LOS ANGELES (AP) - More than half of the Writers Guild movie award nominations announced Wednesday went to directors who wrote or co-wrote their own screenplays.

Nominated for best original script were three films written by their directors: "Magnolia'' by Paul Thomas Anderson, "The Sixth Sense'' by M. Night Shyamalan and "Three Kings'' by David O. Russell. The other nominees were ``American Beauty'' by Alan Ball and ``Being John Malkovich'' by Charlie Kaufman.

For screenplay based on previously published material, director Anthony Minghella earned a nomination for ``The Talented Mr. Ripley'' adapted from the novel by Patricia Highsmith; director Michael Mann and co-writer Eric Roth for the ``The Insider'' based on a magazine article by Marie Brenner; and director Alexander Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor for ``Election,'' based on the novel by Tom Perrotta.

The other nominees in the adapted category were John Irving for the screenplay based on his novel ``The Cider House Rules'' and Lewis Colick for ``October Sky,'' based on the book ``Rocket Boys'' by Homer H. Hickam Jr.

The nominees were chosen from 202 screenplays for films released in 1999. The winners will be announced March 5 at the 52nd annual Writers Guild ceremonies in New York City and Los Angeles. 

Nominees Include: Al Pacino, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Tom Hanks, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock, Mike Meyers, John Travolta, Ashley Judd, Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Cher and Ricky Martin

DALLAS, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Nominees for the Sixth Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards scheduled to air in June on FOX were announced today. The star-studded event, which honors the lead and supporting actors and actresses in top performing movies in 1999, as well as music artists based on the top-selling albums for 1999, will be broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Nominees for this year's awards ceremony include Catherine Zeta-Jones in the category of Horror - Female for her lead role in ``The Haunting,'' Richard Gere in the category of Comedy/Romance - Male for ``Runaway Bride,'' Tom Hanks in the Drama - Male category for ``The Green Mile,'' Whitney Houston for Favorite Female Artist - R&B for ``My Love is Your Love'' and Lenny Kravitz for Favorite Artist - Modern Rock for ``5.''

Other nominees include Enrique Iglesias for Favorite Latino Artist, Christina Aguilera for her song ``Genie in a Bottle'' in the Favorite Single category and Mike Meyers for Comedy - Male for his role in ``Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.''

Also, for the first time this year, the awards will honor the top video games of 1999. Awards given in the video game categories will include Favorite Video Game, Favorite Nintendo 64 Game and Favorite Dreamcast Game. Notable nominees include ``Pokemon Yellow,'' ``Super Smash Bros.'' and ``Driver: You Are The Wheelman.''

This year, several categories -- including Favorite Actor/Actress - Newcomer, Favorite Male Artist - Pop, Favorite CD, Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Playstation Game and Favorite GameBoy Game -- will be available for voting on blockbuster.com only.

Veteran television producer Ken Ehrlich (``The Grammy Awards,'' ``The Emmy Awards,'' ``VH1 Honors'') will lead the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards production team for the sixth consecutive year. MCI, Coke, Visa, Paramount Pictures and America Online are sponsors.

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI - news) is a publicly traded subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA - news) and is the world's leading renter of videos and video games with approximately 6,900 stores in the United States, its territories and 26 other countries. The company may be accessed internationally at blockbuster.com. Viacom Inc. is one of the world's largest entertainment companies and a leading force in nearly every segment of the
international media marketplace.

                                     NOMINEES
    Movies

    Favorite Actress -- Drama
        Annette Bening                 American Beauty
        Cameron Diaz                   Any Given Sunday
        Winona Ryder                   Girl, Interrupted

    Favorite Actor -- Drama
        Tom Hanks                      The Green Mile
        Al Pacino                      Any Given Sunday
        Kevin Spacey                   American Beauty
        Denzel Washington              The Hurricane

    Favorite Actress -- Drama/Romance
        Nicole Kidman                  Eyes Wide Shut
        Robin Wright Penn              Message in a Bottle
        Rene Russo                     The Thomas Crown Affair

    Favorite Actor -- Drama/Romance
        Pierce Brosnan                 The Thomas Crown Affair
        Kevin Costner                  Message in a Bottle
        Tom Cruise                     Eyes Wide Shut

    Favorite Actress -- Comedy/Romance
        Drew Barrymore                 Never Been Kissed
        Sandra Bullock                 Forces of Nature
        Julia Roberts                  Runaway Bride and Notting Hill

