The previous four features in Universal’s MonsterVerse franchise have yielded precisely one Oscar nomination and it was for the movie without Godzilla in the title. That would be the second feature 2017’s Kong: Skull Island for its Visual Effects (it lost to Blade Runner 2049). The other entries with the jolly green giant on the poster – 2014’s Godzilla, 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong – didn’t make the VE competition or any other.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is out this Easter weekend and reviews are mixed. Adam Wingard directs with Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen among the human cast. The monster mash sits below the 76% RT score that (strangely enough) Godzilla, Skull Island, and Godzilla vs. Kong share. The 62% rating is above the 42% that King of the Monsters was saddled with.
Visual Effects is really the only possibility unless there’s a surprise Sound nod. The VE are being singled out by some writers. What’s transpired already in the MonsterVerse suggests it’s an uphill battle for final five inclusion. Academy voters also honored the title character just last year when Japan’s Godzilla Minus One won the category (giving Godzilla his first gold statue). My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
The fifth entry in the MonsterVerse series stomps into theaters this weekend with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. It is the sole wide release newcomer over the Easter frame and you can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:
The latest battle royale between iconic creatures should easily top the charts. Predecessor Godzilla vs. Kong still faced COVID challenges in 2021 and I think Empire should have no trouble surpassing its low 30s start. My estimate puts this just ahead of 2019’s premiere for Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
After an opening right in line with expectations (more on that below), Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire should slide to second (big weekend for sequels ending in the word empire by the way). How far it dips is worth monitoring. 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot fell 54% after mediocre word-of-mouth in its sophomore outing. 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife eased 45%, but it had the advantage of weekend #2 taking place over the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m basically splitting the difference with Empire experiencing a decline approaching 50%.
Holdover sequels Dune: Part Two and Kung Fu Panda 4 should populate the three and four slots with mid 40s drops. The five spot should be between Immaculate and Arthur the King.
Here’s how I have the top 6 shaking out:
1. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Predicted Gross: $52.2 million
2. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Predicted Gross: $21.8 million
3. Dune: Part Two
Predicted Gross: $11 million
4. Kung Fu Panda 4
Predicted Gross: $10.6 million
5. Immaculate
Predicted Gross: $3 million
6. Arthur the King
Predicted Gross: $2.8 million
Box Office Results (March 22-24)
The Ghostbusters franchise has been pretty darn consistent over the last near decade. The aforementioned reboot from 2016 with Melissa McCarthy and Kristin Wiig debuted with $46 million. Afterlife kicked off with $44 million. Frozen Empire heated up the charts with $45 million, a bit ahead of my $42.7 million prediction. As mentioned, this is generally where most prognosticators figured this would fall and even at the higher end of that range.
Dune: Part Two was second with $17.6 million, on target with my $17.4 million call. The sci-fi spectacle is up to $233 million after four weeks.
Kung Fu Panda 4 went from 1st to 3rd in its third weekend with $16.5 million, a bit below my $18.2 million call. The animated adventure has amassed $132 million thus far.
Sydney Sweeney’s fright fest Immaculate was fourth with Neon’s highest opening of all time at $5.3 million. I was close at $4.9 million. While this isn’t an overly impressive haul, it does give the studio bragging rights and helps solidify Sweeney’s status as Hollywood’s It Girl of the moment.
Arthur the King rounded out the top five with $4.2 million (I said $3.8 million) for a muted two-week tally of $14 million.
Finally, I didn’t make a projection for the critically acclaimed horror flick Late Night with the Devil. It opened in sixth with $2.8 million on just over 1000 screens and that marks a best ever for IFC Films.
Warner Bros is looking for a profitable monster mashup when Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire touches down on March 29th. It is the fifth feature in the MonsterVerse series behind Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Adam Wingard, who made the iconic creature battle from three years ago, directs. Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle reprise their roles from the last flick with Dan Stevens, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen joining the fracas.
Empire is highly unlikely to approach the premiere gross that Godzilla managed nearly 10 years ago with $93 million. The $61 million achieved by Skull Island might be out of reach as well. The best comps are its two immediate predecessors. Monsters started off with $47 million and that was considered a letdown at the time. Godzilla vs. Kong was released when COVID was still limiting earnings potential. It made $31 million out of the gate. Yet its legs were a little stronger as it ended up with $100 million domestic vs. the slightly more $110 million for Monsters.
