**Wild Horse Nine** from Martin McDonagh leads early consensus for 2027 Best Original Screenplay nominations, followed closely by Jesse Eisenberg’s **The Debut** and Mike Leigh’s **Tender Loving Care**. Festival screenings and critic panels have highlighted these writer-directors’ scripts, with McDonagh’s politically charged tragicomedy and Eisenberg’s sharp, song-infused work drawing particular praise. Many top overall contenders sit in adapted screenplay, leaving more room in the original race for established voices who have earned prior nominations without a win. Leigh’s project carries added narrative weight as a potential final film. Traders should watch guild precursors, the December shortlist, and January nominations voting for momentum shifts, as late reviews or campaign surprises can still reshape the five nominee slots.