M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller Trap looks to set a solid second place showing after the MCU behemoth that is Deadpool & Wolverine. We also have Harold and the Purple Crayon looking to draw in a family audience as August arrives at multiplexes. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers right here:
Trap could have breakout potential with its concept of a serial killer being cornered at a concert with his unknowing daughter. The brand name recognition of its director could assist. Mid 20s seems doable, but I have it in the high teens. That should be enough to give it runner-up status over the third frame of Twisters which should also be in that same forecasted range.
Harold and the Purple Crayon is a tricky one. Based on a nearly 70-year-old kids book, parents and kids may turn up since most have already viewed Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2. I suspect the so-so trailers and quiet word-of-mouth could mean just higher single digits. That might mean fifth place just under Despicable.
Now we move to Deadpool & Wolverine. The eagerly awaited Marvel mashup smashed my projection (more on that below). This should be fairly front loaded as anticipation was sky high. Similar MCU fare that reached close to the D & W level (like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Doctor Strangein the Multiverse of Madness) experienced sophomore drops in the low to high 60s. This may see high 50s or low 60s which would put it in the low to mid 80s.
And with that, my take on this weekend’s high five:
1. Deadpool & Wolverine
Predicted Gross: $84.6 million
2. Trap
Predicted Gross: $19.2 millionm
3. Twisters
Predicted Gross: $18.1 million
4. Despicable Me 4
Predicted Gross: $9.4 million
5. Harold and the Purple Crayon
Predicted Gross: $7.6 million
Box Office Results (July 26-28)
Filmgoers devoured Deadpool & Wolverine, providing record setting numbers as the 34th MCU tale spawned the largest R-rated debut ever at $211.4 million (dwarfing my $176.1 million prediction). That’s also the 6th biggest domestic haul in history (between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jurassic World) and 4th highest MCU beginning behind Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Avengers: Infinity War. The all-time July record was additionally achieved. Furthermore it marks a personal best for Peggy, the dog who plays Mary Puppins or Dogpool. After a rough couple of years for the MCU, this gets the franchise back in phenomenal order.
The massive over performance of Wade and Logan meant Twisters spiraled more than most thought it would. It fell an understandable 57% to second at $34.9 million compared to my $42 million estimate. The two-week tally is still a potent $154 million.
Despicable Me 4 was third with $14.5 million, in line with my $15.2 million call. The animated smash has amassed $291 million in four weeks.
Speaking of animated smashes, Inside Out 2 became the #1 domestic animated title of all time with $613 million and replacing previous champion Incredibles 2. The fourth placing showing this weekend gave it another $8.6 million (I said $8.4 million). Pixar’s sequel also stands as the gold medalist for worldwide numbers in its genre.
Longlegs rounded out the top five with $6.7 million, in range with my $6.4 million projection. The horror hit has scared up $58 million in three weeks.
Finally, the geriatric comedy The Fabulous Four with Bette Midler and Susan Sarandon belly flopped in eighth with a mere $1 million. I thought it might manage $1.5 million.
The unexpected announcement that James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown is releasing in 2024 shakes up my predictions. I have it being nominated in four races. That would include Best Picture (where it replaces The Piano Lesson) and Timothèe Chalamet in Actor as he vaults over The Piano Lesson‘s John David Washington. It was not a great week for Piano as I now have it being solely nominated for Samuel L. Jackson in Supporting Actor. Yet even he drops to second in favor of Clarence Maclin for Sing Sing.
The news is not all positive for that movie. As I hinted at last week, Sing Sing was a very soft frontrunner in BP and A24’s release strategy has been curious. Therefore I am elevating Steve McQueen’s Blitz back to first position with its director atop that category over Dune‘s Denis Villeneuve. Colman Domingo is still in my lead for Actor.
There are two alterations in the supporting fields with Isabella Rossellini returning to Supporting Actress over… you guessed it… Danielle Deadwyler in The Piano Lesson. Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) returns to my anticipated quintet in Supporting Actor in place of Adam Pearson from A Different Man.
The Venice and Toronto festivals have announced the bulk of their lineups for late August into September. There has also been screening news for New York and London and we have a general idea of some pics likely to play Telluride. The lack of certain titles at those events have caused me to drop some hopefuls. This include The Apprentice, The Collaboration, and Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Should they be confirmed for the 2024 calendar, I’ll obviously readjust.