There’s a possibility that #5 posts the third best debut of the quintet. I suspect that it will with a gross just ahead of what part 3 achieved.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire opening weekend prediction: $52.2 million
Mille Bobby Brown has battled plenty of otherworldly creatures on Netflix’s smash Stranger Things or Godzilla, King of the Monsters. In Enola Holmes, she fights with her wits inherited from her revolutionary minded mum and world famous brother. I suspect she’ll solve plenty more mysteries for the streaming pleasure of its young and female target audience.
Based on a series of novels from Nancy Springer, Brown’s title character is the youngest in her family. Dad has passed and her two older brothers are long gone. Mom Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) spends her days teaching Enola skills including martial arts and decoding. They come in handy when Eudoria vanishes on her daughter’s 16th birthday. The disappearance is not sweetened when it seems the matriarch has left on purpose.
This puts Enola back in contact with her siblings. Mycroft (Sam Claflin) is a stuffy politico now serving as her ward. He wants to send her to finishing school to sand down the rough edges. The middle child is the superstar of the clan (no Jan Brady issues here). That would be Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) who’s distant from the brood due to all his investigative commitments.
Enola isn’t about to spend her days learning how to be a “proper” lady so she hits the road in search of Eudoria. Leaving some breadcrumbs as to her whereabouts, the trail leads to London where she may be part of a rogue women’s suffrage group. It’s the late 19th century and this is the center of political upheaval.
It turns out Enola has more capers to consider. She’s introduced to Viscount Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) on the journey. The teenage British royal is on the run as someone is trying to kill him. He’s introduced to Enola hiding in an overhead bag on a train as he nearly falls on her. They soon fall for each other.
The dual cases of the Missing Mother and Tewkesbury becoming a Missing Person fill an overstuffed two hours. Brown carries the material even though neither mystery is particularly absorbing. She also talks to and mugs for the camera… a lot. As in probably too much. Sherlock is relegated to the sideline in this tale of his little sister harnessing her girl power. This might be an elementary introduction to her, but it’s got appeal.
Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong is lighter than its MonsterVerse predecessor Godzilla: King of the Monsters from 2019. I don’t just mean lighter in tone (which it is), but actually lighter where it counts. When the two title character titans clash, we can actually see it. That’s an improvement over what transpired two years ago when Godzilla’s battles were too dimly lit or obscured by pounding rain. That’s a major plus, but not every aspect of this franchise has leveled up. The human characters are still an uninteresting and bland group. We have fine actors whose primary responsibility is to talk about the massive CGI combatants and react to what they’re doing. Their character development is a secondary consideration. That said – we’re not here for that, are we? This is the culmination of three pictures leading to a movie being named Godzilla vs. Kong and it frequently manages to deliver.
We last left King Kong in the 1970s during Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla in the aforementioned Monsters when he successfully warded off King Ghidorah and others. The fourth franchise entry picks up five years after Monsters as Kong is being monitored by Monarch on his native island. His human contact is mostly with linguist Dr. Andrews (Rebecca Hall) and her deaf adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), who’s a native of the island. A magazine cover identifies the doctor as the “Kong Whisperer”, but it’s clearly Jia who’s found the most sincere connection with the massive ape. Also on Kong patrol is geologist Dr. Lind (Alexander Skarsgard).
While Kong is living a pretty chill existence on Skull Island, Godzilla’s fiery temper unexpectedly flares up. The not so jolly green giant has resurfaced to do lots of property destruction. His inexplicable attitude adjustment causes the CEO of APEX (Demian Bichir) to recruit Kong to solve this dilemma. APEX is a big shadowy corporation that sells itself as trying to solve the Titans problem. That doesn’t gel with conspiracy theorist Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry) and he’s got sympathizers with Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, returning from Monsters) and her nerdy buddy Josh (Julian Dennison). Madison’s dad, played by Kyle Chandler, also reprises his Monsters role.
