2023 Oscar Predictions: August 16th Edition

It’s looking like Netflix is going all in on Bradley Cooper’s Maestro being their main contender for awards love in 2023. With its first trailer out this week, the biopic is the biggest riser in Best Picture. Additionally, Carey Mulligan joins the Best Actress field with Annette Bening (Nyad) falling out.

Supporting Actress also sees a change as Viola Davis (Air) is back in over Rosamud Pike for Saltburn. It’s not a good update for Emerald Fennell’s sophomore feature as it also drops from BP with Poor Things returning.

In another significant development, Cillian Murphy’s work in Oppenheimer rises to #1 in Best Actor for the first time over Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon).

You can expect one more update at month’s end before the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto festivals arrive and dramatically reshape the race. That’s where we’ll catch our first glimpses and see first reactions to many contenders. They include Maestro, Poor Things, Rustin, The Killer, Ferrari, Priscilla, El Conde, Dumb Money, Nyad, Lee, One Life, Next Goal Wins, and more.

Best Picture

Predicted Nominees:

1. Killers of the Flower Moon (Previous Ranking: 1) (E)

2. Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (E)

3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Past Lives (PR: 4) (E)

5. Maestro (PR: 8) (+3)

6. The Color Purple (PR: 5) (-1)

7. The Zone of Interest (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Anatomy of a Fall (PR: 9) (+1)

9. Poor Things (PR: 11) (+2)

10. Barbie (PR: 10) (E)

Other Possibilities:

11. Saltburn (PR: 7) (-4)

12. Air (PR: 12) (E)

13. The Holdovers (PR: 13) (E)

14. Napoleon (PR: 15) (+1)

15. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: 14) (-1)

16. Ferrari (PR: 18) (+2)

17. The Killer (PR: 16) (-1)

18. Asteroid City (PR: 19) (+1)

19. Next Goal Wins (PR: 20) (+1)

20. May December (PR: 17) (-3)

21. One Life (PR: Not Ranked)

22. The Nickel Boys (PR: 23) (+1)

23. The Piano Lesson (PR: 22) (-1)

24. Rustin (PR: 21) (-3)

25. Dumb Money (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Bob Marley: One Love

Priscilla

Best Director

Predicted Nominees:

1. Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (E)

2. Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (E)

3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)

4. Celine Song, Past Lives (PR: 4) (E)

5. Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Bradley Cooper, Maestro (PR: 10) (+3)

8. Greta Gerwig, Barbie (PR: 8) (E)

9. Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things (PR: 11) (+2)

10. Blitz Bazawule, The Color Purple (PR: 6) (-4)

11. Emerald Fennell, Saltburn (PR: 9) (-2)

12. Ridley Scott, Napoleon (PR: 12) (E)

13. Alexander Payne, The Holdovers (PR: 13) (E)

14. David Fincher, The Killer (PR: 14) (E)

15. Michael Mann, Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Wes Anderson, Asteroid City

Best Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple (PR: 1) (E)

2. Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Greta Lee, Past Lives (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Carey Mulligan, Maestro (PR: 8) (+4)

5. Emma Stone, Poor Things (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Margot Robbie, Barbie (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Natalie Portman, May December (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Annette Bening, Nyad (PR: 5) (-3)

9. Kate Winslet, Lee (PR: 11) (+2)

10. Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night (PR: 6) (-4)

11. Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla (PR: 10) (-1)

12. Regina King, Shirley (PR: 12) (E)

13. Saoirse Ronan, Foe (PR: Not Ranked)

14. Helen Mirren, Golda (PR: 14) (E)

15. Teyana Taylor, A Thousand and One (PR: 15) (E)

Dropped Out:

Emily Blunt, Pain Hustlers

Best Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (+1)

2. Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (-1)

3. Bradley Cooper, Maestro (PR: 3) (E)

4. Colman Domingo, Rustin (PR: 4) (E)

5. Barry Keoghan, Saltburn (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers (PR: 6) (E)

7. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Bob Marley: One Love (PR: 9) (+2)