A quick note on Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door. It appears that Julianne Moore is more likely to be in lead Actress with Tilda Swinton in supporting. I’ve made that change though I’ve yet to put either of the past winners in my final five picks.
Of course, this is all completely unknown at press time but you can peruse all my best guesswork below!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blitz (Previous Ranking: 3) (+2)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)
3. Sing Sing (PR: 1) (-2)
4. Conclave (PR: 4) (E)
5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)
6. Anora (PR: 6) (E)
7. Queer (PR: 8) (+1)
8. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (E)
10. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 10) (E)
Other Possibilities:
11. The Piano Lesson (PR: 7) (-4)
12. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 13) (+1)
13. Gladiator II (PR: 11) (-2)
14. Nightbitch (PR: 12) (-2)
15. Nosferatu (PR: 14) (-1)
16. The End (PR: 19) (+3)
17. Maria (PR: 18) (+1)
18. All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)
19. The Room Next Door (PR: 17) (-2)
20. Hard Truths (PR: 22) (+2)
21. The Fire Inside (PR: 20) (-1)
22. A Real Pain (PR: 15) (-7)
23. A Different Man (PR: 21) (-2)
24. Here (PR: Not Ranked)
25. Wicked (PR: 24) (-1)
Dropped Out:
The Apprentice
Dídi
His Three Daughters
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)
4. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)
5. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 6) (E)
7. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 7) (E)
8. Luca Guadagnino, Queer (PR: 8) (E)
9. James Mangold, A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
10. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 13) (+3)
11. Ridley Scott, Gladiator II (PR: 9) (-2)
12. Marielle Heller, Nightbitch (PR: 10) (-2)
13. Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (PR: 15) (+2)
14. Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 14) (E)
15. Robert Eggers, Nosferatu (PR: 11) (-4)
Dropped Out:
Malcolm Washington, The Piano Lesson
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 1) (E)
2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)
3. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 3) (E)
4. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from supporting
7. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Marianne-Jean Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (E)
10. Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside (PR: 11) (+1)
11. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 12) (+1)
12. June Squibb, Thelma (PR: 10) (-2)
13. Florence Pugh, We Live in Time (PR: 14) (+1)
14. Zendaya, Challengers (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl (PR: 13) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door – moved to supporting
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)
2. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 2) (E)
3. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 3) (E)
4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
5. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (+2)
7. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 4) (-3)
8. André Holland, The Actor (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 9) (E)
10. Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness (PR: 10) (E)
11. Ethan Herisse, Nickel Boys (PR: 13) (+2)
12. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 12) (E)
13. Tom Hanks, Here (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Andrew Garfield, We Live in Time (PR: 15) (+1)
15. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 14) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Paul Bettany, The Collaboration
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 1) (E)
2. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 2) (-4)
7. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from lead
8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (E)
9. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (E)
10. Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
11. Lesley Manville, Queer (PR: 10) (-1)
12. Glenn Close, The Deliverance (PR: 13) (+1)
13. Elizabeth Olsen, His Three Daughters (PR: 11) (-2)
14. Valeria Golino, Maria (PR: 14) (E)
15. Kathy Burke, Blitz (PR: 12) (-3)
Dropped Out:
Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door – moved to lead
Erin Kellyman, Blitz
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)
4. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 4) (E)
5. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Drew Starkey, Queer (PR: 9) (+3)
7. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 5) (-2)
8. John Lithgow, Conclave (PR: 10) (+2)
9. Harris Dickinson, Blitz (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: 11) (+1)
11. Stephen Graham, Blitz (PR: 12) (+1)
12. Mark Eidelstein, Anora (PR: 13) (+1)
13. Paul Raci, Sing Sing (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Scoot McNairy, Nightbitch (PR: 15) (E)
Dropped Out:
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Elliot Heffernan, Blitz
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)
3. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)
4. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 4) (E)
5. Hard Truths (PR:5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)
7. The Room Next Door (PR: 7) (E)
8. His Three Daughters (PR: 8) (E)
9. The End (PR: 11) (+2)
10. Dídi (PR: 9) (-1)
11. Challengers (PR: 15) (+4)
12. Maria (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Kinds of Kindness (PR: 10) (-3)
14. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 12) (-2)
15. I Saw the TV Glow (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Apprentice
A Different Man
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Conclave (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Sing Sing (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Nickel Boys (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Queer (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Dune: Part Two (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Piano Lesson (PR: 6) (E)
7. Nightbitch (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Hit Man (PR: 8) (E)
9. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 12) (+2)
11. Inside Out 2 (PR: 10) (-1)
12. Gladiator II (PR: 9) (-3)
13. The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (E)
14. Nosferatu (PR: 14) (E)
15. Here (PR: 15) (E)
Dropped Out:
The Collaboration
Best International Feature Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. I’m Still Here (PR: 2) (E)
3. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 4) (+1)
4. The Count of Monte Cristo (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Grand Tour (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Caught by the Tides (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Uprising (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Evil Does Not Exist (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Kneecap (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Simon of the Mountain (PR: 10) (E)
Dropped Out:
Emmanuelle
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)
2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)
3. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Flow (PR: 3) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Piece by Piece (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Moana 2 (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Savages (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Orion and the Dark (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Transformers One (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Most Precious of Cargoes
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Daughters (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Will & Harper (PR: 5) (+2)
4. No Other Land (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (PR: 6) (E)
7. Sugarcane (PR: 3) (-4)
8. Gaucho Gaucho (PR: 8) (E)
9. Union (PR: 9) (E)
10. Frida (PR: 10) (E)
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blitz (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Nosferatu (PR: 3) (E)
4. Anora (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (+3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Gladiator II (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Conclave (PR: 4) (-4)
9. Maria (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Queer (PR: 9) (-1)
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Wicked (PR: 2) (E)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)
4. Blitz (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Maria (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Joker: Folie á Deux (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (E)
9. Queer (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Megalopolis
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blitz (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Conclave (PR: 5) (+2)
4. Anora (PR: 4) (E)
5. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (+4)
7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (-5)
9. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (-2)
10. Challengers (PR: 8) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)
3. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (+3)
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 3) (-1)
5. A Different Man (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wicked (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 7) (E)
8. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Maria (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Gladiator II
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 5) (+3)
3. Queer (PR: 7) (+4)
4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 2) (-2)
5. Sing Sing (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-3)
7. Blitz (PR: 9) (+2)
8. Conclave (PR: 6) (-2)
9. Challengers (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Here (PR: 10) (E)
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. TBD from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. TBD from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 3) (+1)
3. TBD from Wicked (PR: 5) (+2)
4. “Relentless” from Diane Warren: Relentless (PR: 4) (E)
5. TBD from Piece by Piece (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. TBD from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-4)
7. TBD from Moana 2 (PR: 8) (+1)
8. “Compress/Repress” from Challengers (PR: 10) (+2)
9. TBD from Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 7) (-2)
10. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (-4)
Dropped Out:
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from Twisters
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-2)
5. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wicked (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Conclave (PR: 8) (E)
9. Queer (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Maria (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Best Sound
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 4) (E)
5. A Complete Unknown (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (+2)
7. Wicked (PR: 7) (E)
8. A Quiet Place: Day One (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Twisters (PR: 6) (-3)
10. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-5)
Dropped Out:
Sing Sing
Civil War
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)
3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Here (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (PR: 10) (+4)
7. Twisters (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Blitz (PR: 8) (E)
9. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Mufasa: The Lion King
And that shakes out to these movies generating these numbers in terms of nominations:
11 Nominations
Dune: Part Two
9 Nominations
Blitz
7 Nominations
Conclave, Emilia Pérez
5 Nominations
Anora, Gladiator II, Joker: Folie à Deux, Sing Sing
4 Nominations
A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu, Queer
3 Nominations
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Nickel Boys, The Seed of the Sacred Fig
2 Nominations
A Different Man, A Real Pain, Wicked
1 Nomination
All We Imagine as Light, Black Box Diaries, The Count of Monte Cristo, Daughters, Diane Warren: Relentless, Flow, Grand Tour, Hard Truths, Here, His Three Daughters, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Maria, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Outrun, The Piano Lesson, Piece by Piece, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper
We are 37 films deep into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with The Fantastic Four: First Steps as the latest entry. This is my space to give you my personal listing of the MCU sagas that began in 2008 with Iron Man.
This list will be updated as new comic book based adventures come our way.
