The most high-profile Oscar precursor arrives Sunday night when Seth Meyers hosts the Golden Globe awards. Of course, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association operates a bit differently by divvying its major categories (Picture, Actor, Actress) into Drama and Musical/Comedy.
As has been a common theme lately, one of the “Musical/Comedy” entries is a bit questionable – Jordan Peele’s Get Out. To be fair, it is a difficult picture to classify. The Golden Globes can often shed some light on Oscar contenders or solidify front runners. Here are my predictions, race by race, on who and what will emerge victorious and my runner-up picks:
Best Picture (Drama)
Nominees: Call Me by Your Name, Dunkirk, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Predicted Winner: The Shape of Water
Runner-Up: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)
Nominees: The Disaster Artist, Get Out, The Greatest Showman, I, Tonya, Lady Bird
Predicted Winner: Lady Bird
Runner-Up: The Disaster Artist
Best Director
Nominees: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water), Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk), Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World), Steven Spielberg (The Post)
Predicted Winner: del Toro
Runner-Up: Nolan
Best Actor (Drama)
Nominees: Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread), Tom Hanks (The Post), Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour), Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)
Predicted Winner: Oldman
Runner-Up: Chalamet
Best Actress (Drama)
Nominees: Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Meryl Streep (The Post), Michelle Williams (All the Money in the World)
Predicted Winner: Hawkins
Runner-Up: McDormand
Best Actor (Musical/Comedy)
Nominees: Steve Carell (Battle of the Sexes), Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver), James Franco (The Disaster Artist), Hugh Jackman (The Greatest Showman), Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)
Predicted Winner: Franco
Runner-Up: Jackman
Best Actress (Musical/Comedy)
Nominees: Judi Dench (Victoria and Abdul), Helen Mirren (The Leisure Seeker), Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), Emma Stone (Battle of the Sexes)
Predicted Winner: Ronan
Runner-Up: Robbie
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project), Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name), Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World), Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Predicted Winner: Plummer
Runner-Up: Rockwell
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Mary J. Blige (Mudbound), Hong Chau (Downsizing), Allison Janney (I, Tonya), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)
Predicted Winner: Janney
Runner-Up: Metcalf
Best Screenplay
Nominees: Lady Bird, Molly’s Game, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Predicted Winner: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Runner-Up: Lady Bird
Best Animated Feature
Nominees: The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent
Predicted Winner: Coco
Runner-Up: Loving Vincent
Best Foreign Language Film
Nominees: A Fantastic Woman, First, They Killed My Father, In the Fade, Loveless, The Square
Predicted Winner: First, They Killed My Father
Runner-Up: A Fantastic Woman
Best Score
Nominees: Dunkirk, Phantom Thread, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Predicted Winner: Dunkirk
Runner-Up: The Shape of Water
Best Song
Nominees: “Home” from Ferdinand, “Mighty River” from Mudbound, “Remember Me” from Coco, “The Star” from The Star, “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman
Predicted Winner: “This is Me”
Runner-Up: “Remember Me”
I’ll have a recap up Sunday night with how I did! Until then…
When the Golden Globe nominations were announced early last week, there were three rather significant surprises. All the Money in the World, which is out Christmas Day, garnered a trio of nominations that no one really saw coming: Ridley Scott for his direction (even though the film itself failed to get a Picture nod), Michelle Williams for Actress, and Christopher Plummer for Supporting Actor.
This begged the question: could the Globes love translate to Oscar affection? The true-life kidnapping thriller had its review embargo lifted today and answers have become (somewhat) more clear. Early critical reaction is positive and it stands at 89% at the moment on Rotten Tomatoes.
Much of the praise is indeed focused on the direction and the two performers listed above (Mark Wahlberg will not factor into Best Actor). Yet we all know the picture has generated unexpected publicity in the last few weeks. Mr. Plummer took over the role of J. Paul Getty when Kevin Spacey became embroiled in scandal. The latter had already shot his entire supporting part and even a trailer was released with Spacey prominently featured.
Amazingly, it was a month and half ago that Plummer was brought in to replace him and director Scott has delivered the finished product in time for release. This unprecedented move has certainly brought Money a lot of attention. It’s certainly possible that the Hollywood Foreign Press (who bestows Globe nominations) were rewarding Scott for his quick turnaround and Plummer for his rapid filming of the role.
Will Oscar follow? Probably not. Many of the overall positive reviews have quibbled with script aspects and delivery. I do not see a Best Picture nomination as likely and that should put Scott out of the running. However, if Money somehow manages to be nominated in the biggest category, Scott would probably follow suit. I would not bet on it (even though many thought Scott was snubbed two years ago for The Martian).
As for the two actors nominated for Globes, Best Actress is incredibly crowded in 2017. It’s hard to dispute Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), Meryl Streep (The Post), Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), and Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) as the five front-runners for the five spots with performers like Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game) and Judi Dench (Victoria and Abdul) waiting in the wings. I simply don’t see room for Williams at this point.
Plummer could be a different story. Supporting Actor is fairly busy, but I see only Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project) and Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards) as absolute sure things for nominations. My weekly Monday predictions will still probably leave Plummer on the outside looking in, but he’s definitely got a chance.
Greetings everyone! It’s Monday and that means my weekly Oscar predictions are back. In the past week, we’ve seen SAG nominations (often a better indicator than the Globes when it comes to precursors) released. This week, we’re going to see review embargoes lifted for All the Money in the World (tomorrow) and The Greatest Showman (Wednesday). These are really the final two pieces of the awards puzzle.