    Favorite Actor -- Comedy/Romance
        Ben Affleck                    Forces of Nature
        Richard Gere                   Runaway Bride
        Hugh Grant                     Notting Hill
        Freddie Prinze, Jr.            She's All That

    Favorite Actress -- Comedy
        Embeth Davidtz                 Bicentennial Man
        Heather Graham                 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me &
        Heather Graham                 Bowfinger
        Molly Shannon                  Superstar
        Sigourney Weaver               Galaxy Quest

    Favorite Actor -- Comedy
        Tim Allen                      Galaxy Quest
        Mike Myers                     Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
        Adam Sandler                   Big Daddy
        Rob Schneider                  Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
        Robin Williams                 Bicentennial Man

    Favorite Comedy Team
        Robert De Niro &               Analyze This
        Billy Crystal

        Steve Martin &                 Bowfinger
        Eddie Murphy

        Eddie Murphy &                 Life
        Martin Lawrence

    Favorite Actress - Action
        Natalie Portman                Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Denise Richards                The World Is Not Enough
        Rachel Weisz                   The Mummy
        Catherine Zeta-Jones           Entrapment

    Favorite Actor - Action
        Pierce Brosnan                 The World Is Not Enough
        Sean Connery                   Entrapment
        Brendan Fraser                 The Mummy
        Mel Gibson                     Payback

    Favorite Action Team
        Brad Pitt &                    Fight Club
        Edward Norton

        Mark Wahlberg &                Three Kings
        George Clooney &
        Ice Cube

        Will Smith &                   Wild Wild West
        Kevin Kline

    Favorite Actor - Action/Science Fiction
        Ewan McGregor                  Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Liam Neeson                    Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Keanu Reeves                   The Matrix
        Arnold Schwarzenegger          End of Days

    Favorite Actress -- Suspense
        Angelina Jolie                 The Bone Collector
        Ashley Judd                    Double Jeopardy
        Gwyneth Paltrow                The Talented Mr. Ripley

    Favorite Actor -- Suspense
        Matt Damon                     The Talented Mr. Ripley
        Tommy Lee Jones                Double Jeopardy
        John Travolta                  The General's Daughter
        Bruce Willis                   The Sixth Sense

    Favorite Actress -- Horror
        Patricia Arquette              Stigmata
        Christina Ricci                Sleepy Hollow
        Catherine Zeta-Jones           The Haunting

    Favorite Actor -- Horror
        Gabriel Byrne                  Stigmata
        Johnny Depp                    Sleepy Hollow
        Liam Neeson                    The Haunting

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Action
        Pernilla August                Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Salma Hayek                    Wild Wild West
        Sophie Marceau                 The World Is Not Enough

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Action
        LL Cool J                      Deep Blue Sea
        John Hannah                    The Mummy
        Ving Rhames                    Entrapment

    Favorite Villain
        Kenneth Branagh as  "Dr. Loveless"  Wild Wild West
        Mike Myers as  "Dr. Evil"   Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
        Ray Park as   "Darth Maul"            Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Arnold Vosloo as  " The Mummy"  The Mummy
        Hugo Weaving as "Agent Smith"    The Matrix

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Horror
        Famke Janssen                  House on Haunted Hill
        Miranda Richardson             Sleepy Hollow
        Lili Taylor                    The Haunting

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Horror
        Taye Diggs                     House on Haunted Hill
        Marc Pickering                 Sleepy Hollow
        Jonathan Pryce                 Stigmata
        Owen Wilson                    The Haunting

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Action/Science-Fiction
        Laurence Fishburne             The Matrix
        Jake Lloyd                     Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
        Kevin Pollak                   End of Days

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Comedy
        Joey Lauren Adams              Big Daddy
        Lisa Kudrow                    Analyze This
        Mindy Sterling                 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Comedy
        Eugene Levy                    American Pie
        Cole and Dylan Sprouse         Big Daddy
        Verne Troyer                   Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Comedy/Romance
        Emma Chambers                  Notting Hill
        Joan Cusack                    Runaway Bride
        Maura Tierney                  Forces of Nature

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Comedy/Romance
        David Arquette                 Never Been Kissed
        Rhys Ifans                     Notting Hill
        Steve Zahn                     Forces of Nature

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Drama
        Thora Birch                    American Beauty
        Bonnie Hunt                   The Green Mile
        Angelina Jolie                 Girl, Interrupted
        Julianne Moore                 Magnolia

