Tag: Frankenstein

98th Academy Awards: FIRST Predictions in Best Director

And we are off to the races with my first Oscar predictions for the 98th Academy Awards.

It is just over a month removed from the 97th ceremony so let us begin some ridiculously early speculation! These are my inaugural glimpses at the four acting derbies, Director, and Picture. They have been unfolding on the blog over the next few days. I already posted my take in the acting fields and they can be found here:

98th Academy Awards: FIRST Predictions in Best Actress
98th Academy Awards: FIRST Predictions in Best Actor
98th Academy Awards: FIRST Predictions in Best Supporting Actress
98th Academy Awards: FIRST Predictions in Best Supporting Actor

That brings us to Best Director. This is the one major race of these first six where I named none of the eventual nominees for 97th ceremony back in April of 2024. That means the winner Sean Baker (Anora) and the other quartet of contenders (Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, James Mangold for A Complete Unknown) had yet to reach my radar screen. Two years ago, I already had eventual recipient Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) in my high five during the inaugural guesstimate.

Let’s get some caveats out of the way… it’s early. Some movies listed are likely to be pushed back or simply not turn out to be awards contenders. Others will rise up through the festival system much like Anora, Pérez, The Substance, and The Brutalist last time around.

This premiere post projects a return to competition for previous honoree Chloe Zhao with heavy hitters like Paul Thomas Anderson and Guillermo del Toro on the outside looking in.

Here’s the first snapshot with Best Picture up next!

TODD’S FIRST OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR BEST DIRECTOR AT THE 98TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice

Luca Guadagnino, After the Hunt

Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King

Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

Chloe Zhao, Hamnet

Other Possibilities:

Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

Noah Baumbach, Jay Kelly

Edward Berger, The Ballad of a Small Player

James Cameron, Avatar: Fire and Ash

Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good

Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein

Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck

Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia

Spike Lee, Highest 2 Lowest

Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

Daily Streaming Guide: April 3rd Edition

Today’s Streaming Guide focuses on an Oscar nominated period drama that is available for viewing via Hulu:

1998’s Gods and Monsters is responsible for introducing many American filmgoers to the work of Ian McKellen before he became a household name shortly thereafter with the X-Men and Lord of the Rings franchises. He’s cast as director James Whale, most known for his horror classics Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Set in the 1950s, Whale is aging and medically fragile and under the care of Lynn Redgrave’s nurse. Brendan Fraser (in rare dramatic work) costars as a young gardener who befriends Whale and is the object of his affection.

Monsters deservedly garnered Academy nominations for McKellen and Redgrave and won Best Adapted Screenplay. It’s worthy of a look.

That does it for now, folks! Until next time…

Oscar Watch: Mary Shelley

At the Toronto Film Festival last fall, Saudi Arabian director Haifaa al-Mansour premiered Mary Shelley with the hope of generating some solid critical buzz. The period drama casts Elle Fanning in the title role of the English author who brought Frankenstein to life in 1818. Costars include Douglas Booth, Maisie Williams, Ben Hardy, Bel Powley, and Stephen Dillane.

The picture largely landed with a thud. Scheduled for limited release in domestic theaters this Friday, Shelley is currently at just 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ms. Fanning is certainly an up and comer who could get her share of awards worthy roles in the future.

However, Mary Shelley isn’t it. Once it screened up north, the reaction assured its Oscar chances aren’t alive.

My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

Victor Frankenstein Box Office Prediction

Professor X and Harry Potter in a Frankenstein movie? Sounds like an intriguing proposition as Victor Frankenstein opens over the Thanksgiving holiday. Yet serious competition could keep this concoction (with its reported $90 million budget) from solid earnings.

James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in the gothic horror flick from director Paul McGuigan, known primarily for TV work on “Sherlock” and “Scandal”, among others. As mentioned, the biggest stumbling block could be adult competition in the form of The Hunger Games and critically acclaimed Creed. 

Radcliffe has done this genre before to positive results as his 2012 pic The Woman in Black debuted to $20 million. However, this was right on the heels of his massive Potter success and it opened in a much less competitive frame. One thought is simply having “Frankenstein” in the title might help a bit, but it didn’t mean much for last year’s I, Frankenstein, which made just $8.6 million for its start.

With a lack of any real buzz going for it, I’ll predict Victor Frankenstein is mostly scared away by the box office fire generated by its competitors.

Victor Frankenstein opening weekend prediction: $10.8 million (Friday to Sunday), $14.8 million (Wednesday to Sunday)

For my The Good Dinosaur prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/11/18/the-good-dinosaur-box-office-prediction/

For my Creed prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/11/19/creed-box-office-prediction/

I, Frankenstein Box Office Prediction

Aaron Eckhart stars in I, Frankenstein which opens this coming Friday and is the only wide release hitting theaters next weekend. This is likely not a matter of other studios being scared that I, Frankenstein is going to be a monster hit (pun intended). This is more due to the fact that four movies opened over MLK weekend and there’s still plenty of holiday leftovers making money.

Frankenstein‘s release date has been pushed back several times. It was originally scheduled to open almost a year ago. This reimagining of the familiar story that originated with Mary Shelley’s novel and has seen numerous film incarnations doesn’t inspire much excitement from its middling TV spots. Furthermore, while Eckhart is a well-respected actor, he’s not a box office draw.

The film’s best hope for box office success hinges on the fact that it’s got the word Frankenstein in the title. That might not get it far enough along to justify its $68 million budget. On the same weekend last year, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters opened to a decent $19.6 million. Lionsgate would probably be pleased with a similar result here.

The possibility of I, Frankenstein getting past $20 million out of the gate is reasonable, but I don’t think it’ll reach the total that those witch hunters accomplished a year ago. Therefore – I, Todd Thatcher, believe I, Frankenstein is headed toward a so-so premiere.

I, Frankenstein opening weekend prediction: $16.6 million