37. The Marvels (2023)
36. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
35. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
34. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
33. Eternals (2022)
32. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
31. Iron Man 2 (2010)
30. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
29. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
28. Ant-Man (2015)
27. Thor (2011)
26. Captain Marvel (2019)
25. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
24. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
23. Black Widow (2021)
22. Captain America: First Avenger (2011)
21. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
20. Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
19. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
There’s plenty of belly laughs amidst the bullets in Deadpool & Wolverine and some fleeting emotional moments as well. That’s no shocker as this sub-franchise from Ryan Reynolds has mixed with the bawdy with the blubbery since 2016. Dropping Wolverine into the equation is an example of corporate synergy thanks to Disney’s acquisition of Fox five years ago. You’ll recall that Hugh Jackman’s signature clawed character met a bloody yet dignified end in 2017’s Logan. For those who believe his chapter closed appropriately (and it did), the multiverse machinations of the MCU may seem cash grab inappropriate. I didn’t mind so much because it’s Jackman’s chemistry with Reynolds that provide the high points.
Deadpool’s life is kinda dead in the water in 2024. He’s living full-time as Wade Wilson having retired the mask after being rejected during a job interview for The Avengers. He wants to make a difference on a Tony Stark/Captain America sized scale, but the universe seems to feel otherwise. Broken up with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and rooming with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), his mundane existence in the used car biz is jolted by the Time Variance Authority (TVA).
As exposited by one of their agents Mr. Paradox (a game Matthew MacFadyen), Wade’s “Sacred Timeline” is at risk of crumbling. That’s due to Logan’s aforementioned fate from years earlier since he served as the Timeline’s stalwart anchor. The TVA offers Mr. Pool a way out while his small group of loved ones will perish. His solution is to find another Logan across the multiverses to save the world as he knows it. Naturally he ends up with a boozy, guilt ridden, and reluctant hero version of the once proud X-Man.
The duo end up in the Void which houses outcast varieties of familiar and more unfamiliar superheroes. This wasteland is ruled by Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), as X-Men adjacent telepathic with designs on dominating all the dimensions. The Void concept allows for plenty of cameos from the preeminent genre of the 21st century. I wouldn’t dare spoil them, but I’d recommend seeing this quick before X gives it to you. The appearances of these known quantities is good for a few chuckles. Yet I would argue that the dependence on them (especially during the middle section) dulls the sharp humor for a stretch.
D & W could have used more of the two leads just marinating in their beloved personas. With Shawn Levy handling the direction after teaming with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project, the pic occasionally seems too busy and eager to please. One quibble is that when Pool and Wolvie fight each other, the screenplay (from five writers including Reynolds and Levy) tells us just how awesome it’s about to be!! The truth is that the action sequences are your typical Marvel level mayhem, no more or less. Speaking of eager to please, I do have to shoutout the hideous and simultaneously adorable Mary Puppins aka Dogpool character.
Due to the demerits listed above, I’d rank this third among the three Deadpool movies. I cannot deny that it still manages to the tickle the funny bone with some precision targets uproariously skewered. That includes Disney’s recent misfortunes in its not always marvelous franchise. This won’t be looked at as one of them courtesy of the headliners.
Nearly 70 years after the Crockett Johnson children’s book was published, the cinematic adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon hopes to draw in families on August 2nd. The Columbia release is directed by Carlos Saldanha, best known for his involvement in the Ice Age franchise. The live-action fantasy mixed with animation stars Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Jemaine Clement, Tanya Reynolds, Alfred Molina, and Zooey Deschanel.
While parents and their kiddos have made Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 smash hits this summer, I don’t think most are pining for the Purple. That said, it could surprise and over perform if they are looking for air conditioned entertainment. If so, low double digits or low teens is doable. I suspect it might struggle and only hit higher single digits.
Harold and the Purple Crayon opening weekend prediction: $7.6 million
The past few days for awards prognosticators like me have been eventful as the Venice and Toronto Film Festival have unveiled their lineups. Many of the expected 2024 heavy hitters have confirmed their premieres up north and across the ocean. That includes Conclave, The Piano Lesson, Queer, Joker: Folie à Deux, Maria, Nightbitch, The End, Hard Truths, and The Room Next Door to name a few. The NY Festival features Nickel Boys as its debut screening while Blitz will play London.
None of that information is particularly surprising. There was a rather unexpected development today courtesy of Fox Searchlight. The studio premiered the first look at their Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and announced a release date of December. Directed by James Mangold, Timothée Chalamet stars as the legendary folk singer and the Dune/Wonka actor does his own crooning that you can hear in the trailer.