Enough with the plot which also involves specialized vehicles zooming through gravity fields. All of this is a prelude to watching Godzilla and Kong fight. It happens early (no shades of the slow buildup of 2014’s Godzilla) and round 1 transpires on water and is gloriously lighted for our entertainment.
The main event is in Hong Kong and that’s when we learn why Godzilla is being so irritable (hint: corporate greed is a factor). The climactic matchup is preceded by some fairly dull scenes with humans. No performance is bad. They’re just inconsequential with the exception of Hottle’s Jia in a winning performance. As long as we’re able to ignore the poor people in the buildings that are demolished with Kong and Godzilla’s every twitch and stumble, these skirmishes are expertly staged and enjoyable. I’d put it a notch below 2014’s Godzilla stand-alone from Gareth Edwards, but a hair above Kong: Skull Island and certainly ahead of Monsters. This delivers on its title well enough and is lit properly.
While domestic audiences (via the theater or HBO Max) are about to find out who wins the epic showdown titled Godzilla vs. Kong, there is no doubt which creature holds the advantage with Oscar voters. It opens Wednesday and the review embargo is up as of today. The Adam Wingard directed monster mash currently holds an 81% Rotten Tomatoes rating. That’s currently above the three other titles in the MonsterVerse franchise: 2014’s Godzilla (76%), 2017’s Kong: Skull Island (75%), and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters (42%).
Now you may be thinking that no movie with Godzilla or Kong in the title has been nominated for Best Picture and it won’t start now. You would be 100% correct. The real question is whether this shows up in the 2021 derby for Best Visual Effects. In that space, our massive gorilla holds a distinct advantage. The 1976 remake of King Kong won a special Academy Award for its visuals and the 2005 remake won Visual Effects outright when it became its own category. In the current MonsterVerse, Kong: Skull Island landed a nomination in the race (losing to Blade Runner 2049). As for Godzilla, the last three American produced iterations (1998 and 2014’s Godzilla and its 2019 sequel) garnered a grand total of zero nods for its effects.
There are likely to be a number of spectacles this year that could contend in VE (several of them pushed back from 2020) so competition will be fierce. Yet Kong has shown his prowess in getting Academy members to notice him and perhaps he can bring his nemesis along for the ride. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…
Looking back on my Godzilla review from 2014, I spoke of how it felt like a party where the main character (that would be the fire breathing title one) wasn’t invited until halfway through. You expected Godzilla to be there the whole time. That left a level of disappointment, but the Gareth Edwards reboot of the franchise was worth the wait in the end. The sequel Godzilla: King of the Monsters RSVP’s the main attraction early on and he brings some familiar friends to the shindig. That doesn’t make the party better.
Michael Dougherty takes over directorial duties in a follow-up that feels bigger with its sprawling cast and action sequences. It also feels more cluttered and more like a prelude to what’s coming next in the MonsterVerse (Godzilla vs. Kong). That’s not an issue shared by 2014’s predecessor. Monsters picks up five years after the events of Godzilla when the creature managed to save the world and leave some collateral damage. That includes the young son of biologist Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and animal behavioralist Mark (Kyle Chandler). The parents have reacted differently and separately from the tragedy. Dr. Emma still believes in Godzilla’s global saving abilities, but in a dangerous way that teams her with an ecoterrorist (Charles Dance). Mark’s grief is directed toward Godzilla. Daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) is caught in the middle.
The family drama pits the estranged couple on opposites ends of the battle. More monsters are awoken from their slumber in various Monarch stations to wreak havoc. It results in the destruction of monuments in quite familiar Independence Day/Transformers style fashion. Toho stalwarts Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah are the aforementioned party dwellers joining the fray. The big fights are shot in destinations where the forecast is either a downpour or so dark that it’s often frustratingly hard to tell what is happening.
In addition to the Russell family, lots of recognizable actors are left to mostly stand and gawk at the monstrous activity. The film does have the distinction of adding another performer to the trifecta of prominent N.W.A. members (speaking of monster verses!) from Straight Outta Compton. In Kong: Skull Island, we had Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins). Now we have O’Shea Jackson Jr. (who played his dad Ice Cube in Compton) as a soldier. David Strathairn, Sally Hawkins, and Ken Watanabe reprise their 2014 roles while Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, and Zhang Ziyi are fresh gawkers. There’s not really a human performance to highlight. Just as Bryan Cranston earned some rightful criticism for his wild overacting in Godzilla, here we have Kyle Chandler often speaking in an intense and earnest hoarse whisper that is perhaps more annoying.