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Drama
        Wes Bentley                    American Beauty
        Tom Cruise                     Magnolia
        Michael Clarke Duncan          The Green Mile
        Jamie Foxx                     Any Given Sunday

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Drama/Romance
        Illeana Douglas                Message in a Bottle
        Jena Malone                    For Love of the Game
        Reese Witherspoon              Cruel Intentions

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Drama/Romance
        Denis Leary                    The Thomas Crown Affair
        Paul Newman                    Message in a Bottle
        Sydney Pollack                 Eyes Wide Shut

    Favorite Supporting Actress -- Suspense
        Cate Blanchett                 The Talented Mr. Ripley
        Toni Collette                  The Sixth Sense
        Madeleine Stowe                The General's Daughter

    Favorite Supporting Actor -- Suspense
        James Cromwell                 The General's Daughter
        Bruce Greenwood                Double Jeopardy
        Jude Law                       The Talented Mr. Ripley

    Favorite Actress -- Newcomer (Internet Only)
        Saffron Burrows                Deep Blue Sea
        Rachael Leigh Cook             She's All That
        Heather Donahue                The Blair Witch Project
        Carrie-Anne Moss               The Matrix
        Mena Suvari                    American Pie & American Beauty

    Favorite Actor -- Newcomer (Internet Only)
        Jason Biggs                    American Pie
        Joshua Leonard                 The Blair Witch Project
        Haley Joel Osment              The Sixth Sense
        Michael Williams               The Blair Witch Project
        James Van Der Beek             Varsity Blues

    Family Favorite (Internet Only)
        Inspector Gadget
        Pokemon
        Stuart Little
        Tarzan
        Toy Story 2

    Music

    Favorite Female Artist -- Pop
        Cher                           Believe
        Celine Dion                    All the Way ... A Decade of Song
        Sarah McLachlan                Mirrorball

    Favorite Male Artist -- Pop (Internet Only)
        Andrea Bocelli                 Sogno
        Ricky Martin                   Ricky Martin
        Sting                          Brand New Day

    Favorite Group -- Pop
        98 Degrees                     98 Degrees and Rising
        Backstreet Boys                Millennium
        'N Sync                        'N Sync

    Favorite Artist -- Rap
        Dr. Dre                        Dr. Dre 2001
        Jay-Z                          Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life
        Juvenile                       400 Degreez

    Favorite Duo or Group -- Country
        Brooks & Dunn                  Greatest Hits Collection
        Dixie Chicks                   Wide Open Spaces and Fly
        Lonestar                       Lonely Grill

    Favorite Male Artist -- Country
        Garth Brooks                   Double Live and Magic of Christmas
        Tim McGraw                     A Place in the Sun
        George Strait                  Always Never the Same

    Favorite Female Artist -- Country
        Faith Hill                     Breathe & Faith
        Jo Dee Messina                 I'm Alright
        Shania Twain                   Come On Over

    Favorite Male Artist -- R&B
        Ginuwine                       100% Ginuwine
        R. Kelly                       R.
        Brian McKnight                 Back at One

    Favorite Female Artist -- R&B
        Mariah Carey                   Rainbow
        Lauryn Hill                    Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
        Whitney Houston                My Love is Your Love

    Favorite Group -- R&B
        112                            Room 112
        Destiny's Child                The Writing's On The Wall
        TLC                            Fanmail

    Favorite Artist -- Modern Rock
        Everlast                       Whitey Ford Sings the Blues
        Kid Rock                       Devil Without a Cause
        Lenny Kravitz                  5

    Favorite Group -- Modern Rock
        Limp Bizkit                    Significant Other
        The Offspring                  Americana
        Smash Mouth                    Astro Lounge

    Favorite Male -- New Artist
        Marc Anthony                   Marc Anthony
        Lou Bega                       A Little Bit of Mambo
        Eminem                         The Slim Shady

    Favorite Female -- New Artist
        Christina Aguilera             Christina Aguilera
        Jennifer Lopez                 On the 6
        Britney Spears                 Baby One More Time

    Favorite Group -- New Artist
        B*witched                      Bewitched
        Blink - 182                    Enema of the State
        Lit                            A Place in the Sun

    Favorite Latino Artist
        Elvis Crespo                   Suavemente
        Enrique Iglesias               Bailamos
        Selena                         All My Hits - Todos Mis Exitos