So will the picture be a golden ticket for Oscar attention? The December drop would indicate that Fox thinks so. Mangold is no stranger to this genre as he made 2005’s Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash. He was nominated for Best Actor while Reese Witherspoon won Actress as June Carter Cash. Chalamet has been killing it lately at the box office, but his sole Academy nom was for 2017’s Call Me by Your Name (losing to Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour). This is obviously a high profile turn and he joins an Actor competition that is quite unclear. Only one thing seems certain(ish) and that’s Colman Domingo making the final five for the acclaimed Sing Sing. Since I started my forecasts in May, there’s been two other performers I’ve had slotted in the quintet: Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) and Daniel Craig (Queer). We’ll know soon enough if they are legit contenders. The other two spots have fluctuated between hopefuls like Sebastian Stan (for either The Apprentice or A Different Man), John David Washington (The Piano Lesson), and Glen Powell (Hit Man). And we can’t discount Mr. Phoenix for his second stint as Joker.
I do suspect that Chalamet will materialize in my top 5 for recognition when I update my predictions in the coming days. Where else could Unknown get in? Well, there’s Best Picture and Mangold’s direction. Walk the Line missed the cut for BP nearly 20 years ago. If there were 10 nominees back then like there is now, it probably would’ve gotten in. Mangold is a well-respected filmmaker with varied works including Cop Land, Girl, Interrupted, Logan, and Ford v Ferrari. While his co-scripting of Logan gave him an Adapted Screenplay nomination, he’s never received a directing mention.
Walk the Line did nab three other noms for Costume Design, Film Editing, and Sound Mixing. All three of those (though Sound is now just Sound since it combined Sound Mixing and Sound Editing) could be Unknown inclusions. Adapted Screenplay is also a possibility.
As for the rest of the cast, we simply don’t know if Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, or Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez are substantial enough for supporting recognitions. I would anticipate at least Fanning being listed as a possibility in my next update.
Fox Searchlight also has Nightbitch and A Real Pain as awards bait releases. The former is mostly being discussed for Amy Adams and an Actress nod (where I currently have her ranked #1). The latter is seen as a vehicle for a Kieran Culkin Supporting Actor try (where I have him ranked fourth). Both could be in the BP mix. However, on paper, A Complete Unknown might be Fox’s most electrifying prospect. This is, of course, a complete unknown until it screens. We do now that it’ll be in this cycle.
M. Night Shyamalan and Warner Bros hope Trap fills movie houses on August 2nd. The thriller casts Josh Hartnett as a serial killer trying to thwart a manhunt while attending a concert with his daughter (Ariel Donoghue). Mr. Shyamalan’s own daughter Saleka plays the artist at the venue. Hayley Mills (known for The Parent Trap some 63 years ago) and Alison Pill costar.
The writer/director experienced a mini career resurgence starting with 2017’s Split. His last two efforts haven’t generated huge numbers, but have been profitable due to low budgets. 2021’s Old started with $16 million and then grossed $48 million overall domestically. Last year’s Knock at the Cabin premiered to $14 million and $34 million total stateside. Both had reported price tags in the high teens to $20 million.
I haven’t seen the cost for Trap but its gimmick of a one place setting can’t be too expensive. Shyamalan’s pics do their business based on his name though there’s certainly limits compared to his early 2000s heyday. I doubt this will make much more than his aforementioned predecessors so let’s go high teens to low 20s.
Trap opening weekend prediction: $19.4 million
For my Harold and the Purple Crayon prediction, click here:
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman come together for what should be the biggest opening of 2024 so far in Deadpool & Wolverine. The MCU pic is poised to dominate the weekend though Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler will try to bring in older females with The Fabulous Four. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on both here:
My take on Deadpool & Wolverine gives it the 16th best domestic start of all time (and ninth highest for the MCU). The projected number puts it above Mr. Pool’s two direct predecessors.
Let’s dispense with Fabulous. My tiny $1.5 million estimate puts the geriatric comedy well outside the top five.
As for holdovers, Twisters could fall by over 50% after its terrific start (more on that below). I’m going to be a bit more generous and say it eases in the high 40s. The animated offerings of Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2 should hold the 3-4 slots with Longlegs rounding out the top five.
And with that, my take on the frame ahead:
1. Deadpool & Wolverine
Predicted Gross: $176.1 million
2. Twisters
Predicted Gross: $42 million
3. Despicable Me 4
Predicted Gross: $15.2 million
4. Inside Out 2
Predicted Gross: $8.4 million
5. Longlegs
Predicted Gross: $6.4 million
Box Office Results (July 19-21)
Twisters blew away expectations with $81.2 million, eclipsing my $72.3 million take. It also edged Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire as the year’s biggest live-action debut (a record that will stand until this weekend per above).
