My Year Of posts focused on six performers who gave audiences a memorable 2022 culminates with what I’ll consider the Utility Player prize. This goes to a character actor who improves the viewing experience of the projects they’re in. We could coin it the Patricia Clarkson or J.T. Walsh Award.
This year, I’m giving it to Hong Chau. Five years ago, she received Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations for her supporting part in Alexander Payne’s Downsizing. An Oscar nod was expected to follow, but didn’t materialize.
In the half decade since, she’s been seen more in small screen material. That changed in ’22 with two critically heralded roles in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale and Mark Mylod’s The Menu. For the former, her Liz (caretaker and confidant to Brendan Fraser’s lead) could mark Chau’s first Academy recognition. For the latter, her Elsa (second in command to the sadistic chef played by Ralph Fiennes) was a highlight in a terrific cast.
At the Cannes Film Festival in May, another Chau performance received acclaim. Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up features her with Michelle Williams in a dramedy that sports a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score. It’ll be released stateside in 2023. So will Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City where she’ll be part of his typical impressive ensemble that includes Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, Edward Norton, and many more. Chau is also cast in Yorgos Lanthimos’s And with Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley.
Among all those well-known filmmakers and stars, Chau stands out and earns a final slot in the Year Of write-ups.
2022 should be the year where Netflix makes significant waves in the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is its lead off hitter. The acclaimed filmmaker’s stop-motion passion project is out in select theaters next month with a streaming release on December 9th. Receiving a first look today at the London Film Festival, Pinocchio arrives a half decade after del Toro’s The Shape of Water took Best Picture (along with a directorial victory) and one year after his follow-up Nightmare Alley made the BP ten. Actors providing voiceovers include Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Burn Gorman, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton.
Since I added Animated Feature in my predictions a few weeks back, I’ve had del Toro’s tale of the iconic puppet turned real boy listed in first place. Part of that is due to its maker’s track record. That’s not the only reason why. The other is that it might be a rare off year for Disney, who have taken the gold statue 15 out of 21 times. This summer’s Lightyear was a high profile flop that is likely to be omitted from the final five altogether. Turning Red from the spring achieved solid enough notices to make the cut, but I certainly don’t see it as an automatic winner. The Mouse Factory still has next month’s Strange World in their arsenal so we’ll see if that emerges as a major threat.
Several critics from the London screenings are proclaiming this Pinocchio to be great or near great. On the other hand, some reviews aren’t quite as effusive. I do think the early word-of-mouth is enough to take comfort in the #1 ranking. Yet I wouldn’t say it’s a slam dunk pick to take gold like, say, 2020’s Soul was. I would also keep an eye on Original Score with Alexandre Desplat composing. Visual Effects is also doable (if perhaps a stretch).
A nomination seems assured and Netflix could hold 60% of the nominees this year. Wendell and Wild, another upcoming stop-motion pic from Henry Selick, should get in. Either The Sea Beast or My Father’s Dragon could as well (though probably not both). The streamer got their first contender in 2019 with Klaus and then Over the Moon in 2020 and The Mitchells vs. the Machines last year. They’re 0 for 3 in wins. That may change with del Toro in the company mix. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
British director Joanna Hogg’s last two efforts were the critically heralded semi-autobiographical pics The Souvenir (2019) and The Souvenir Part II from last year. Both Souvenir‘s featured Honor Swinton Byrne and her mother – Oscar winner Tilda Swinton.
Mom is back in The Eternal Daughter, a mystery with supernatural themes that premiered in Venice and also played Toronto. Besides Swinton, the cast includes Joseph Mydell and Carly-Sophia Davies. It’s flown a bit under the radar on the fest circuit, but the Rotten Tomatoes score is a sturdy 91%.
The A24 release could garner some mentions on year end critics lists. Like her earlier titles, I question whether the Academy will get on board. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
Just like last year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe may land atop the charts over Labor Day weekend. This time around, it’ll be with considerably less money… as in, less than one-tenth of what we witnessed in 2021. Spider-Man: No Way Home – The More Fun Stuff Edition (with 11 minutes of extra footage) is scheduled for the widest (re)release of the holiday frame.