There’s a brief middle section where Godzilla is given a unique wakeup call. It transpires underwater where we discover the iconic radioactive creature’s original habitat. I found this to be the most well-constructed and engaging sequence. It hints at ancient stories that would probably be cool to explore. This doesn’t last long and before we know it, we are back to the dimly lit and rain soaked above ground CG brawls. They’re occasionally fun, but they will fall straight outta mind in short order. Maybe King Kong getting in on this will brighten things up.
The fourth film in the MonsterVerse franchise stomps into theaters and HBO Max on Wednesday (March 31) with Godzilla vs. Kong. Adam Wingard takes the directorial reigns with a cast including Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza Gonzalez, Kyle Chandler, and Demian Bichir. Of course, the real stars are the giant green monster (from 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters) and massive gorilla (of 2017’s Kong: Skull Island) who will duke it out in the production with a budget reportedly in the $200 million range.
This awaited matchup was originally set for viewing last spring before going through the now familiar myriad of delays due to COVID-19. It’s the latest example of Warner Bros. unveiling their pics simultaneously in multiplexes and HBO’s streaming service. With theaters in New York and Los Angeles now operating (albeit in diminished capacity) and with vaccinations rising, Godzilla vs. Kong is being seen as a major test for the industry. The previous COVID era highest opening weekend belongs to Wonder Woman 1984 (another WB/HBO Max venture) at $16.7 million over this past Christmas. That number exceeded expectations and the thought is that Kong will outpace it.
I tend to agree. It is worth noting that the last MonsterVerse title, King of the Monsters, was a box office disappointment. Due partly to poor reviews, it premiered in late May 2019 to a subpar $47 million with an eventual domestic gross just north of $100 million. By comparison, 2014’s Godzilla took in $200 million while Kong: Skull Island made $168 million. A $47 million debut here would be beyond even the wildest expectations in these Coronavirus times.
Godzilla vs. Kong has the benefit of bringing these two iconic creatures together and that’s a significant selling point. It’s also the kind of epic production that many may wish to see on a giant screen as opposed to on their couch via HBO Max (though I’m sure plenty of moviegoers will go that route).
With a five-day rollout, I believe a Friday to Sunday haul in the $20 million range is possible with mid to high 20s overall for the entire frame.
Godzilla vs. Kong opening weekend prediction: $21.1 million (Friday to Sunday), $27.3 million (Wednesday to Sunday)
My latest round of Oscar predictions brings the following developments:
Little Women has held industry screenings and greatly improved its chances at multiple nominations. It’s back in my predicted ten Best Picture contenders and that’s bad news for Ford v Ferrari.
Speaking of Ferrari, it was announced that Christian Bale will contend for Best Actor and not supporting, which is where I’ve had him predicted for weeks. This designation significantly decreases his shot and I have him ranked in 8th. The benefactor in Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe for The Lighthouse.
Back to Little Women. The standout is said to be Florence Pugh, so I now have her down for Supporting Actress, knocking out Shuzhen Zhou in The Farewell.
Speaking of The Farewell, my fifth spot in Actress continues to change as that picture’s Awkwafina slides to sixth with Alfre Woodard (Clemency) in.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood nabs the #1 slot in Picture over The Irishman. It’s a razor thin margin.
Let’s get to it!
BEST PICTURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Previous Ranking: 2)
2. The Irishman (PR: 1)
3. Marriage Story (PR: 4)
4. Parasite (PR: 3)
5. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)
6. 1917 (PR: 5)
7. Bombshell (PR: 9)
8. The Two Popes (PR: 8)
9. Little Women (PR: 12)
10. Joker (PR: 10)
Other Possibilities:
11. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)
12. The Farewell (PR: 11)
13. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 13)
14. Waves (PR: 14)
15. Richard Jewell (PR: 15)
BEST DIRECTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 3)
3. Bong Joon-Ho, Parasite (PR: 2)
4. Sam Mendes, 1917 (PR: 4)
5. Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Greta Gerwig, Little Women (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)
8. Jay Roach, Bombshell (PR: 10)
9. Todd Phillips, Joker (PR: Not Ranked)
10. James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Lulu Wang, The Farewell
Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory
BEST ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Adam Driver, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker (PR: 2)
3. Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes (PR: 3)
4. Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 5)
5. Robert De Niro, The Irishman (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (PR: 6)
7. Taron Egerton, Rocketman (PR: 7)
8. Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (PR: Not Ranked – moved from Supporting)
9. Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 8)
10. Paul Walter Hauser, Richard Jewell (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
BEST ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Renee Zellweger, Judy (PR: 1)
2. Charlize Theron, Bombshell (PR: 2)
3. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story (PR: 3)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women (PR: 4)
5. Alfre Woodard, Clemency (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Awkwafina, The Farewell (PR: 5)
7. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet (PR: 7)
8. Lupita Nyong’o, Us (PR: 8)
9. Helen Mirren, The Good Liar (PR: 9)
10. Isabelle Huppert, Frankie (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen and Slim
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Laura Dern, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Margot Robbie, Bombshell (PR: 3)
3. Florence Pugh, Little Women (PR: 8)
4. Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers (PR: 2)
5. Annette Bening, The Report (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Shuzhen Zhou, The Farewell (PR: 5)
7. Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PR: 6)
9. Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)
10. Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Meryl Streep, Little Women
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. Al Pacino, The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes (PR: 4)
4. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 3)
5. Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joe Pesci, The Irishman (PR: 7)
7. Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy (PR: 8)
8. John Lithgow, Bombshell (PR: 9)
9. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)
10. Sterling K. Brown, Waves (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (moved to lead)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 2)
3. Little Women (PR: 6)
4. The Two Popes (PR: 3)
5. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker (PR: 5)
7. Just Mercy (PR: 7)
8. Judy (PR: 8)
9. Downton Abbey (PR: 9)
10. Richard Jewell (PR: 10)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
2. Marriage Story (PR: 1)
3. Parasite (PR: 3)
4. The Farewell (PR: 4)
5. Bombshell (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Pain and Glory (PR: 8)
7. Waves (PR: 6)
8. 1917 (PR: 7)
9. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 10)
10. Knives Out (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Booksmart
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Predicted Nominees:
1. Parasite (PR: 1)
2. Pain and Glory (PR: 2)
3. Les Miserables (PR: 4)
4. Those Who Remained (PR: 6)
5. Monos (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Atlantics (PR: 3)
7. Beanpole (PR: 7)
8. And Then We Danced (PR: 8)
9. A White, White Day (PR: Not Ranked)
10. The Traitor (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Papicha
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Toy Story 4 (PR: 1)
2. Frozen II (PR: 2)
3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (PR: 3)
4. Weathering with You (PR: 5)
5. I Lost My Body (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Missing Link (PR: 4)
7. Abominable (PR: 7)
8. Funan (PR: 9)
9. Okko’s Inn (PR: 10)
10. Klaus (PR: 8)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. American Factory (PR: 2)
2. Apollo 11 (PR: 1)
3. One Child Nation (PR: 4)
4. The Cave (PR: 5)
5. Maiden (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Biggest Little Farm (PR: 6)
7. Diego Maradona (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Knock Down the House (PR: 10)
9. The Edge of Democracy (PR: 7)
10. Western Stars (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Aquarela
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story By Martin Scorsese
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 2)
2. 1917 (PR: 1)
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 3)
4. A Hidden Life (PR: Not Ranked)
5. The Lighthouse (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Ad Astra (PR: 6)
7. Joker (PR: 9)
8. Parasite (PR: 4)
9. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Marriage Story
Jojo Rabbit
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