Here are the significant developments and changes in my rankings from the last 7 days:
Best Picture remains the same nine nominees, but Phantom Thread is, well, hanging by one with Mudbound, Darkest Hour, I, Tonya, and (maybe) All the Money in the World close behind.
Daniel Kaluuya moves up to #6 in Best Actor possibilities. I’m not ready to put him in, but he’s making Franco and Hanks look a bit vulnerable.
In Supporting Actor, I’ve replaced Michael Stuhlbarg with Woody Harrelson.
In Supporting Actress, I’ve replaced Melissa Leo with Octavia Spencer. I nearly went with Holly Hunter for the 5 spot.
In Adapted Screenplay where the fifth slot looks up for grabs, I’ve put in All the Money in the World in for now (replacing Wonder).
The Foreign Language film race released its nine possible contenders. Surprisingly, BPM (Beats Per Minute) and Angelina Jolie’s First, They Killed My Father were left out.
The Visual Effects category named their ten possible films. Left off were Wonder Woman, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Beauty and the Beast. I had all four in my top ten possibles, but not in my predicted five.
Let’s get to it, shall we?
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Lady Bird (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
5. The Post (PR: 4)
6. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Get Out (PR: 7)
8. The Florida Project (PR: 8)
9. Phantom Thread (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
10. Mudbound (PR: 11)
11. Darkest Hour (PR: 10)
12. I, Tonya (PR: 12)
13. All the Money in the World (PR: 14)
14. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 15)
15. The Big Sick (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (PR: 3)
4. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 4)
5. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Jordan Peele, Get Out (PR: 7)
8. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (PR: 8)
9. Sean Baker, The Florida Project (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: 4)
5. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out (PR: 7)
7. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (PR: 9)
8. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 8)
9. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 6)
10. Robert Pattinson, Good Time (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Andrew Garfield, Breathe
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 1)
2. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 3)
3. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 4)
4. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 2)
5. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 6)
7. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
8. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 7)
9. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 9)
10. Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World (PR: 10)
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
5. Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 4)
7. Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 6)
9. Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World (PR: 9)
10. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Jason Mitchell, Mudbound
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 1)
2. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 2)
3. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 3)
4. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 5)
5. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 8)
7. Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread (PR: 7)
8. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 4)
9. Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip (PR: 9)
10. Lois Smith, Marjorie Prime (PR: 10)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees
1. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 1)
2. Molly’s Game (PR: 4)
3. Mudbound (PR: 3)
4. The Disaster Artist (PR: 4)
5. All the Money in the World (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wonder (PR: 5)
7. Wonderstruck (PR: 6)
8. Victoria and Abdul (PR: Not Ranked)
9. The Beguiled (PR: 9)
10. Last Flag Flying (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
Blade Runner 2049
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Lady Bird (PR: 1)
2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Get Out (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Phantom Thread (PR: 6)
7. The Big Sick (PR: 9)
8. The Florida Project (PR: 7)
9. I, Tonya (PR: 8)
10. Dunkirk (PR: 10)
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Coco (PR: 1)
2. The Breadwinner (PR: 2)
3. Loving Vincent (PR: 3)
4. The Girl Without Hands (PR: 5)
5. Cars 3 (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. The LEGO Batman Movie (PR: 6)
7. Birdboy: The Forgotten Children (PR: 7)
8. The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (PR: 10)
9. Ferdinand (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Despicable Me 3 (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
The Boss Baby
Best Foreign Language Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Foxtrot (PR: 1)
2. The Square (PR: 3)
3. Loveless (PR: 5)
4. A Fantastic Woman (PR: 6)
5. In the Fade (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Insult (PR: 8)
7. The Wound (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Felicite (PR: Not Ranked)
9. On Body and Soul (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
First, They Killed My Father
Thelma
The Divine Order
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Jane (PR: 1)
2. Faces Places (PR: 2)
3. Icarus (PR: Not Ranked)
4. City of Ghosts (PR: 3)
5. Long Strange Trip (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Strong Island (PR: 5)
7. One of Us (PR: 7)
8. LA 92 (PR: Not Ranked)
9. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (PR: 6)
10. Chasing Coral (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
3. The Post (PR: 2)
4. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
5. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. I, Tonya (PR: 6)
7. Lady Bird (PR: 4)
8. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Darkest Hour (PR: 8)
10. Get Out (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Call Me by Your Name
Detroit
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. Darkest Hour (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wonderstruck (PR: 5)
7. Mudbound (PR: 7)
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 8)
9. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 10)
10. Lady Bird (PR: 9)
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 3)
3. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
4. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 4)
5. The Post (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wonderstruck (PR: 8)
7. Phantom Thread (PR: 5)
8. Darkest Hour (PR: 9)
9. The Greatest Showman (PR: 7)
10. Murder on the Orient Express (PR: 10)
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Phantom Thread (PR: 1)
2. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. The Greatest Showman (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Beguiled (PR: 7)
7. Darkest Hour (PR: 6)
8. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
9. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Murder on the Orient Express (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Wonderstruck
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
**Blogger’s Note (12/19/17): A days after my initial estimates, the Academy has announced the seven films that will compete in the category. My updated predictions are reflected here:
Predicted Nominees:
1. Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. I, Tonya (PR: 5)
3. Wonder (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: 6)
5. Bright (PR: Not Ranked)
6. Ghost in the Shell (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Victoria and Abdul (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Beauty and the Beast