Despicable Me 4 slid to second with $24.4 million, on target with my $24.8 million prediction for a three-week total of $260 million.
Inside Out 2 was third with $12.8 million. That’s right in line with my $13.2 million call as the Pixar behemoth is up to $596 million in six weeks.
Longlegs had solid legs in fourth with $11.9 million in weekend #2. I was close at $11 million and it has $44 million in its coffers.
A Quiet Place: Day One was fifth with $6.3 million (I said $6.6 million) for $127 million after four outings.
The super matchup of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as their most iconic characters hits theaters on Friday with Deadpool & Wolverine. The third pic in the Deadpool series also marks Jackman’s 10th go-round as the clawed mutant. Shawn Levy directs with Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, and Karan Soni among the supporting players.
Reviews for the Deadpool trilogy have some consistency. The 2016 original has an 85% RT score while the 2018 sequel sports 84%. With the embargo up today, D & W sits at 79%. 2017’s Logan, Jackman’s previous appearance in the role, was more acclaimed at 93% and it landed an Adapted Screenplay nomination from the Academy.
The Deadpool movies have garnered zero Oscar nods. Part one was up at Golden Globes for Best Musical/Comedy and Reynolds for Actor in a Musical/Comedy (losing to La La Land and its lead Ryan Gosling, respectively). Part two was blanked by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. I wouldn’t anticipate part three getting noticed by the Academy or the HFPA. While several MCU titles have managed Visual Effects mentions, Mr. Pool has not and I do not believe it’ll start here. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing is already out in limited release and the A24 title is doing pretty impressive business in its four venues before a planned August expansion. Is it doing well enough to warrant a #1 spot in the BP rankings where I’ve had it for weeks?
That is a legit question and one that I’m struggling with in this particular update. With heralded performances from Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin, it certainly seems like the type of crowdpleaser that could take the top prize. This could be without Kwedar landing a directing nod as I’ve yet to have him in the top five. If that plays out, it would be a similar situation to 2021 and the CODA victory despite Sian Heder missing the directorial quintet.
The bottom line is this: the #1 position in BP for Sing Sing is tenuous. I’ve got it clinging to that number though I considered Steve McQueen’s Blitz, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, and Edward Berger’s Conclave (the first trailer for it dropped this week). Of course, we are only a month and change away from festival season kicking off with Venice, Telluride, and Toronto. Those events always assist in clearing up the picture.
There was speculation that Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2 may not make the 2024 calendar for Warner Bros. Even when I thought it was likely to release this fall, I didn’t have it pegged as a BP player. I did have Toni Collette listed as a potential Supporting Actress hopeful along with Nicholas Hoult in Actor and at the bottom of the listed 15 in Original Screenplay. I am dropping Juror for now and would certainly adjust if it does materialize on the schedule.
Speaking of Supporting Actress, we got our first glimpse of The Deliverance from Lee Daniels this week. The supernatural horror flick (out on Netflix in late August) is not your typical awards fare. However, I am listing Glenn Close as a possibility. It is Glenn Close after all and she managed an Oscar nod recently for the critically panned Hillbilly Elegy (where she also was up for a Razzie).
In other news, my constant speculation on category placement continues. Saoirse Ronan is now back to being a double nominee in my view for lead Actress with The Outrun and Supporting Actress for Blitz (I can’t wait until this is cleared up). Ronan’s inclusion back in the supporting derby displaces Conclave‘s Isabella Rossellini. Another unclear item is the screenplay placement for Emilia Pérez. It could be considered Adapted and that’s where I had it a few days ago, but now I’m putting it in Original Screenplay (and just barely missing a nom).
We have two significant alterations in Best Actor. While the top 3 remain the same, I am now elevating Sebastian Stan’s performance in A Different Man over Sebastian Stan’s work in The Apprentice. John David Washington (The Piano Lesson) also enters the high five for the first time. André Holland (The Actor) drops out of the quintet.
In Supporting Actor, Adam Pearson in A Different Man enters the five over Denzel Washington in Gladiator II.