2. Little Women (PR: 3)
3. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 4)
4. Downton Abbey (PR: 1)
5. Rocketman (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Irishman (PR: 7)
7. Judy (PR: 6)
8. 1917 (PR: 9)
9. Joker (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Aladdin
Jojo Rabbit
BEST FILM EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
3. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 4)
4. Marriage Story (PR: 5)
5. 1917 (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Parasite (PR: 6)
7. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 7)
8. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 9)
9. Avengers: Endgame (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Joker (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
Ad Astra
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Bombshell (PR: 2)
2. The Irishman (PR: 1)
3. Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 4)
4. Judy (PR: 3)
5. Joker (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Rocketman (PR: 9)
7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 7)
8. The Aeronauts (PR: 8)
9. Little Women (PR: 5)
10. Cats (PR: 10)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917 (PR: 1
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)
3. Little Women (PR: 3)
4. Marriage Story (PR: 4)
5. A Hidden Life (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)
7. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)
8. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)
9. Joker (PR: 9)
10. Ad Astra
Dropped Out:
Waves
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II (PR: 1)
2. “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman (PR: 2)
3. “Beautiful Ghosts” from Cats (PR: Not Ranked)
4. “Stand Up” from Harriet (PR: 3)
5. “Spirit” from The Lion King (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 6)
7. “Speechless” from Aladdin (PR: 5)
8. “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4 (PR: 4)
9. “One Little Soldier” from Bombshell (PR: 8)
10. “Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
”Together From Afar” from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. The Irishman (PR: 4)
3. Little Women (PR: 5)
4. 1917 (PR: 2)
5. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Parasite (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Cats (PR: 6)
8. Downton Abbey (PR: 10)
9. The Aeronauts (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Ford v Ferrari
Aladdin
BEST SOUND EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 2)
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 3)
3. 1917 (PR: 1)
4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 8)
5. Ad Astra (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Irishman (PR: 7)
7. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 5)
8. Rocketman (PR: 4)
9. Cats (PR: 9)
10. Us (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Lion King
BEST SOUND MIXING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 1)
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 3)
3. 1917 (PR: 2)
4. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 6)
5. Ad Astra (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Rocketman (PR: 4)
7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 9)
8. The Irishman (PR: 8)
9. Cats (PR: 7)
10. Joker (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Lion King
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (PR: 2)
2. Avengers: Endgame (PR: 3)
3. The Irishman (PR: 1)
4. The Lion King (PR: 4)
5. Alita: Battle Angel (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Aeronauts (PR: 6)
7. Ad Astra (PR: 8)
8. Gemini Man (PR: 7)
9. 1917 (PR: 9)
10. Dumbo (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
And that equates to the following films getting the following number of nominations:
10 Nominations
The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
8 Nominations
1917, Marriage Story
7 Nominations
Little Women
5 Nominations
Bombshell
4 Nominations
Parasite, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Two Popes
3 Nominations
Ford v Ferrari, Jojo Rabbit, Joker
2 Nominations
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Ad Astra, Avengers: Endgame, Dolemite Is My Name, Frozen II, A Hidden Life, Judy, The Lighthouse, The Lion King, Rocketman
1 Nomination
Alita: Battle Angel, American Factory, Apollo 11, Cats, The Cave, Clemency, Downton Abbey, The Farewell, Harriet, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Hustlers, I Lost My Body, Les Miserables, Maiden, Monos, One Child Nation, Pain and Glory, The Report, Those Who Remained, Toy Story 4, Weathering with You
My weekly Oscar predictions this Thursday brings a whole lot of changes in that I’m including every category covering feature films! Additionally, there’s now only 15 listed possibilities in Best Picture and ten in all other races.
For this format, my projections show The Irishman garnering the most nominations with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 1917, and Marriage Story not far behind. Besides the cosmetic changes, here’s what else has transpired in the past seven days:
Bombshell, the true life of Fox News and the downfall of Roger Ailes, had its first industry screenings. The film immediately vaulted itself into contention in Picture, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, and Original Screenplay (as well as Makeup & Hairstyling).
My inclusion of Bombshell in Best Picture means The Farewell has been taken out with The Two Popes and Joker as other on the bubble entries.
Not only does Charlize Theron’s work in Bombshell enter my Best Actress projections, but she comes in at #2. That drops Cynthia Erivo in Harriet out of the top five for the first time.