Phantom Thread
Logan
The Shape of Water
The Greatest Showman
Blade Runner 2049
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
It
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 4)
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 3)
5. Dunkirk (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: 9)
7. Kong: Skull Island (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Okja (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Alien: Covenant (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Beauty and the Beast
Wonder Woman
Thor: Ragnarok
Best Sound Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 5)
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 4)
5. Wonder Woman (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Baby Driver (PR: 6)
7. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
8. The Post (PR: 9)
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Darkest Hour (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
The Greatest Showman
Best Sound Mixing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. Baby Driver (PR: 4)
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 6)
5. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 7)
7. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 8)
8. The Greatest Showman (PR: 5)
9. Wonder Woman (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Transformers: The Last Knight (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
2. Dunkirk (PR: 3)
3. Phantom Thread (PR: 1)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. Wonderstruck (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 8)
7. Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 6)
9. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 9)
10. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 10)
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Remember Me” from Coco (PR: 1)
2. “Stand Up for Something” from Marshall (PR: 2)
3. “Evermore” from Beauty and the Beast (PR: 4)
4. “It Ain’t Fair” from Detroit (PR: 7)
5. “Mighty River” from Mudbound (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman (PR: 9)
7. “The Mystery of Love” from Call Me by Your Name (PR: 5)
8. “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from Fifty Shades Darker (PR: 8)
9. “Prayers for this World” from Cries from Syria (PR: 6)
10. “Truth to Power” from An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (PR: 10)
That gives us the following nomination breakdowns:
13 Nominations
The Shape of Water
10 Nominations
The Post
9 Nominations
Dunkirk
7 Nominations
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
6 Nominations
Blade Runner 2049
5 Nominations
Lady Bird
4 Nominations
Call Me by Your Name, Phantom Thread, Beauty and the Beast
3 Nominations
Darkest Hour, I, Tonya, Mudbound, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
2 Nominations
Get Out, The Florida Project, The Disaster Artist, Coco, War for the Planet of the Apes
1 Nomination
Downsizing, Molly’s Game, All the Money in the World, The Greatest Showman, Wonder Woman, Wonder, Baby Driver, Wonderstruck, Marshall, Detroit, The Breadwinner, Loving Vincent, The Girl Without Hands, Cars 3, Foxtrot, The Square, Loveless, A Fantastic Woman, In the Fade, Jane, Faces Places, Icarus, City of Ghosts, Long Strange Trip
My Oscar picks will be updated next on Christmas Day!
Back at it again with my weekly Oscar predictions. There’s been a host of precursor activity in the past week with the biggest coming this morning as the Golden Globe nominations were announced.
The verdict? The five nominated Best Drama contenders are all very likely Oscar competitors – Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, The Post, Three Billboards, Call Me by Your Name. In the Comedy category, both Lady Bird and Get Out got in as expected.
Speaking of Get Out, this week marks its first inclusion in my estimated nine contenders. In fact, it vaults four spots up to #7. Something had to come out and it was Darkest Hour, whose luster seems to be fading.
Another Globe surprise: the strong showing for All the Money in the World. Reviews have yet to come, but it was nominated for Director (Ridley Scott), Actress in Drama (Michelle Williams), and Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer, who famously took over the role from the embattled Kevin Spacey). All three debut on the lower rung on my predictions.
In other developments:
Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water) is in for Supporting Actor over Mark Rylance (Dunkirk)
Two changes in Supporting Actress with Melissa Leo (Novitiate) and Hong Chau (Downsizing) in over Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water) and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread)
In the Screenplay races, Wonder is in for Adapted over Wonderstruck while in the crowded Original Screenplay category, The Shape of Water is back in over Phantom Thread
Read on!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. Lady Bird (PR: 3)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
4. The Post (PR: 2)
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
6. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Get Out (PR: 11)
8. The Florida Project (PR: 9)
9. Phantom Thread (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
10. Darkest Hour (PR: 8)
11. Mudbound (PR: 10)
12. I, Tonya (PR: 12)
13. Detroit (PR: 13)
14. All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
The Disaster Artist
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (PR: 3)
4. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 4)
5. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Jordan Peele, Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (PR: 7)
9. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 8)
10. Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Sean Baker, The Florida Project
Joe Wright, Darkest Hour
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: 4)
5. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 7)
7. Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 6)
9. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (PR: 9)
10. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
Robert Pattinson, Good Time
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 1)
2. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 2)
3. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 3)
4. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 4)
5. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 6)
7. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 7)
8. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 9)
9. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 8)
10. Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 4)
5. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 5)
7. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
8. Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 8)
9. Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 2)
2. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 1)
3. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 4)
4. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 6)
5. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
7. Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread (PR: 3)
8. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 9)
9. Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip (PR: 10)
10. Lois Smith, Marjorie Prime (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 1)
2. The Disaster Artist (PR: 2)
3. Mudbound (PR: 3)
4. Molly’s Game (PR: 4)
5. Wonder (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wonderstruck (PR: 5)
7. All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Last Flag Flying (PR: 6)
9. The Beguiled (PR: 9)
10. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Victoria and Abdul
First, They Killed My Father
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Lady Bird (PR: 2)