    Favorite Artist or Group -- Rock
        Jimmy Buffett                  Beach House On The Moon
        Phil Collins                   Hits
        Santana                        Supernatural

    Favorite Latino Group (Internet Only)
        Gipsy Kings                    Best of Gipsy Kings
        Mana                           MTV Unplugged
        Los Tigres Del Norte           Herencia de Familia
        Los Tri-O                      Nuestro Amor

    Favorite CD (Internet Only)
        Backstreet Boys                Millennium
        Limp Bizkit                    Significant Other
        Ricky Martin                   Ricky Martin
        Britney Spears                 Baby One More Time
        Shania Twain                   Come On Over

    Favorite Single (Internet Only)
        Christina Aguilera             Genie in a Bottle
        Cher                           Believe
        Whitney Houston                Heartbreak Hotel

    Favorite Soundtrack (Internet Only)
        Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
        Tarzan
        Wild Wild West

    Favorite Song from a Movie (Internet Only)
        When You Believe               Prince of Egypt    by Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston
        Music of My Heart              Music of My Heart      by Gloria Estefan & 'N Sync
        Bailamos                       Wild Wild West        by Enrique Iglesias
        Fortunate                      Life        by Maxwell
        Wild Wild West                 Wild Wild West        by Will Smith

    Favorite Artist -- Comedy (Internet Only)
        Chris Rock                     Bigger & Blacker
        Adam Sandler                   Stan & Judy's Kid
        Weird Al Yankovic              Running With Scissors

    Video Games

    Favorite Video Game
        Army Men: Sarge's Heroes
        Super Smash Bros.
        Driver: You Are The Wheelman
        Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
        Pokemon Yellow

    Favorite Playstation Game (Internet Only)
        Driver: You Are The Wheelman
        Gran Turismo 2
        Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
        Syphon Filter
        Tomorrow Never Dies
        Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

    Favorite Nintendo 64 Game (Internet Only)
        Army Men: Sarge's Heros
        Donkey Kong 64
        Mario Party
        Pokemon Snap
        Star Wars Episode I: Racer
        Super Smash Bros.

    Favorite GameBoy Game (Internet Only)
        Pokemon Blue
        Pokemon Pinball
        Pokemon Red
        Pokemon Yellow
        Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
        Toy Story 2

    Favorite Dreamcast Game (Internet Only)
        NBA 2K
        NFL 2K
        Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
        Sega Bass Fishing
        Sonic Adventure
        Soul Calibur

It was a bittersweet year for Warner Bros: As the studio topped the $1 billion mark for the first time domestically, it saw the unexpected resignation of co-chairmen Bob Daly and Terry Semel after two decades at the helm.

And while the change at the top might appear to have shaken the stability of the studio, stirred is a more accurate depiction as Time Warner chief Gerald Levin quickly replaced the duo with another twosome: 28-year WB veteran executive Barry Meyer was elevated to chairman of the company, and Castle Rock co-founder and former chairman-CEO Alan Horn was named studio president.

Daly and Semel's triumphs were notable: Year-in and year-out, they delivered hits from "Batman" to the "Lethal Weapon" franchise. In 1999, not only did the studio strike $1 billion domestically, but it did more than $1 billion internationally for a third time, Horn said.

As the newly ensconced studio president, Horn brings a different sensibility to the studio, which has put something of a question mark over the future of many projects and even some production executives. By year's end, though, no key changes took place.

This past year, the studio saw tremendous success with "The Matrix," which gives Warner Bros. its first genuine franchise since the "Lethal Weapon" and "Batman" series ran out of steam. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, president of worldwide production, motion pictures, quickly pushed forward on the next two installments of the "Matrix" trilogy the studio had initially acquired.

The Keanu Reeves starrer was a glorious triumph for the revived Village Roadshow Pictures and a testament to former Warners production chief Bruce Berman's movie-selecting abilities. Add that to the other pictures Village financed this year, including the critical hit "Three Kings," Renny Harlin's modest hit "Deep Blue Sea" and the boxoffice bonanza "Analyze This," and you have an impressive performance overall.

Bel-Air Entertainment was off to a shaky start with the Kevin Costner starrer "Message in a Bottle," but the  financing/production entity is hoping for home runs with upcoming pictures starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Keanu Reeves.

In keeping with the Daly-Semel strategy of employing big-name stars for high-priced projects before chasing indie films and teen fare, the studio scored with the Robert De Niro-Billy Crystal comedy "Analyze This." The studio also saw huge returns on "Pokémon the First Movie" and has been gifted with success from year-enders "The Green Mile" and Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday."