You can read all the movement below for these feature length categories!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Sing Sing (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Blitz (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Conclave (PR: 4) (E)
5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (+1)
6. Anora (PR: 5) (-1)
7. The Piano Lesson (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Queer (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (E)
10. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 10) (E)
Other Possibilities:
11. Gladiator II (PR: 12) (+1)
12. Nightbitch (PR: 11) (-1)
13. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 13) (E)
14. Nosferatu (PR: 20) (+6)
15. A Real Pain (PR: 19) (+4)
16. The Apprentice (PR: 14) (-2)
17. The Room Next Door (PR: 17) (E)
18. Maria (PR: 16) (-2)
19. The End (PR: 15) (-4)
20. The Fire Inside (PR: 22) (+2)
21. ADifferent Man (PR: Not Ranked)
22. Hard Truths (PR: 21) (-1)
23. Dídi (PR: 25) (+2)
24. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)
25. His Three Daughters (PR: 23) (-2)
Dropped Out:
All We Imagine as Light
Here
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Steve McQueen, Blitz (PR: 1) (-2)
3. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 3) (E)
4. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)
5. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Luca Guadagnino, Queer (PR: 8) (E)
9. Ridley Scott, Gladiator II (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Marielle Heller, Nightbitch (PR: 9) (-1)
11. Robert Eggers, Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)
12. Malcolm Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 11) (-1)
13. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 12) (-1)
14. Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 14) (E)
15. Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (PR: 13) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Joshua Oppenheimer, The End
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 1) (E)
2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)
3. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 3) (E)
4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Carrie Coon, His Three Daughters (PR: 10) (+1)
10. June Squibb, Thelma (PR: 11) (+1)
11. Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside (PR: 12) (+1)
12. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Florence Pugh, We Live in Time (PR: 14) (E)
15. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (moved to Supporting Actress)
Zendaya, Challengers
Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)
2. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 2) (E)
3. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 3) (E)
4. John David Washington, The Piano Lesson (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 9) (+4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (-1)
7. André Holland, The Actor (PR: 4) (-3)
8. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (-2)
9. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness (PR: 12) (+2)
11. Paul Bettany, The Collaboration (PR: 8) (-3)
12. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 11) (-1)
13. Ethan Herisse, Nickel Boys (PR: 13) (E)
14. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Andrew Garfield, We Live in Time (PR: 14) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Nicholas Hoult, Juror No. 2
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 1) (E)
2. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from Actress
5. Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door (PR: 7) (E)
8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 10) (+2)
9. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 6) (-3)
10. Lesley Manville, Queer (PR: 12) (+2)
11. Elizabeth Olsen, His Three Daughters (PR: 9) (-2)
12. Kathy Burke, Blitz (PR: 8) (-4)
13. Glenn Close, The Deliverance (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Valeria Golino, Maria (PR: 14) (E)
15. Erin Kellyman, Blitz (PR: 11) (-4)
Dropped Out:
Toni Collette, Juror No. 2
Emily Watson, Small Things like These
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 1) (E)
2. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)
3. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 9) (+4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Harris Dickinson, Blitz (PR: 6) (-1)
9. Drew Starkey, Queer (PR: 8) (-1)
10. John Lithgow, Conclave (PR: 10) (E)
11. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: 11) (E)
12. Stephen Graham, Blitz (PR: 14) (+2)
13. Mark Eidelstein, Anora (PR: 13) (E)
14. Elliot Heffernan, Blitz (PR: 12) (-2)
15. Scoot McNairy, Nightbitch (PR: 15) (E)
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)
3. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)
4. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 4) (E)
5. Hard Truths (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked) – moved from Adapted
7. The Room Next Door (PR: 6) (-1)
8. His Three Daughters (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Dídi (PR: 9) (E)
10. Kinds of Kindness (PR: 10) (E)
11. The End (PR: 8) (-3)
12. All We Imagine as Light (PR: 13) (+1)
13. The Apprentice (PR: 11) (-2)
14. A Different Man (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Challengers (PR: 12) (-3)
Dropped Out:
I Saw the TV Glow
Juror No. 2
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Sing Sing (PR: 1) (E)
2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)
3. Queer (PR: 5) (+2)
4. Nickel Boys (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Nightbitch (PR: 8) (+3)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Piano Lesson (PR: 4) (-2)
7. Dune: Part Two (PR: 7) (E)
8. Hit Man (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Gladiator II (PR: 12) (+3)
10. Inside Out 2 (PR: 10) (E)
11. The Collaboration (PR: 14) (+3)
12. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 11) (-1)