2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 1)
3. Get Out (PR: 5)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Phantom Thread (PR: 3)
7. The Florida Project (PR: 7)
8. I, Tonya (PR: 8)
9. The Big Sick (PR: 9)
10. Dunkirk (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Darkest Hour
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Coco (PR: 1)
2. The Breadwinner (PR: 3)
3. Loving Vincent (PR: 2)
4. Cars 3 (PR: 5)
5. The Girl Without Hands (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. The LEGO Batman Movie (PR: 6)
7. Birdboy: The Forgotten Children (PR: 4)
8. Despicable Me 3 (PR: Not Ranked)
9. The Boss Baby (PR: Not Ranked)
10. The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Ferdinand
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
In this Corner of the World
Best Foreign Language Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Foxtrot (PR: 2)
2. BPM (Beats Per Minute) (PR: 1)
3. The Square (PR: 7)
4. First, They Killed My Father (PR: 3)
5. Loveless (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. A Fantastic Woman (PR: 6)
7. In the Fade (PR: 4)
8. The Insult (PR: 5)
9. Thelma (PR: 9)
10. The Divine Order (PR: 10)
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Jane (PR: 1)
2. Faces Places (PR: 5)
3. City of Ghosts (PR: 3)
4. Long Strange Trip (PR: 7)
5. Strong Island (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (PR: Not Ranked)
7. One of Us (PR: 9)
8. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Chasing Coral (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Cries from Syria
Icarus
Risk
Kedi
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. The Post (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Lady Bird (PR: 5)
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. I, Tonya (PR: 6)
7. Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Darkest Hour (PR: 8)
9. Call Me by Your Name (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Detroit (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
Phantom Thread
Blade Runner 2049
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. Wonderstruck (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
7. Mudbound (PR: 8)
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 7)
9. Lady Bird (PR: 9)
10. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 10)
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 3)
4. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 5)
5. Phantom Thread (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Post (PR: 7)
7. The Greatest Showman (PR: 9)
8. Wonderstruck (PR: 8)
9. Darkest Hour (PR: 6)
10. Murder on the Orient Express (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Phantom Thread (PR: 1)
2. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. The Greatest Showman (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
7. The Beguiled (PR: 7)
8. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
9. Wonderstruck (PR: 10)
10. Murder on the Orient Express (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Wonder Wheel
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Phantom Thread (PR: 5)
3. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 2)
Other Possibilities:
4. Wonder (PR: 9)
5. I, Tonya (PR: 6)
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: 3)
7. The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
8. The Greatest Showman (PR: 7)
9. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 8)
10. It (PR: 10)
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 4)
4. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 3)
5. Dunkirk (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 6)
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (PR: 7)
8. Wonder Woman (PR: 9)
9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: 8)
10. Thor: Ragnarok (PR: 10)
Best Sound Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 3)
5. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Baby Driver (PR: 6)
7. Wonder Woman (PR: 7)
8. Detroit (PR: 10)
9. The Post (PR: 8)
10. The Greatest Showman (PR: 9)
Best Sound Mixing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 7)
4. Baby Driver (PR: 3)
5. The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 6)
7. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 8)
8. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 10)
9. Detroit (PR: 5)
10. Transformers: The Last Knight (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Post
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 1)
3. Dunkirk (PR: 3)
4. The Post (PR: 4)
5. Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 10)
7. Wonderstruck (PR: 6)
8. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 7)
9. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 9)
10. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Remember Me” from Coco (PR: 1)
2. “Stand Up for Something” from Marshall (PR: 2)
3. “Mighty River” from Mudbound (PR: Not Ranked)
4. “Evermore” from Beauty and the Beast (PR: 4)
5. “The Mystery of Love” from Call Me by Your Name (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Prayers for this World” from Cries from Syria (PR: 3)
7. “It Ain’t Fair” from Detroit (PR: 7)
8. “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from Fifty Shades Darker (PR: 6)
9. “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman (PR: Not Ranked)
10. “Truth to Power” from An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (PR: 8)
Dropped Out:
“Come Alive” from The Greatest Showman
“The Promise” from The Promise
And that break down for the following number of nominations for each picture:
13 Nominations
The Shape of Water
9 Nominations
Dunkirk, The Post
6 Nominations
Phantom Thread, Lady Bird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Call Me by Your Name
5 Nominations
Blade Runner 2049
4 Nominations
Beauty and the Beast
3 Nominations
Darkest Hour, Mudbound
2 Nominations
Get Out, The Florida Project, The Disaster Artist, I, Tonya, Coco, The Greatest Showman, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, War for the Planet of the Apes
1 Nomination
Novitiate, Downsizing, Molly’s Game, Wonder, Wonderstruck, Baby Driver, Marshall, The Breadwinner, Loving Vincent, Cars 3, The Girl Without Hands, Foxtrot, BPM (Beats Per Minute), The Square, First, They Killed My Father, Loveless, Jane, Faces Places, City of Ghosts, Long Strange Trip, Strong Island
It’s Thursday and that means my weekly updated Oscar predictions are in!
Some developments from the past seven days:
Steven Spielberg’s The Post is down to just one nomination in my predictions. It’s the big one (Best Picture), but it’s clinging for dear life to the 9th spot with pics like I, Tonya and Get Out getting closer to getting in. Obviously, no one has seen it yet so this is based solely on buzz alone. We did get our first trailer for it this week at long last.
Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird makes a major leap this week into both Picture and Actress (Saoirse Ronan). That means Blade Runner 2049 has fallen out of my predicted nine in Picture with Meryl Streep out in Actress for The Post (she held the #1 spot for weeks).
For the first time, Martin McDonagh’s directorial work in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is in. That means Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name) is currently out.
In Best Actor, I’ve finally taken Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman out of the top 5, replaced with Andrew Garfield in Breathe.
Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me by Your Name) replaces Michael Shannon for The Shape of Water in Supporting Actor. If that happens, Call Me would be the first Supporting Actor race to feature two actors (Stuhlbarg, Armie Hammer) from the same picture since Bugsy in 1991 (Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley).
Mary J. Blige enters the top 5 in Supporting Actress, replacing Kristin Scott Thomas in Darkest Hour.