8. Teo Yoo, Past Lives (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Anthony Hopkins, One Life (PR: 10) (E)

11. Michael Fassbender, Next Goal Wins (PR: 12) (+1)

12. Matt Damon, Air (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Adam Driver, Ferrari (PR: 13) (E)

14. Koji Yakusho, Perfect Days (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Anthony Hopkins, Freud’s Last Session (PR: 14) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Ed Harris, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Nominees:

1. Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (E)

2. Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple (PR: 2) (E)

3. Taraji P. Henson, The Color Purple (PR: 3) (E)

4. Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Viola Davis, Air (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers (PR: 6) (E)

7. Rosamund Pike, Saltburn (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Julianne Moore, May December (PR: 8) (E)

9. Aunjanue Ellis, The Nickel Boys (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Jodie Foster, Nyad (PR: 9) (-1)

11. Helena Bonham Carter, One Life (PR: 13) (+2)

1.2 Vanessa Kirby, Napoleon (PR: 15) (+3)

13. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 12 ) (-1)

14. Penelope Cruz, Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked)

15. Lashana Lynch, Bob Marley: One Love (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Audra McDonald, Rustin

America Ferrera, Barbie

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Nominees:

1. Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer (PR: 1) (E)

2. Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 2) (E)

3. Ryan Gosling, Barbie (PR: 3) (E)

4. John Magaro, Past Lives (PR: 4) (E)

5. Willem Dafoe, Poor Things (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Colman Domingo, The Color Purple (PR: 6) (E)

7. Samuel L. Jackson, The Piano Lesson (PR: 7) (E)

8. Charles Melton, May December (PR: 8) (E)

9. Glenn Howerton, BlackBerry (PR: 11) (+2)

10. Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers (PR: 10) (E)

11. Jesse Plemons, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 9) (-2)

12. Matt Damon, Oppenheimer (PR: 13) (+1)

13. Matt Bomer, Maestro (PR: Not Ranked)

14. Ben Affleck, Air (PR: 15) (+1)

15. Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things (PR: 12) (-3)

Dropped Out:

Glynn Turman, Rustin

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Past Lives (PR: 1) (E)

2. Anatomy of a Fall (PR: 3) (+1)

3. Saltburn (PR: 2) (-1)

4. Maestro (PR: 7) (+3)

5. May December (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Holdovers (PR: 6) (E)

7. Air (PR: 4) (-3)

8. Asteroid City (PR: 8) (E)

9. Fair Play (PR: 13) (+4)

10. Rustin (PR: 10 (E)

11. Napoleon (PR: 9) (-2)

12. The Boy and the Heron (PR: 15) (+3)

13. The Book of Clarence (PR: 11) (-2)

14. The Iron Claw (PR: 14) (E)

15. A Thousand and One (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

Bob Marley: One Love

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Nominees:

1. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (E)

2. Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (E)

3. Barbie (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 5) (+1)

5. The Zone of Interest (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Poor Things (PR: 3) (-3)

7. The Color Purple (PR: 6) (-1)

8. BlackBerry (PR: 10) (+2)

9. One Life (PR: 14) (+5)

10. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: 8) (-2)

11. Next Goal Wins (PR: 9) (-2)

12. The Nickel Boys (PR: 11) (-1)

13. Dumb Money (PR: Not Ranked)

14. The Piano Lesson (PR: 12) (-2)

15. The Killer (PR: 13) (-2)

Dropped Out:

Ferrari

Best International Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. The Zone of Interest (PR: 1) (E)

2. Anatomy of a Fall (PR: 2) (E)

3. About Dry Grasses (PR: 3) (E)

4. Monster (PR: 4) (E)

5.The Taste of Things (formerly The Pot-Au-Feu) (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Boy and the Heron (PR: 6) (E)

7. Fallen Leaves (PR: 8) (+1)

8. El Conde (PR: 7) (-1)

9. The Delinquents (PR: 9) (E)

10. La Chimera (PR: 10) (E)

Best Animated Feature Film

Predicted Nominees:

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: 1) (E)

2. The Boy and the Heron (PR: 2) (E)

3. Elemental (PR: 3) (E)

4. Wish (PR: 4) (E)

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (PR: 7) (+1)

7. Nimona (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Robot Dreams (PR: 8) (E)

9. Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Best Documentary Feature

Predicted Nominees:

1. Beyond Utopia (PR: 1) (E)

2. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (PR: 2) (E)

3. 20 Days in Mariupol (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Eternal Memory (PR: 7) (+3)

5. Every Body (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Mother of All Lies (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Stamped from the Beginning (PR: 5) (-2)

8. The Deepest Breath (PR: Not Ranked)

9. Wild Life (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Black Ice (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Kokomo City

Best Cinematography

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (E)

3. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 3) (E)

4. Maestro (PR: 10) (+6)

5. Napoleon (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Zone of Interest (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Poor Things (PR: 8) (+1)

8. The Color Purple (PR: 6) (-2)

9. The Killer (PR: 7) (-2)

10. Ferrari (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Costume Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Barbie (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Poor Things (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Color Purple (PR: 4) (E)

5. Napoleon (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 6) (E)

7. Asteroid City (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Chevalier (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Oppenheimer (PR: 9) (E)

10. Priscilla (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

Wonka

Best Film Editing

Predicted Nominees:

1. Oppenheimer (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 3) (E)

4. Maestro (PR: 8) (+4)

5. Air (PR: 6) (+1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Past Lives (PR: 4) (-2)

7. Ferrari (PR: 5) (-2)

8. The Killer (PR: 10) (+2)

9. The Zone of Interest (PR: Not Ranked)

10. The Color Purple (PR: 9) (E)

Dropped Out:

Saltburn

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Poor Things (PR: 2) (E)

3. Guardians of the Glaxy Vol. 3 (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Maestro (PR: 3) (-1)

5. Priscilla (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Barbie (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Golda (PR: 8) (E)

9. Beau is Afraid (PR: 10) (+1)

10. Wonka (PR: Not Ranked)

Dropped Out:

The Color Purple

Best Original Score

Predicted Nominees:

1. Oppenheimer (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 3) (E)

4. Elemental (PR: 4) (E)

5. The Zone of Interest (PR: 7) (+2)

Other Possibilities:

6. Past Lives (PR: 5) (-1)

7. Poor Things (PR: Not Ranked)

8. Asteroid City (PR: 10) (+2)

9. The Killer (PR: 8) (-1)

10. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: 6) (-4)

Dropped Out:

Napoleon

Best Original Song

Predicted Nominees:

1. TBD from The Color Purple (PR: 1) (E)

2. “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie (PR: 2) (E)

3. “The Wish” from Wish (PR: 3) (E)

4. “Quiet Eyes” from Past Lives (PR: 9) (+5)

5. “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. “Gonna Be You” from 80 for Brady (PR: 6) (E)

7. “Dance the Night” from Barbie (PR: 8) (+1)

8. “Steal the Show” from Elemental (PR: 7) (-1)

9. “Am I Dreaming?” from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: Not Ranked)

10. “Joan Still” from Theater Camp (PR: 10) (E)

Dropped Out:

TBD from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Best Production Design

Predicted Nominees:

1. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Barbie (PR: 3) (E)

4. Poor Things (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Oppenheimer (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Asteroid City (PR: 6) (E)

7. Napoleon (PR: 8) (+1)

8. The Color Purple (PR: 7) (-1)

9. Maestro (PR: 10) (+1)

10. The Zone of Interest (PR: 9) (-1)

Best Sound

Predicted Nominees:

1. Oppenheimer (PR: 1) (E)

2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)

3. Napoleon (PR: 4) (+1)

4. Ferrari (PR: 10) (+6)

5. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PR: 5) (E)

Other Possibilities:

6. The Color Purple (PR: 3) (-3)

7. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 6) (-1)

8. Maestro (PR: 7) (-1)

9. The Killer (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Barbie (PR: 8) (-2)

Dropped Out:

The Zone of Interest

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Nominees:

1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)

2. Oppenheimer (PR: 2) (E)

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (PR: 3) (E)

4. The Creator (PR: 5) (+1)

5. Napoleon (PR: 4) (-1)

Other Possibilities:

6. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (PR: 6) (E)

7. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 7) (E)

8. Wonka (PR: 8) (E)

9. Blue Beetle (PR: Not Ranked)

10. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (PR: 9) (-1)

Dropped Out:

Barbie

That means I’m projecting these numbers of nominations for these films:

12 Nominations

Oppenheimer

11 Nominations

Dune: Part Two

10 Nominations

Killers of the Flower Moon

7 Nominations

Barbie, Maestro

6 Nominations

The Color Purple, Past Lives, Poor Things

5 Nominations

The Zone of Interest

4 Nominations

Anatomy of a Fall, Napoleon

2 Nominations

Air, Elemental, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Saltburn, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Wish

1 Nomination

20 Days in Mariupol, About Dry Grasses, Beyond Utopia, The Boy and the Heron, The Creator, The Eternal Memory, Every Body, Ferrari, May December, Monster, Priscilla, Rustin, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, The Taste of Things, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

August 18-20 Box Office Predictions

The DCEU hopes to halt a string of disappointments with Blue Beetle while Strays features the vocal canine stylings of Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx. Both pics will attempt to dethrone Barbie after four weeks on top. My individual prediction posts on the newcomers can be accessed here:

Warner Bros and DC Comics have seen some underwhelming returns as of late with Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and this summer’s mega flop The Flash. I don’t anticipate their fortunes will turn with Beetle. A best case scenario might be $30 million. My projection below $25 million does give it an ever so slight edge over Barbie (which I see falling in the mid 30s in its fifth outing). Yet I doubt WB/DC will be bragging.

As for Strays, the R-rated comedy might have benefitted from Ferrell and Foxx hitting the promotion circuit. With the SAG-AFTRA strike, that’s not an option. This genre has struggled in recent years anyway. My low to mid teens take puts it in third with a start similar to No Hard Feelings from a few weeks back.

Oppenheimer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem should fill out the rest of the top five and here’s how I see it shaking out:

1. Blue Beetle

Predicted Gross: $23.7 million

2. Barbie

Predicted Gross: $22.5 million

3. Strays

Predicted Gross: $13.5 million

4. Oppenheimer

Predicted Gross: $12.7 million

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Predicted Gross: $9.2 million

Box Office Results (August 11-13)

The summer phenomenon that is Barbenheimer returned to rule the charts with Barbie leading the way. In its fourth frame, it took in $33.8 million and that’s good for the ninth best fourth weekend in history. It’s also a touch higher than my $30.4 million forecast as it climbed to $526 million overall.

Oppenheimer returned to the runner-up slot with $18.8 million, on target with my $19 million take. Christopher Nolan’s epic was down only 35% and it’s up to $264 million.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem rose from fourth to third with $15.2 million in its sophomore weekend. My prediction? $15.2 million! The acclaimed animated reboot has made $72 million.

As anticipated, Meg 2: The Trench suffered the heftiest drop of the holdovers (57%). Falling from second to fourth, the shark sequel grossed $12.8 million (I said $12 million) to bring its tally to $54 million. On the brighter side, it’s making a killing overseas like its 2018 predecessor.

Finally, The Last Voyage of the Demeter bombed in fifth with $6.5 million. Dubbed the “Dracula on a Boat” movie, audiences weren’t intrigued as it premiered on pace with my $6.4 million projection. With a B- Cinemascore, looking for it to sink even further next weekend.

And that does it for now, folks! Check out my podcast by searching Movies at the Speed of Speculation on your favorite listening stream. Until next time…

Blue Beetle Box Office Prediction

The DCEU, via Black Adam and The Flash, has had a rough go at the box office lately and Warner Bros hopes that turns around with Blue Beetle on August 18th. This could be a tall order. Angel Manuel Soto directs with Xolo Maradueña as the title hero. Costars include Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, Elpidia Carrillo, and George Lopez.

Originally slated for HBO Max, the studio changed its plans to a theatrical release. Budgeted at a reported $120 million, Beetle will battle the fact that plenty of moviegoers simply aren’t familiar with the character (and that the DCEU brand is not exactly firing on all cylinders lately).

Projections have varied over the past few weeks ranging from low teens all the way to the low 30s. Anything below $20 million would be considered a disaster. I’ll give it a little credit and say it climbs just over that figure. Unless it manages to generate significantly positive buzz, it could be gone in a flash.

Blue Beetle opening weekend prediction: $23.7 million

For my Strays prediction, click here: