Get ready for an exciting Oscar season! The race is on, and the predictions are in.
The Big Question: Can Sinners, with its impressive 16 nominations, dethrone the front-runner, One Battle After Another? This is the battle that has everyone talking.
Sinners has made history by landing nominations in every category it could reasonably hope for. Meanwhile, its competitors, including One Battle After Another, have had some notable snubs. But here's where it gets controversial: despite these snubs, One Battle After Another remains the favorite to win Best Picture, having already taken top honors at the Critics' Choice and Golden Globe Awards.
However, the numbers don't lie. In the past 16 seasons, the film with the most nominations has only won Best Picture six times. Sinners' 16 nominations, three more than the second-place contender, feel like a powerful statement. Many industry experts believe Sinners is now the one to beat.
And this is the part most people miss: both Sinners and One Battle After Another are from the same distributor, Warner Bros. It's an ironic twist, as Warner Bros. is currently in the process of being sold. The last time we had a Best Picture race with two clear frontrunners from the same studio was 51 years ago!
So, how will Warner Bros. handle this unique situation? Will they give both films equal promotion, or will one get the edge? It's a delicate balance, but one thing is certain: the personal reps for each film will be going all out to ensure their clients shine.
Let's dive into the predictions for all 24 Oscar categories, as we await the final round of voting from February 26 to March 5. The 98th Oscars, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will reveal the winners on March 15.
Best Picture:
1. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Paul Thomas Anderson, Sara Murphy, and Adam Somner
3. Hamnet (Focus) - Nicolas Gonda, Pippa Harris, Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes, and Steven Spielberg
4. Sentimental Value (Neon) - Maria Ekerhovd and Andrea Berensten Ottmar
5. Marty Supreme (A24) - Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Timothée Chalamet, Anthony Katagas, and Josh Safdie
Best Director:
1. Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
2. Ryan Coogler for Sinners (Warner Bros.)
3. Chloé Zhao for Hamnet (Focus)
4. Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value (Neon)
5. Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme (A24)
Best Actor:
1. Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme (A24)
2. Michael B. Jordan for Sinners (Warner Bros.)
3. Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
4. Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent (Neon)
5. Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon (Sony Classics)
Best Actress:
1. Jessie Buckley for Hamnet (Focus)
2. Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue (Focus)
3. Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (A24)
4. Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value (Neon)
5. Emma Stone for Bugonia (Focus)
Best Supporting Actor:
1. Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value (Neon)
2. Delroy Lindo for Sinners (Warner Bros.)
3. Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein (Netflix)
4. Benicio Del Toro for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
5. Sean Penn for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Best Supporting Actress:
1. Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
2. Amy Madigan for Weapons (Warner Bros.)
3. Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners (Warner Bros.)
4. Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value (Neon)
5. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value (Neon)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
1. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Hamnet (Focus) - Maggie O'Farrell & Chloé Zhao
3. Train Dreams (Netflix) - Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
4. Bugonia (Focus) - Will Tracy
5. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Guillermo del Toro
Best Original Screenplay:
1. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Ryan Coogler
2. Sentimental Value (Neon) - Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
3. Marty Supreme (A24) - Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
4. It Was Just an Accident (Neon) - Jafar Panahi
5. Blue Moon (Sony Classics) - Robert Kaplow
Best International Feature:
1. Norway - Sentimental Value (Neon)
2. Brazil - The Secret Agent (Neon)
3. France - It Was Just an Accident (Neon)
4. Tunisia - The Voice of Hind Rajab (Willa)
5. Spain - Sirāt (Neon)
Best Documentary Feature:
1. The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix) - Sam Bisbee, Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, and Alisa Payne
2. The Alabama Solution (HBO) - Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman
3. Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Kino Lorber) - TBD
4. Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple) - Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Ryan White, and Stef Willen
5. Cutting Through Rocks (seeking U.S. distribution) - Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki
Best Animated Feature:
1. KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix) - Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, and Michelle L.M. Wong
2. Zootopia 2 (Disney) - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Yvett Merino
3. Arco (Neon) - Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry, Sophie Mas, and Natalie Portman
4. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKIDS) - Liane-Cho Han, Henri Magalon, Nidia Santiago, and Maïlys Vallade
5. Elio (Disney/Pixar) - Mary Alice Drumm, Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi
Best Casting:
1. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Francine Maisler
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Cassandra Kulukundis
3. Marty Supreme (A24) - Jennifer Venditti
4. Hamnet (Focus) - Nina Gold
5. The Secret Agent (Neon) - Gabriel Domingues
Best Cinematography:
1. Train Dreams (Netflix) - Adolpho Veloso
2. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Autumn Durald Arkapaw
3. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Michael Bauman
4. Marty Supreme (A24) - Darius Khondji
5. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Dan Laustsen
Best Costume Design:
1. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Kate Hawley
2. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Ruth E. Carter
3. Hamnet (Focus) - Malgosia Turzanska
4. Marty Supreme (A24) - Miyako Bellizzi
5. Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century) - Deborah L. Scott
Best Film Editing:
1. F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.) - Stephen Mirrione
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Andy Jurgensen
3. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Michael Shawver
4. Marty Supreme (A24) - Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
5. Sentimental Value (Neon) - Olivier Bugge Coutté
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
1. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Cliona Furey, Mike Hill, and Jordan Samuel
2. The Smashing Machine (A24) - Glen Griffin, Kazu Hiro, and Bjoern Rehbein
3. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, and Shunika Terry
4. Kokuho (GKIDS) - Naomi Hibino, Tadashi Nishimatsu, and Kyoko Toyokawa
5. The Ugly Stepsister (IFC/Shudder) - Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg
Best Original Score:
1. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Ludwig Göransson
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Johnny Greenwood
3. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Alexandre Desplat
4. Hamnet (Focus) - Max Richter
5. Bugonia (Focus) - Jerskin Fendrix
Best Original Song:
1. "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix) - EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick
2. "I Lied to You" from Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson
3. "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless (MasterClass) - Diane Warren
4. "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams (Netflix) - Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner
5. "Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdi! (seeking U.S. distribution) - Nicholas Pike
Best Production Design:
1. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
2. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne
3. Hamnet (Focus) - Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton
4. Marty Supreme (A24) - Jack Fisk and Adam Willis
5. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Anthony Carlino and Florencia Martin
Best Sound:
1. F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.) - Gareth John, Al Nelson, Juan Peralta, Gary Rizzo, and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
2. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Steve Boeddeker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe Pachecho, Brandon Proctor, and Chris Welcker
3. Frankenstein (Netflix) - Greg Chapman, Christian Cooke, Nelson Ferreira, Nathan Robitaille, and Brad Zoern
4. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, and Tony Villaflor
5. Sirāt (Neon) - Laia Casanovas, Yasmina Praderas, and Amanda Villavieja
Best Visual Effects:
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century) - Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett, Joe Letteri, and Eric Saindon
2. F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.) - Nicolas Chevalier, Keith Dawson, Robert Harrington, and Ryan Tudhope
3. Sinners (Warner Bros.) - Donnie Dean, Espen Nordahl, Michael Ralla, and Guido Wolter
4. Jurassic World Rebirth (Universal) - Stephen Aplin, Charmaine Chan, Neil Corbould, and David Vickery
5. The Lost Bus (Apple) - Russell Bowen, Brandon K. McLaughlin, Charlie Noble, and David Zaretti
Best Animated Short:
1. Retirement Plan - Andrew Freedman and John Kelly
2. The Girl Who Cried Pearls - Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
3. Forevergreen - Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears
4. The Three Sisters - Konstantin Bronzit
5. Butterfly - Ron dyens and Florence Miailhe
Best Documentary Short:
1. All the Empty Rooms - Conall Jones and Joshua Seftel
2. Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud - Juan Arredondo and Craig Renaud
3. Children No More: "Were and Are Gone" - Hilla Medalia and Sheila Nevins
4. Perfectly a Strangeness - Alison McAlpine
5. The Devil Is Busy - Geeta Gandbhir and Christalyn Hampton
Best Live Action Short:
1. Two People Exchanging Saliva - Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh
2. The Singers - Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt
3. A Friend of Dorothy - James Dean and Lee Knight
4. Jane Austen's Period Drama - Julia Aks and Steve Pinder
5. Butcher's Stain - Oron Caspi and Meyer Levinson-Blount
So, who do you think will take home the gold? Will Sinners' impressive nomination haul be enough to secure its place in Oscar history? Or will One Battle After Another continue its winning streak? Let's find out together!