That means all 8 major categories have seen changes. Lastly, there’s the unprecedented news that broke last night involving Christopher Plummer reshooting all of Kevin Spacey’s scenes in Ridley Scott’s AlltheMoneyintheWorld. Shockingly, the studio is still looking to make its December 22 release date. If that happens, Plummer might be one to look out for in Supporting Actor.
Let’s get to it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
4. Three Billboards Outside, Ebbing Missouri (PR: 6)
5. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 5)
6. Mudbound (PR: 4)
7. Lady Bird (PR: 10)
8. The Florida Project (PR: 7)
9. The Post (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
10. I, Tonya (PR: 11)
11. Get Out (PR: 15)
12. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 9)
13. Phantom Thread (PR: 12)
14. Detroit (PR: 14)
15. Last Flag Flying (PR: 13)
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Joe Wright, Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
4. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 6)
5. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 5)
7. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (PR: 9)
8. Sean Baker, The Florida Project (PR: 10)
9. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 8)
10. Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 7)
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 4)
5. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 5)
7. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (PR: 10)
8. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: 8)
9. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 7)
10. Steve Carell, Last Flag Flying (PR: 9)
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 1)
2. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 2)
3. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 6)
5. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 3)
7. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 7)
8. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 8)
9. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 9)
10. Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread (PR: 10)
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 4)
5. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
7. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (PR: 7)
8. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 9)
9. Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour (PR: 8)
10. Will Poulter, Detroit (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 1)
2. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 3)
3. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 2)
4. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 7)
5. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
7. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 6)
8. Claire Foy, Breathe (PR: 8)
9. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 9)
10. Bria Vinaite, The Florida Project (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 1)
2. Mudbound (PR: 2)
3. Molly’s Game (PR: 4)
4. Wonderstruck (PR: 6)
5. Last Flag Flying (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Disaster Artist (PR: 8)
7. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 5)
8. The Beguiled (PR: 7)
9. Stronger (PR: 9)
10. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 10)
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 1)
3. Lady Bird (PR: 5)
4. The Florida Project (PR: 4)
5. Get Out (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
7. The Big Sick (PR: 6)
8. I, Tonya (PR: 10)
9. The Post (PR: 8)
10. Phantom Thread (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Dunkirk
Best Foreign Language Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. BPM (Beats Per Minute) (PR: 1)
2. In the Fade (PR: 2)
3. Loveless (PR: 8)
4. First, They Killed My Father (PR: 3)
5. The Square (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Foxtrot (PR: 5)
7. Happy End (PR: 4)
8. A Fantastic Woman (PR: 7)
9. Tom of Finland (PR: 10)
10. The Divine Order (PR: 9)
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Coco (PR: 1)
2. The Breadwinner (PR: 2)
3. Loving Vincent (PR: 3)
4. Birdboy: The Forgotten Children (PR: 4)
5. Ferdinand (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Cars 3 (PR: 7)
7. The LEGO Batman Movie (PR: 6)
8. The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (PR: 10)
9. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (PR: 8)
10. Despicable Me 3 (PR: 9)
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. Cries from Syria (PR: 4)
2. Jane (PR: 5)
3. City of Ghosts (PR: 1)
5. Icarus (PR: 3)
5. Risk (PR: 2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Human Flow (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Step (PR: 6)
8. Kedi (PR: 10)
9. Long Strange Trip (PR: Not Ranked)
10. One of Us (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
Dina
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
4. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 4)
5. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Mudbound (PR: 5)
8. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 8)
9. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 9)
10. Detroit (PR: 10)
Dropped Out:
The Post
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 1)
2. Dunkirk (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
5. Wonderstruck (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Phantom Thread (PR: 5)
7. Wonder Wheel (PR: 9)
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 8)
9. Mudbound (PR: 7)
10. mother! (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Greatest Showman
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Shape of Water (PR: 1)
2. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
3. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
4. Phantom Thread (PR: 4)
5. Dunkirk (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 6)
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 8)
8. Wonderstruck (PR: Not Ranked)
9. The Greatest Showman (PR: 7)
10. Wonder Wheel (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Call Me by Your Name
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Phantom Thread (PR: 1)
2. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
4. The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
5. The Beguiled (PR: 7)
Other Possibilities:
6. Wonder Wheel (PR: 8)
7. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 5)
8. Murder on the Orient Express (PR: 10)
9. The Post (PR: 9)
10. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 6)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
4. The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
5. Phantom Thread (PR: 3)
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: Not Ranked)
8. I, Tonya (PR: 5)
9. It (PR: 9)
10. Thor: Ragnarok (PR: 7)
Dropped Out:
Blade Runner 2049
Wonderstruck
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 1)
2. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 3)
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 2)
4. The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
5. Dunkirk (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (PR: 6)
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (PR: Not Ranked)
8. Wonder Woman (PR: 8)
9. Beauty and the Beast (PR: 7)
10. Thor: Rangarok (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
Kong: Skull Island
Best Sound Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 3)
4. The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
5. Transformers: The Last Knight (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Baby Driver (PR: 9)
7. Coco (PR: 7)
8. Wonder Woman (PR: 4)
9. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: 10)
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
Best Sound Mixing
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 2)
3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 3)
4. Baby Driver (PR: 6)
5. The Greatest Showman (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
7. Darkest Hour (PR: 9)
8. Transformers: The Last Knight (PR: 8)
9. Coco (PR: 10)
10. War for the Planet of the Apes (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
2. Dunkirk (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
4. Wonderstruck (PR: 4)
5. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 6)
7. Victoria and Abdul (PR: Not Ranked)
8. The Post (PR: 7)
9. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 9)
10. Coco (PR: 5)
Dropped Out:
The Greatest Showman
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. “Stand Up for Something” from Marshall (PR: 2)
2. “Remember Me” from Coco (PR: 1)
3. “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from Fifty Shades Darker (PR: 3)
4. “Evermore” from Beauty and the Beast (PR: 4)
5. “Prayers for this World” from Cries from Syria (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Come Alive” from The Greatest Showman (PR: 5)
7. “It Ain’t Fair” from Detroit (PR: 7)
8. “The Promise” from The Promise (PR: 8)
9. “If I Dare” from Battle of the Sexes (PR: Not Ranked)
10. “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman (PR: 9)
Dropped Out:
“To Be Human” from Wonder Woman
That leaves the following breakdown of nominations:
11 Nominations
The Shape of Water
10 Nominations
Dunkirk
9 Nominations
Darkest Hour
7 Nominations
Blade Runner 2049
6 Nominations
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
5 Nominations
Call Me by Your Name
4 Nominations
Mudbound, Lady Bird
3 Nominations
The Florida Project, Phantom Thread, Wonderstruck, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
2 Nominations
I, Tonya, Coco, Cries from Syria, The Greatest Showman
1 Nomination
The Post, Stronger, Breathe, Battle of the Sexes, Novitiate, Downsizing, Molly’s Game, Last Flag Flying, Get Out, BPM (Beats Per Minute), In the Fade, Loveless, First, They Killed My Father, The Square, The Breadwinner, Loving Vincent, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, Ferdinand, Jane, City of Ghosts, Icarus, Risk, The Beguiled, War for the Planet of the Apes, Transformers: The Last Knight, Baby Driver, Marshall, Fifty Shades Darker.