13. The Fire Inside (PR: 13) (E)
14. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Here (PR: 15) (E)
Dropped Out:
Emilia Pérez – moved to Original
Best International Feature Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. I’m Still Here (PR: 2) (E)
3. The Count of Monte Cristo (PR: 3) (E)
4. All We Imagine as Light (PR: Not Ranked)
5. Grand Tour (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Uprising (PR: 4) (-2)
7. Evil Does Not Exist (PR: 7) (E)
8. Kneecap (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Emmanuelle (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Simon of the Mountain (PR: 6) (-4)
Dropped Out:
The Girl with the Needle
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Inside Out 2 (PR: 1) (E)
2. The Wild Robot (PR: 2) (E)
3. Flow (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 3) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Moana 2 (PR: 6) (E)
7. Savages (PR: 7) (E)
8. Orion and the Dark (PR: 10) (+2)
9. The Most Precious of Cargoes (PR: 8) (-1)
10. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 9) (-1)
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Black Box Diaries (PR: 1) (E)
2. Daughters (PR: 2) (E)
3. Sugarcane (PR: 3) (E)
4. Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Will & Harper (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Super/Man: A Christopher Reeve Story (PR: 6) (E)
7. No Other Land (PR: 4) (-3)
8. Gaucho Gaucho (PR: 8) (E)
9. Union (PR: 9) (E)
10. Frida (PR: 10) (E)
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)
3. Nosferatu (PR: 3) (E)
4. Conclave (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Anora (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Gladiator II (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 8) (E)
9. Queer (PR: 9) (E)
10. Maria (PR: 10) (E)
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Wicked (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)
4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)
5. Maria (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Blitz (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Story (PR: 6) (-2)
9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Megalopolis (PR: 8) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Conclave
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 2) (E)
3. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)
4. Anora (PR: 4) (E)
5. Conclave (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Challengers (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Story (PR: 7) (-2)
10. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 10) (E)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Nosferatu (PR: 2) (E)
3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 4) (+1)
4. A Different Man (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Maria (PR: 5) (-3)
9. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Gladiator II (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Longlegs
Nightbitch
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (+3)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 7) (+4)
4. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 2) (-3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Queer (PR: 4) (-3)
8. Challengers (PR: 10) (+2)
9. Blitz (PR: 6) (-3)
10. Here (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Nickel Boys
Nosferatu
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. TBD from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. TBD from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)
3. TBD from Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 6) (+3)
4. “Relentless” from Diane Warren: Relentless (PR: 4) (E)
5. TBD from Wicked (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 7) (+1)
7. TBD from Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 3) (-4)
8. TBD from Moana 2 (PR: 5) (-3)
9. “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from Twisters (PR: Not Ranked)
10. “Compress/Repress” from Challengers (PR: 8) (-2)
Dropped Out:
“Claw Machine” from I Saw the TV Glow
“Release” from Trap
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Blitz (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Nosferatu (PR: 4) (E)
5. Wicked (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 6) (E)
7. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: 7) (E)
8. Conclave (PR: 8) (E)
9. Maria (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Queer
Best Sound
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Blitz (PR: 4) (+2)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Twisters (PR: 6) (E)
7. Wicked (PR: 7) (E)
8. Joker: Folie à Deux (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Sing Sing (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Civil War (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
A Quiet Place: Day One
Nosferatu
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Here (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Twisters (PR: 8) (+2)
7. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 4) (-3)
8. Blitz (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (PR: 10) (E)
Dropped Out:
Nosferatu
And that adds up to these movies generating these numbers in terms of nods:
10 Nominations
Dune: Part Two
8 Nominations
Blitz, Emilia Pérez
7 Nominations
Conclave, Sing Sing
5 Nominations
Anora, Gladiator II
4 Nominations
Nosferatu, The Piano Lesson, Wicked
3 Nominations
A Different Man, Furiosa: A Mad Max Story, Nickel Boys, Queer, The Seed of the Sacred Fig
2 Nominations
Joker: Folie à Deux, Maria, Nightbitch, A Real Pain
1 Nomination
All We Imagine as Light, Black Box Diaries, The Count of Monte Cristo, Daughters, Diane Warren: Relentless, Flow, Grand Tour, Hard Truths, Here, His Three Daughters, I’m Still Here, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat, Sugarcane, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Wild Robot, Will & Harper
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