2024 Oscar nominee 'The Holdovers' plagiarism allegations explained

The Holdovers is up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the 96th Academy Awards, amidst plagiarism allegations.

When you tune in to watch the 96th Academy Awards this year, get ready for some drama because Alexander Payne's highly acclaimed film, The Holdovers, is at the center of a plagiarism controversy. Screenwriter Simon Stephenson has accused Payne of stealing his unproduced script, Frisco, for The Holdovers, which is up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the Oscars.

According to a report by Variety, Stephenson shared his script with Payne in 2013 and again in 2019. Despite showing interest in the script, Payne ultimately passed on it in 2019. However, shortly after, he began working on The Holdovers with David Hemingson, and Stephenson claims that the final script of The Holdovers is "forensically identical" to his work in Frisco.

Stephenson filed a complaint with the Writers Guild of America, alleging plagiarism and demanding an investigation. The WGA is currently reviewing the case, but no action has been taken yet. The controversy has cast a shadow over The Holdovers' Oscar nominations and has raised questions about the film's eligibility for the Best Original Screenplay award.

Despite the allegations, neither Payne, Hemingson, nor the WGA have addressed the issue publicly. With the Oscars just around the corner, the outcome of this controversy remains uncertain. Will the Academy reconsider The Holdovers' nominations, or will the film's success be tarnished by this scandal? Only time will tell how this controversy will impact the outcome of the 96th Academy Awards.