My weekly Thursday predictions are in for the eight major categories at the Oscars. As October closes out, we will see some changes beginning next week as November rolls in. This will be the final week of listing 25 possibilities for Best Picture and 15 for the other seven races. Starting next week, the Best Picture possibilities will go down to 15 and 10 in the other categories. Additionally, on November 2, I’ll be bringing in the other categories related to feature films.
Over the past week, we’ve seen first trailers hit for I, Tonya and Phantom Thread, both threats to get multiple nods. The Phantom trailer and subsequent news also introduced us to Vicky Krieps, who apparently will be campaigned for in an already packed lead actress race. I’m still on The Florida Project bandwagon and it moves from 9th to 7th this week in BP possibilities. Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird also makes a big jump in the rankings.
The film Chappaquiddick was moved to 2018 and that now removes the (long shot) possibility that Jason Clarke could have received a Best Actor nod portraying Senator Ted Kennedy.
Yet the biggest development of the week is Warner Bros announcement that Clint Eastwood’s The15:17toParis will be opening in February 2018. There’s still a chance it could receive a limited late year push for Oscar consideration, but for now it’s out of contention.
Let’s get to it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
3. The Post (PR: 2)
4. Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
5. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 4)
6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 6)
7. The Florida Project (PR: 9)
8. Mudbound (PR: 7)
9. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
10. Lady Bird (PR: 18)
11. I, Tonya (PR: 15)
12. Detroit (PR: 10)
13. Phantom Thread (PR: 12)
14. Get Out (PR: 20)
15. Last Flag Flying (PR: 11)
16. Battle of the Sexes (PR: 14)
17. Downsizing (PR: 16)
18. The Greatest Showman (PR: 17)
19. The Big Sick (PR: 22)
20. All the Money in the World (PR: 19)
21. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PR: 23)
22. Wonderstruck (PR: 21)
23. Molly’s Game (PR: 25)
24. Wind River (PR: 24)
25. Coco (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The15:17toParis
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
3. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 2)
4. Joe Wright, Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
5. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 8)
7. Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 6)
8. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 7)
9. Sean Baker, The Florida Project (PR: 9)
10. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (PR: 15)
11. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (PR: 13)
12. Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit (PR: 10)
13. Jordan Peele, Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Richard Linklater, LastFlagFlying (PR: 15)
15. Craig Gillespie, I, Tonya (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Richard Linklater, Last Flag Flying
Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
5. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 6)
7. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (PR: 8)
8. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: 10)
9. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (PR: 9)
10. Steve Carell, Last Flag Flying (PR: 7)
11. Jeremy Renner, Wind River (PR: 11)
12. Christian Bale, Hostiles (PR: 13)
13. Matt Damon, Downsizing (PR: 12)
14. Algee Smith, Detroit (PR: 15)
15. Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Jason Clarke, Chappaquiddick (moved to 2018)
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 1)
2. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 3)
4. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
5. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 9)
7. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 6)
8. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 7)
9. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
10. Vicky Krieps, PhantomThread (PR: Not Ranked)
11. Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman (PR: 11)
12. Brooklyn Prince, The Florida Project (PR: 10)
13. Annette Bening, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (PR: 12)
14. Diane Kruger, In the Fade (PR: 14)
15. Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World (PR: 13)
Dropped Out:
Jennifer Lawrence, mother! (PR: 15)
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 4)
5. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (PR: 8)
8. Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour (PR: 7)
9. Kevin Spacey, All the Money in the World (PR: 9)
10. Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying (PR: 13)
11. Will Poulter, Detroit (PR: 10)
12. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 12)
13. Christoph Waltz, Downsizing (PR: 11)
14. Patrick Stewart, Logan (PR: 14)
15. Idris Elba, Molly’s Game (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Garrett Hedlund, Mudbound
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 1)
2. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 2)
3. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 3)
4. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 4)
5. Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 7)
7. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 8)
8. Claire Foy, Breathe (PR: 9)
9. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
10. Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread (PR: Not Ranked)
11. Kirsten Dunst, The Beguiled (PR: 11)
12. Julianne Moore, Wonderstruck (PR: 10)
13. Tatiana Maslany, Stronger (PR: 12)
14. Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck (PR: 13)
15. Sarah Paulson, The Post (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
Michelle Pfeiffer, mother!
