HBO | Max)
Episodic Comedy
“Prelude” (The Righteous Gemstones), Written by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley, Danny R. McBride (HBO)
Comedy/Variety Series – Talk or Sketch
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Comedy/Variety Special
Marc Maron: Panicked, Written by Marc Maron (HBO)
Documentary Script – Other Than Current Events
“Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP” (American Experience), Written by Rob Rapley (PBS)
Documentary Script – Current Events
“Trump’s Power & the Rule of Law” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser (PBS)
Animation
“Shira Can’t Cook” (Long Story Short), Written by Mehar Sethi (Netflix)
TV & Streaming Motion Pictures
Deep Cover, Written by Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow (Prime Video)
Daytime Drama
The Young and the Restless (CBS/Paramount+)
Quiz and Audience Participation
Celebrity Jeopardy! (ABC)
Children’s Episodic, Long Form and Specials
“When We Lose Someone” (Tab Time), Written by Sean Presant (YouTube)
News Script – Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
“Remembering Palestinian Journalists Killed by Israeli Forces,” Written by Lisa Salinas (MSNBC)
News Script – Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin, or Breaking Report
“Devastating Flooding in Texas” (World News Tonight with David Muir), Written by David Muir, Karen Mooney, and Dave Bloch (ABC News)
Digital News
“An Isolated Boarding School Promised to Help Troubled Girls. Former Students Say They Were Abused.” Written by Sebastian Murdock and Taiyler Mitchell (HuffPost)
Short Form Streaming
The Rabbit Hole with Jimmy Kimmel (YouTube)
Promotional Writing
“CBS Comedy,” Written by Dan Greenberger (CBS)
Radio/Audio News Script – Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin, or Breaking Report
“ABC News Radio Top of the Hour News,” Written by Robert Hawley (ABC News Radio)
Radio/Audio News Script – Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
“The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Carter,” Written by Gail Lee (CBS News Radio)
Radio/Audio Documentary
“Jerry Lewis’ Lost Holocaust Clown Movie” (Decoder Ring), Written by Max Freedman (Slate)