"Avatar" leads the ten Producer's Guild of America nominees.

Credit: 20th Century Fox

The Producer's Guild of America announced ten nominees for the the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures category that will advance in the voting process for the 21st Annual PGA Awards, which will take place on Sunday, January 24th at the Hollywood Palladium. The PGA also announced nominees in other categories including: the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures; the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures; and the David L. Wolper Producer of the Year Award in Long-Form Television.

The nominees along with some initial analysis for one of the traditionally foreshadowing honors for Oscar are listed below.

Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:

AVATAR
Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau

DISTRICT 9
Producers: Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson

AN EDUCATION
Producers: Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey

THE HURT LOCKER
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Producer: Lawrence Bender

INVICTUS
Producers: Clint Eastwood, Rob Lorenz, Lori McCreary , Mace Neufeld

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness

STAR TREK
Producers: J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof

UP
Producer: Jonas Rivera

UP IN THE AIR
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Analysis: This is bad news for "Nine" which was an expected no brainer here before negative reviews and disappointing box office scuttled its campaign.  The big surprise isn't just "District 9" making the cut, but "Star Trek."  To say Sony Pictures and Paramount have a real shot of getting both pictures into Oscar's top ten now is a bit of an understatement.  Sony Pictures Classics must also be breathing a sign of relief that "An Education" made the PGA ten.  At this point, it's pretty close to a lock to landing that long hoped for  Oscar nod.  The one other player who could still affect the ten is "The Blind Side" which has more than enough momentum for a fourth quarter charge even without the PGA love.

PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

9
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

CORALINE
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Producer: Peter Del Vecho

UP
Producer: Jonas Rivera

Analysis: Unclear if this will mean much to the Academy's animation committee, but "9's" inclusion here is a bit of a shock.  It made HitFix's own worst films of the year list for good reason, but it appears having Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov as producers helped here...somehow.  We'd still place your bets that "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs" gets this slot on Feb. 2.


PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

BURMA VJ
Producer: Lise Lense-Moller

The COVE
Producers: Paula DuPre Pesman, Fisher Stevens

SERGIO
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

Analysis: Interesting that only four nominees were deemed worthy, but this looks like a clear win for "The Cove." 


David L. Wolper Producer of the Year Award in Long-Form Television:

GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

GREY GARDENS
Producers: David Coatsworth, Lucy Donnelly, Rachael Horovitz, Michael Sucsy

LITTLE DORRIT
Producers: Lisa Osborne, Anne Pivcevic

PRAYERS FOR BOBBY
Producers: Stanley M. Brooks, Damian Ganczewski, David Permut, Daniel Sladek, Chris Taaffe

THE PRISONER
Producer(s): Awaiting final credit determination.

TAKING CHANCE
Producers: Lori Keith Douglas, Ross Katz, Brad Krevoy, Cathy Wischner-Sola

Analysis: Repeat after me, "Grey Gardens, Grey Gardens, Grey Gardens, Grey Gardens..."  Yes, just place your money on HBO. (Although AMC must be happy with some love for "The Prisoner" here.)

The PGA Awards inexplicably take place during the first weekend of the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, January 24, when a good chunk of press and industry will be out of town, but it should be a grand and star studded night at the newly renovated Hollywood Palladium.

As the season heats up, look for breaking awards season news and commentary daily on Awards Campaign.  For the latest, follow @HitFixGregory on Twitter.

Gregory Ellwood
Editor-in-Chief, Co-Founder

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With over a decade of experience in the movie industry, Ellwood survived working for two major studios and has written for Variety, MSN and the LA Times. A co-founder of HitFix, Ellwood spends his time relaxing hitting 3’s on the basketball court and following his beloved Clippers.