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 1)
2. Mudbound (PR: 2)
3. Molly’s Game (PR: 4)
4. Last Flag Flying (PR: 3)
5. Wonderstruck (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 6)
7. The Disaster Artist (PR: 12)
8. The Beguiled (PR: 9)
9. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 7)
10. Stronger (PR: 11)
11. All the Money in the World (PR: 10)
12. Thank You for Your Service (PR: Not Ranked)
13. First, They Killed My Father (PR: 15)
14. The Death of Stalin (PR: 13)
15. Wonder (PR: 14)
Dropped Out:
The 15:17 to Paris
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 2)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 6)
4. The Florida Project (PR: 4)
5. Lady Bird (PR: 9)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Post (PR: 3)
7. The Big Sick (PR: 5)
8. Get Out (PR: 8)
9. I, Tonya (PR: 10)
10. Dunkirk (PR: 7)
11. Phantom Thread (PR: 12)
12. Downsizing (PR: 11)
13. Wind River (PR: 13)
14. Battle of the Sexes (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Coco (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Detroit
Wonder Wheel
And there you have it! My final October predictions. I’ll be back next week with all the categories for the first time…
My weekly round of Thursday Oscar predictions in the eight major categories brings a couple of updates from the past week:
Woody Allen’s Wonder Wheel premiered at the New York Film Festival and the mixed reaction has caused it to roll all the way out of the top 25 possibilities for Best Picture. Kate Winslet still stands a decent shot at Best Actress in a very crowded race, but her nomination seems a bit less assured to me now. The film also takes a hit in the Original Screenplay derby.
It’s looking like The Leisure Seeker with Donald Sutherland will not be released until 2018. I’ve had the actor on the lower rungs of possibility for Best Actor, but until I see confirmation of an awards qualifying end of year release date, he’s out for now.
And with that, let’s get to it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Post (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
5. Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 5)
24 hours can change the dynamic considerably at this time in the Oscar season. When I made my weekly Oscar predictions yesterday, Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying was ranked 8th in my Best Picture possibilities with Blade Runner 2049 outside at #13.
Yesterday, support for Flag wavered a bit with a mixed critical reaction stemming from the New York Film Festival. On the other hand, Blade has sharpened its chances with reviews coming out this morning. Denis Villeneuve’s continuation of Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi pic from 35 years ago is drawing raves (it’s at 97% currently on Rotten Tomatoes). The word “masterpiece” has been thrown around by some critics.
Bottom line: its chances for a Best Picture nomination have risen dramatically. Just last year, Villeneuve’s Arrival scored eight nominations, including Picture and Director. That could happen here again. While I doubt any of the actors (including Ryan Gosling and the return of Harrison Ford in the role of Deckard) will hear their names called, there are other races in play. This includes Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Editing, both Sound categories, and Visual Effects (where it will almost certainly be named).
And then there’s Cinematography. Again, a nomination for its cinematographer Roger Deakins seems virtually assured. If so, it will mark his 14th nomination. The list of films he was nominated for? The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, Kundun, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Man Who Wasn’t There, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, No Country for Old Men, The Reader, True Grit, Skyfall, Prisoners, Unbroken and Sicario. Number of wins? 0. There’s definitely a feeling that Mr. Deakins is long overdue for his gold statue and the 14th time could be the charm.
When I made my box office prediction for 2049 earlier this week, I compared my $44.1 opening weekend estimate to Mad Max: Fury Road from two years ago. As of this morning, I’m thinking the opportunity is there for it to come close to Fury‘s 10 Oscar nominations too.
Back at it with my weekly Oscar predictions on the eight major categories and how those races are shaping up! In the next week, two big pieces of the Academy puzzle will come into focus. Last Flag Flying will screen this evening at the New York Film Festival and Blade Runner 2049 will have its reviews out as it opens a week from tomorrow (early word-of-mouth is strong). I’m also, for the first time, including Clint Eastwood’s The 15:17 to Paris, which hasn’t been confirmed for release by the end of the year (though it’s expected to be).
As for this week, we’ve seen some significant changes in the rankings at the top for both Actress and Supporting Actress. Again, I’ll note that just because I’m ranking something first doesn’t mean I think it wins. This is strictly guesstimates on chances of being nominated.
Let’s get to it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dunkirk (Previous Ranking: 1)
2. The Post (PR: 2)
3. The Shape of Water (PR: 4)
4. Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 7)
6. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Mudbound (PR: 5)
8. Last Flag Flying (PR: 9)
9. Battle of the Sexes (PR: 8)
Other Possibilities:
10. Phantom Thread (PR: 11)
11. Wonder Wheel (PR: 12)
12. The Greatest Showman (PR: 10)
13. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 14)
14. Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 15)
15. The 15:17 to Paris (PR: Not Ranked)
16. Get Out (PR: 24)
17. All the Money in the World (PR: 17)
18. Detroit (PR: 16)
19. Downsizing (PR: 13)
20. The Big Sick (PR: 21)
21. Lady Bird (PR: 25)
22. I, Tonya (PR: 20)
23. The Florida Project (PR: 19)
24. Molly’s Game (PR: Not Ranked)
25. Wonderstruck (PR: 22)
Dropped Out:
Coco
mother!