"Green Mile" boosted the credentials of filmmaker-friendly Castle Rock Entertainment, which has suffered from a string of disappointments of late, including the Hugh Grant starrer "Mickey Blue Eyes."

More surprising was the middling boxoffice of one of Warners' best-reviewed films of the year, "Three Kings." The film's inability to cross $60 million, with George Clooney at his best and virtuoso work from director David O. Russell, left execs scratching their heads.

Among the studio's other disappointments was the notable "The Iron Giant," the second film from its feature animation unit. The movie proved the studio could deliver quality animation, but the marketing proved a flop. "We hope to make up a lot on video," Horn said. "But one thing that hurt was that we did not have a promotional tie-in with Burger King or one of those folks. That won't happen again."

But "Iron Giant" wasn't the biggest of Warner Bros.' problems. "Wild Wild West's" boxoffice take of $113.7 million was less impressive than it sounds considering that the film was ultra-expensive to make. "It's fair to say that given the size of the movie, we all wish it had done better," Horn said.

But even more disappointing were the performances of three major star vehicles: "Message in a Bottle," the Clint Eastwood starrer "True Crime" and Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut." "Eyes" did better internationally than domestically and has earned some $100 million abroad.

"Chill Factor," "A Dog of Flanders," "Lost and Found," "Goodbye Lover" and "Three to Tango" were among the movies that disappeared without a trace, though most of these films were financed outside of Warners, which only took a distribution fee.

Mark Wahlberg’s got a crush on one of his Three Kings costars. “I think George has got a thing for me,” Wahlberg says in the Australian gay mag Blue. “I’ve definitely got a thing for George, so it works out good.” That’s George as in Clooney. Asked how his Clooney “fixation” developed, Wahlberg gushes, “He’s just so good-looking. That scruff. He looks kind of like Julio Iglesias too.” He adds, “I’m like George’s sidekick or something.” While tongue may have been in cheek, Wahlberg and Clooney are reteaming on the big screen to battle the fury of the high seas in The Perfect Storm. Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reports that Clooney’s production company has also signed up Wahlberg to star in The Metal God. Wahlberg further reveals that Magnolia director Paul Thomas Anderson talked to him about doing a make-out scene with Tom Cruise in that movie. “We talked a little bit about doing a scene with Tom Cruise and kissing Tom Cruise,” says the Boogie Nights star. He ended up turning down the part, and Anderson apparently abandoned the idea of trying to get Cruise to kiss a guy, according to the Daily News.

Mark Wahlberg has dated beauties like China Chow and Jaime Rishar, but if a man could ever turn his head, it'd be George Clooney.

"I think George has got a thing for me," Wahlberg says in the Australian gay mag Blue. "I've definitely got a thing for George, so it works out good."

Asked how his Clooney "thing" developed, Wahlberg gushes: "He's just so good-looking. That scruff. He looks kind of like Julio Iglesias, too." He adds, "I'm like George's sidekick or something."

Removing his tongue from his cheek, Wahlberg says he's sincerely grateful to his "Three Kings" co-star for helping him land a role in "The Perfect Storm," in which the two will battle the high seas together. Clooney's production company has also signed up Wahlberg to star in "The Metal God."

Clearly, Wahlberg has gotten a lot more comfortable with his gay fans than back in 1993, when he was accused of condoning homophobic remarks by reggae star Shabba Ranks.

Wahlberg also reveals that "Magnolia" director Paul Thomas Anderson talked to him about doing a makeout scene with Tom Cruise in that movie.

"We talked a little bit about doing a scene with Tom Cruise and kissing Tom Cruise," says the "Boogie Nights" star. He ended up turning down the part, and Anderson apparently abandoned the idea of trying to get Cruise to pucker up.

Wahlberg certainly appears on better terms with Clooney and Cruise than he is with Faye Dunaway.

Wahlberg says that, when they were shooting "The Yards," Dunaway completely ignored him — even when he shouted hello to get her attention.

The rapper formerly known as Marky Mark says that the "Mommy Dearest" star deigned to speak with him just once — when she was fretting about her son's foray into modeling.

"I tried to explain that I'd just done this one underwear ad," Wahlberg remembers, "and she said, 'Well, he wants to be a model like you. I just hope that he doesn't get caught up in this world of drugs and stuff.' I was like, 'All right.'"