Nominees Announced for 2008 Scream Awards

In just a few short years, Spike TV's Scream Awards have become one of the most anticipated genre award shows of the year, probably because its the only genre award show that gets televised (I don't believe the Saturn Awards are televised, although they really should be, since they're much older and more respected). Anyways, Spike TV announced this year's nominees a few days ago, and I guess this covers a period from about mid 2007 to mid 2008, for whatever reason. Anyway, here are the horror categories:

Best Horror Movie
30 Days of Night
The Mist
The Orphanage
The Ruins
The Strangers
Sweeney Todd

That's a pretty solid field, with the possible exception of The Ruins. Not a bad year for horror flicks, eh? My vote goes to The Orphanage.

Best Actor in a Horror Movie or TV Show
Fernando Cayo for The Orphanage
Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd
Michael C. Hall for Dexter
Thomas Jane for The Mist
Jared Padalecki for Supernatural
Jonathan Tucker for The Ruins

I'm not a regular watcher of Supernatural, but I find it hard to believe it would be deserving of any type of nomination for anything. Give this one to Michael C. Hall, the guy is excellent in everything he does and deserves some recognition.

Best Actress in a Horror Movie or TV Show
Julie Benz for Dexter
Jena Malone for The Ruins
Belen Rueda for The Orphanage
Liv Tyler for The Strangers
Naomi Watts for Funny Games
Helena Bonham Carter for Sweeney Todd

What's with all the love for The Ruins? Well, anyway, I've got to give this one to Liv Tyler. She stands to become the next big scream queen, you just watch.

In addition:

• The Mist was nominated in "The Ultimate Scream" category for best all-around genre project, although that will almost certainly go to The Dark Knight
• Dexter and Reaper were nominated in the Best TV Show category, which really should go to Battlestar Galactica
• Anna Friel of Pushing Daisies was nominated for Breakout Performance, but I expect the cutesy pick to go to Wall-E
• Tobin Bell of Saw IV and Alan Rickman of Sweeney Todd were nominated for Best Villain--in any other year Alan Rickman should take it, but there's no way this one isn't going to Heath Ledger's Joker
• Sergio Sanchez' The Orphanage script and Frank Darabont's The Mist script garnered Best "Screamplay" noms, hopefully Sanchez gets this one
• In the comic book adaptation category, we have Army of Darkness, DC's Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash, Joss Whedon's "Season 8" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as the new NOES and TCM comics--quite a year for horror comics (no Dead of Night??) I'm thinking Whedon gets it
• Saw IV inexplicably got a nod for Best Sequel (Dark Knight wins, duh)
• In the Best Director category, we have Tim Burton for Sweeney Todd, Frank Darabont for The Mist and... ahem... Rob Zombie for Halloween. Doesn't matter anyway, 'cause Chris Nolan's getting it
• The Eye, Funny Games, Halloween and Prom Night were all included in the lamentable Best Remake category. Do we need to give it to anyone??

Check out the complete list of nominees here. The Scream Awards air on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 21.