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (PR: 1)
2. Steven Spielberg, The Post (PR: 2)
3. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
4. Joe Wright, Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
5. Dee Rees, Mudbound (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
7. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 7)
8. Richard Linklater, Last Flag Flying (PR: 8)
9. Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 11)
10. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (PR: 10)
11. Woody Allen, Wonder Wheel (PR: 12)
12. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 9)
13. Jordan Peele, Get Out (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman (PR: 15)
15. Clint Eastwood, The 15:17 to Paris (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World
Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (PR: 1)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (PR: 2)
3. Tom Hanks, The Post (PR: 3)
4. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (PR: 4)
5. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Steve Carell, Last Flag Flying (PR: 9)
7. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 6)
8. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (PR: 7)
9. Domhnall Gleeson, Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 8)
10. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (PR: 11)
11. Donald Sutherland, The Leisure Seeker (PR: 10)
12. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Jeremy Renner, Wind River (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 13)
15. Christian Bale, Hostiles (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying (reportedly competing in Supporting Actor)
Liam Neeson, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House
Matt Damon, Downsizing
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Meryl Streep, The Post (PR: 2)
2. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 3)
3. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (PR: 1)
4. Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (PR: 4)
5. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (PR: 5)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game (PR: 7)
7. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 6)
8. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (PR: 10)
9. Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
10. Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman (PR: 9)
11. Diane Kruger, In the Fade (PR: 11)
12. Annette Bening, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (PR: 12)
13. Brooklyn Prince, The Florida Project (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Jennifer Lawrence, mother! (PR: 13)
15. Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Carey Mulligan, Mudbound
Jane Fonda, Our Souls at Night
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (PR: 1)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 2)
3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 3)
4. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (PR: 5)
5. Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour (PR: 4)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (PR: 6)
7. Mark Rylance, Dunkirk (PR: 8)
8. Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Laurence Fishburne, Last Flag Flying (PR: 9)
10. Kevin Spacey, All the Money in the World (PR: 10)
11. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (PR: 7)
12. Will Poulter, Detroit (PR: 12)
13. Patrick Stewart, Logan (PR: 11)
14. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (PR: 15)
15. Dustin Hoffman, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Garrett Hedlund, Mudbound
Christoph Waltz, Downsizing
Best Supporting Actress
1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (PR: 2)
2. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (PR: 1)
3. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (PR: 6)
4. Hong Chau, Downsizing (PR: 4)
5. Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour (PR: 3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (PR: 7)
7. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (PR: 11)
8. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (PR: 5)
9. Claire Foy, Breathe (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Margot Robbie, Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 8)
11. Kirsten Dunst, The Beguiled (PR: 9)
12. Julianne Moore, Wonderstruck (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Juno Temple, Wonder Wheel (PR: 14)
15. Tatiana Maslany, Stronger (PR: 11)
Dropped Out:
Julianne Moore, Suburbicon
Michelle Pfeiffer, mother!
Brooklyn Prince, The Florida Project (moved to Lead Actress)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Post (PR: 1)
2. Call Me by Your Name (PR: 2)
3. Mudbound (PR: 3)
4. Last Flag Flying (PR: 4)
5. Molly’s Game (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. All the Money in the World (PR: 10)
7. Wonderstruck (PR: 5)
8. Victoria and Abdul (PR: 8)
9. The Beguiled (PR: 7)
10. The 15:17 to Paris (PR: Not Ranked)
11. The Disaster Artist (PR: 12)
12. Blade Runner 2049 (PR: 11)
13. Stronger (PR: 9)
14. Wonder (PR: 13)
15. Thank You for Your Service (PR: 15)
Dropped Out:
Logan
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PR: 1)
2. The Shape of Water (PR: 3)
3. Darkest Hour (PR: 2)
4. Wonder Wheel (PR: 4)
5. The Big Sick (PR: 6)
Other Possibilities:
6. Get Out (PR: 7)
7. Battle of the Sexes (PR: 5)
8. Dunkirk (PR: 8)
9. Phantom Thread (PR: 12)
10. Lady Bird (PR: 10)
11. Downsizing (PR: 9)
12. The Florida Project (PR: 11)
13. Wind River (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Goodbye Christopher Robin (PR: 14)
15. The Greatest Showman (PR: 15)
Dropped Out:
Coco
And there you have it! Updates will be on the way next Thursday…
Blogger’s Note (10/04/17): I have revised my estimate up from $44.1 million to $52.1 million
Arriving 35 years after Ridley Scott’s now classic science fiction work, Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters next weekend. The sequel has been in development for pretty much the entire 21st century. The reported $185 million production is headlined by Ryan Gosling as an LAPD officer in a dystopian future who ends up teaming with original Blade Runner Deckard, played by Harrison Ford. Denis Villeneuve, hot off his Oscar nominated hit Arrival, handles directorial duties with Mr. Scott executive producing. Costars include Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, and Dave Bautista.
Fans of the 1982 original are many as Blade Runner has become a beloved genre pic. One legitimate question: are younger audiences familiar enough with the source material? It may not matter much as early word-of-mouth for 2049 is very encouraging. Official reviews won’t be out until next week, but screenings have indicated this is a satisfying visual feast like its predecessor.
So how high can this open? The current October opening record belongs to Gravity at $55 million. Even with the positive buzz, I don’t see 2049 running that high. Tracking has indicated $40-$45 million and that sounds about right. In fact, a $45 million opening would match the debut of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, another entry in a franchise that was dormant for decades and made a rousing return.
I’ll put this just under that mark for what should be a solid opening for Columbia Pictures, as it’s likely to perform well overseas too.
Blade Runner 2049 opening weekend prediction: $44.1 million
For my The Mountain Between Us prediction, click here:
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