Margot Robbie’s performance in the picture puts her in and she bumps… Margot Robbie in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
In non Bombshell news, South Korean import Parasite had the best per screen average of 2019 in limited release. It’s the best reviewed movie of the year and its numbers game improves in Picture and Director this week.
BEST PICTURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
3. Parasite (PR: 6)
4. Marriage Story (PR: 3)
5. 1917 (PR: 4)
6. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 5)
7. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)
8. The Two Popes (PR: 9)
9. Bombshell (PR: 18)
10. Joker (PR: 10)
Other Possibilities:
11. The Farewell (PR: 8)
12. Little Women (PR: 12)
13. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 11)
14. Waves (PR: 13)
15. Richard Jewell (PR: 15)
Dropped Out:
Pain and Glory
Judy
Just Mercy
A Hidden Life
Rocketman
The Report
Booksmart
The Good Liar
Dark Waters
Ad Astra
BEST DIRECTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Bong Joon-Ho, Parasite (PR: 4)
3. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
4. Sam Mendes, 1917 (PR: 3)
5. Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 6)
7. James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 8)
8. Lulu Wang, The Farewell (PR: 7)
9. Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory (PR: 13)
10. Jay Roach, Bombshell (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life
Todd Phillips, Joker
Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell
BEST ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Adam Driver, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Joaquin Phoenix, Joker (PR: 2)
3. Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes (PR: 3)
4. Robert De Niro, The Irishman (PR: 5)
5. Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory (PR: 6)
7. Taron Egerton, Rocketman (PR: 8)
8. Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name (PR: 7)
9. Paul Walter Hauser, Richard Jewell (PR: 9)
10. Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems (PR: 11)
Dropped Out:
Michael B. Jordan, Just Mercy
Ian McKellen, The Good Liar
Mark Ruffalo, Dark Waters
Brad Pitt, Ad Astra
Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse
BEST ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Renee Zellweger, Judy (PR: 1)
2. Charlize Theron, Bombshell (PR: 7)
3. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story (PR: 2)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women (PR: 4)
5. Awkwafina, The Farewell (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Alfre Woodard, Clemency (PR: 6)
7. Cynthia Erivo, Harriet (PR: 3)
8. Lupita Nyong’o, Us (PR: 8)
9. Helen Mirren, The Good Liar (PR: 9)
10. Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen and Slim (PR: 11)
Dropped Out:
Isabelle Huppert, Frankie
Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart
Felicity Jones, The Aeronauts
Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell
Julianne Moore, Gloria Bell
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Predicted Nominees:
1. Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 1)
2. Al Pacino, The Irishman (PR: 2)
3. Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)
4. Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes (PR: 3)
5. Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (PR: 6)
7. Joe Pesci, The Irishman (PR: 7)
8. Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy (PR: 9)
9. John Lithgow, Bombshell (PR: 13)
10. Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
Sterling K. Brown, Waves
Alan Alda, Marriage Story
Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy
Sam Rockwell, Jojo Rabbit
Zack Gottsagen, The Peanut Butter Falcon
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Predicted Nominees:
1. Laura Dern, Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers (PR: 2)
3. Margot Robbie, Bombshell (PR: 12)
4. Annette Bening, The Report (PR: 3)
5. Shuzhen Zhou, The Farewell (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PR: 6)
7. Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 4)
8. Florence Pugh, Little Women (PR: 9)
9. Meryl Streep, Little Women (PR: 8)
10. Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Jennifer Hudson, Cats
Nicole Kidman, Bombshell
Penelope Cruz, Pain and Glory
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman (PR: 1)
2. Jojo Rabbit (PR: 2)
3. The Two Popes (PR: 3)
4. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PR: 4)
5. Joker (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Little Women (PR: 6)
7. Just Mercy (PR: 8)
8. Judy (PR: 7)
9. Downton Abbey (PR: 9)
10. Richard Jewell (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
The Good Liar
Dark Waters
Hustlers
Toy Story 4
Luce
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Predicted Nominees:
1. Marriage Story (PR: 1)
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (PR: 2)
