Why So Sunny? Dark Knight's a PGA Nominee

Batman epic scores key pre-Oscar endorsement; Benjamin Button among other nominees

By Joal Ryan Jan 05, 2009 8:36 PMTags
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The Dark Knight's Oscar campaign has picked up another key endorsement.

The Batman epic is one of five nominees for the Producers Guild of America's version of Best Picture, the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire round out the list.

The PGA nominations are typically a blueprint for the Oscars, which makes today's news bad news for Revolutionary Road, WALL-E, The Wrestler and the likewise shunned.

Actually, WALL-E wasn't entirely ignored.

The critically acclaimed Pixar-Disney blockbuster was nominated, alongside Bolt and Kung-Fu Panda, in the PGA's animation category.

The 24 prequel, 24: Redemption, will compete for miniseries/TV-movie honors against Bernard and Doris, John Adams, A Raisin in the Sun and Recount.

The guild's TV nominees for comedy, drama and reality series were announced last month.

Last year four of the PGA's five Darryl F. Zanuck contenders went on to score Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards.

This year three of the PGA five—Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon and Slumdog Millionaire, but no, not Dark Knight—are up for Best Motion Picture, Drama, at Sunday's Golden Globes.

PGA winners are to be announced Jan. 24.