3. Parasite (PR: 3)
4. The Farewell (PR: 4)
5. Bombshell (PR: 10)
Other Possibilities:
6. Waves (PR: 6)
7. 1917 (PR: 8)
8. Pain and Glory (PR: 5)
9. Booksmart (PR: 9)
10. Ford v Ferrari (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
The Report
Honey Boy
Dolemite Is My Name
Knives Out
Rocketman
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Predicted Nominees:
1. Parasite
2. Pain and Glory
3. Atlantics
4. Les Miserables
5. Monos
Other Possibilities:
6. Those Who Remained
7. Beanpole
8. And Then We Danced
9. Papicha
10. The Traitor
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Toy Story 4
2. Frozen II
3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
4. Missing Link
5. Weathering with You
Other Possibilities:
6. I Lost My Body
7. Abominable
8. Klaus
9. Funan
10. Okko’s Inn
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Predicted Nominees:
1. Apollo 11
2. American Factory
3. Maiden
4. One Child Nation
5. The Cave
Other Possibilities:
6. The Biggest Little Farm
7. The Edge of Democracy
8. Aquarela
9. Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story By Martin Scorsese
10. Knock Down the House
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917
2. The Irishman
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
4. Parasite
5. The Lighthouse
OtherPossibilities:
6. Ad Astra
7. Ford v Ferrari
8. Marriage Story
9. Joker
10. Jojo Rabbit
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Downton Abbey
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. Little Women
4. Dolemite Is My Name
5. Rocketman
OtherPossibilities:
6. Judy
7. The Irishman
8. Aladdin
9. 1917
10. Jojo Rabbit
BEST EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. 1917
4. Ford v Ferrari
5. Marriage Story
Other Possibilities:
6. Parasite
7. Jojo Rabbit
8. Joker
9. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
10. Ad Astra
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman
2. Bombshell
3. Judy
4. Dolemite Is My Name
5. Little Women
Other Possibilities:
6. Joker
7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
8. The Aeronauts
9. Rocketman
10. Cats
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
3. Little Women
4. Marriage Story
5. Jojo Rabbit
Other Possibilities:
6. The Aeronauts
7. Ford v Ferrari
8. A Hidden Life
9. Joker
10. Waves
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II
2. “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from Rocketman
3. “Stand Up” from Harriet
4. “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4
5. “Speechless” from Aladdin
Other Possibilities:
6. “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4
7. “Spirit” from The Lion King
8. “One Little Soldier” from Bombshell
9. “Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn
10. “Together From Afar” from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Predicted Nominees:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
2. 1917
3. Jojo Rabbit
4. The Irishman
5. Little Women
Other Possibilities:
6. Cats
7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
8. Ford v Ferrari
9. Aladdin
10. Downton Abbey
BEST SOUND EDITING
Predicted Nominees:
1. 1917
2. Ford v Ferrari
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
4. Rocketman
5. Avengers: Endgame
Other Possibilities:
6. Ad Astra
7. The Irishman
8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
9. Cats
10. The Lion King
BEST SOUND MIXING
Predicted Nominees:
1. Ford v Ferrari
2. 1917
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
4. Rocketman
5. Ad Astra
Other Possibilities:
6. Avengers: Endgame
7. Cats
8. The Irishman
9. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
10. The Lion King
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Irishman
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
3. Avengers: Endgame
4. The Lion King
5. Alita: Battle Angel
Other Possibilities:
6. The Aeronauts
7. Gemini Man
8. Ad Astra
9. 1917
10. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
So here’s I have the nominations playing out as far as numbers with each film:
10 Nominations
The Irishman
9 Nominations
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
8 Nominations
1917, Marriage Story
5 Nominations
Bombshell, Ford v Ferrari, Little Women, Parasite
4 Nominations
Jojo Rabbit, Rocketman, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Two Popes
3 Nominations
The Farewell, Joker
2 Nominations
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Avengers: Endgame, Dolemite Is My Name, Frozen II, Judy, Toy Story 4
1 Nomination
Ad Astra, Aladdin, Alita: Battle Angel, American Factory, Apollo 11, Atlantics, The Cave, Downton Abbey, Harriet, Hustlers, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Les Miserables, The Lighthouse, The Lion King, Maiden, Missing Link, Monos, One Child Nation, Pain and Glory, The Report, Weathering with You
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