Steven Spielberg’s OG summer blockbuster Jaws also returns to cinemas. The only true newcomer is the Regina Hall/Sterling K. Brown satire Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul,, which is also available on streaming via Peacock.
My detailed prediction posts on each are accessible here:
Let’s start with Jesus as I have its $2.4 million projected Friday-Monday offering potentially falling outside of the top ten. There’s a slight chance it could surprise, but I doubt it.
There’s been a narrative developing for awhile that Top Gun: Maverick could manage to return to first position in its 15th week. During Labor Day, popular holdovers do often expand their gross from the previous frame. I expect that will be the case here. However, I do believe Spidey’s 3000 screens (some IMAX) should allow it to swing back to #1 after it originally debuted last December. This should leave the runner-up spot for Maverick or Bullet Train (they should be close). That’s a far cry from this same period in 2021 when Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings decimated the all-time Labor Day record with $94 million.
Jaws is only on a fraction of the webbed superhero’s venues (about 1200) so the possibilities are limited. My estimate of $3.1 million would probably put it in seventh place.
Current champ The Invitation hardly impressed in its premiere (more on that below). With a troubling C Cinemascore grade, expect it to be one of the only leftovers that does see diminished returns. It should drop to at least fourth while the five spot could be close between DC League of Super-Pets and Beast.
And with that, let’s do a top 7 outlook and keep in mind these numbers are for the four-day holiday:
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home – The More Fun Stuff Edition
Predicted Gross: $7 million
2. Top Gun: Maverick
Predicted Gross: $6.2 million
3. Bullet Train
Predicted Gross: $6 million
4. The Invitation
Predicted Gross: $4.6 million
5. DC League of Super-Pets
Predicted Gross: $4.3 million
6. Beast
Predicted Gross: $4.1 million
7. Jaws
Predicted Gross: $3.1 million
Box Office Results (August 26-28)
I’ll go the obvious route… there weren’t many RSVP’s for YA horror tale The Invitation. This is the first time in 15 months that the #1 pic didn’t manage to make over $10 million. The Invitation stumbled with $6.8 million, below my $8.1 million forecast.
Bullet Train was second with $5.6 million (on target of my $5.5 million call) with an overall take of $78 million.
Top Gun: Maverick was third with $4.7 million (I went with $5.2 million) as the juggernaut has now gathered $691 million. The biggest hit of the year is on a glide path to topple Black Panther ($700 million) next and become the fifth largest domestic earner in history.
Beast had a hefty sophomore drop of 58% for $4.8 million and fourth place. That’s under my $5.7 million prediction. The subpar two-week tally is $20 million.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, as anticipated, plummeted in its second weekend (its genre is extremely front loaded). After a fantastic $21 million start, Hero fell 78% to fifth with $4.6 million (I was more generous at $5 million). After ten days, it’s taken in $30 million stateside.
DC League of Super-Pets was sixth with $4.1 million (I said $4.6 million) for $74 million in its 5 weeks of release.
Finally, George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing was a pricey dud for MGM. The Idris Elba/Tilda Swinton Djinn fantasy, with a reported $60 million budget, opened in 7th with a mere $2.9 million. I thought it could at least manage $4 million. The studio is certainly wishing they hadn’t spent what they did after that performance.
It’s not that I wished I hadn’t watched Three Thousand Years of Longing, George Miller’s deconstruction of a Djinn’s fulfillment offerings. There are fascinating moments and the maker of the Mad Max franchise will always be good for a visual spectacle. By its conclusion, I wished I’d been more compelled by its narratologist lead Alithea (Tilda Swinton). Early on she expresses that she finds her feelings via stories. That translates to her personal life where she claims to be content being a loner. In her professional life, Alithea basically regales conference attendees and students with her takes about grand tales and the mythology behind them.
While on assignment in Istanbul, she purchases an antique artifact that summons the Djinn (Idris Elba) in her hotel lavatory. The London scholar is soon presented with a predictable request – three wishes for the pointy eared visitor’s freedom. She doesn’t bite because her occupation tells her that the genie story is always cautionary in nature.
Alithea does get what she wants for awhile as the pair converse in their bathrobes. Djinn provides her with his history of being bottled and not bottled. As the title suggests, it’s 30 centuries of anecdotes and they involve harems of plus size concubines and being part of a Solomon and Sheba love triangle. The most effective involves a captive love interest (Burca Golgedar) whose genius inventions are ahead of their time and not proper for her gender to tout.
I will acknowledge that Longing is unpredictable in a frequently fun way as Djinn recounts his unique brand of cautionary tales (Alithea’s not exactly wrong with her gut reaction). The interplay between Swinton and Elba allows for some humorous and highly entertaining passages. When their association rises to a higher level, it’s where I felt Miller and cowriter Augusta Gore’s screenplay doesn’t emotionally land. The lover from the lamp’s past is more spellbinding than his present with Alithea. That makes the third act, in particular, disappointing and made me long for more from this story.
For the first time since May of 2021, we may have a box office outing where no picture tops $10 million. We’re in a bit of a late August spiral as the YA centered vampire tale The Invitation and George Miller’s genie saga Three Thousand Years of Longing debut. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on them here:
I’m not expecting much out of either. This isn’t a time when studios typically bring out heavy hitters (though it is worth noting that Universal impressed on this same weekend last year with Candyman‘s $22 million haul). I wouldn’t anticipate the newcomers coming anywhere close to that.
My Invitation estimate would give it to #1 spot while Longing could place anywhere from 2-7. I’m thinking #7 is more probable than second as the Tilda Swinton/Idris Elba fantasy seems to be suffering from a quiet marketing campaign.
The runner-up position could be determined by the sophomore drop of current champ Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which easily surpassed expectations (more on that below). It’s worth noting that its immediate predecessor Dragon Ball Super: Broly experienced a second frame plummet of nearly 70%. Broly actually premiered on a Wednesday before MLK weekend in 2018. In six days, it took in $22 million (similar to Hero‘s three-day mark). Broly only managed $3 million in weekend #2. I think Hero should surpass that, but don’t be surprised it drops in the low 70s.
If so, Beast could stay in second place if it only loses half its audience. While its B Cinemascore grade isn’t great, the lack of competition could mean it avoids a precipitous fall. Bullet Train, Top Gun: Maverick, and DC League of Super-Pets should all hold solidly and that could place them above Longing.
And with that, here’s how I envision the top 7 looking:
1. The Invitation
Predicted Gross: $8.1 million
2. Beast
Predicted Gross: $5.7 million
3. Bullet Train
Predicted Gross: $5.5 million
4. Top Gun: Maverick
Predicted Gross: $5.2 million
5. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
Predicted Gross: $5 million
6. DC League of Super-Pets
Predicted Gross: $4.6 million
7. Three Thousand Years of Longing
Predicted Gross: $4 million
Box Office Results (August 20-22)
As mentioned, it was a bountiful harvest for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero as the animated Japanese martial arts fantasy crunched an impressive $21 million. That’s well above my $13.2 million projection. These titles are extremely front loaded so expect a sharp downturn, but that’s a terrific gross and we can anticipate plenty more wide openings for these genre titles.
Idris Elba battled a Beast in the form of a lion and the picture opened in line with most estimates. At $11.5 million (I said $11.3 million), it will hope to match its $36 million budget stateside in coming weeks.
Bullet Train was third with $8 million, rising ahead of my $7 million call. The three-week total is $69 million as it hopes to reach nine figures domestically.
Top Gun: Maverick soared to new heights with $5.9 million, a little under my $6.7 million prediction. In its 13th (!) weekend, Maverick surpassed Avengers: Infinity War to become the 6th largest domestic earner of all time. The tally is $683 million as it looks to top Black Panther‘s $700 million next.
Finally, DC League of Super-Pets rounded out the top five with $5.6 million (I went with $5 million). The overall gross after 4 weeks is $67 million.
MGM may need more than three wishes for Three Thousand Years of Longing to become a box office success when it opens August 26th. Based on a 1994 short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt, the reported $60 million production is the latest fantasy from acclaimed filmmaker George Miller. Idris Elba stars as a genie hoping to gain his freedom through an academic played by Tilda Swinton.
Miller hasn’t been behind the camera since 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, which landed 10 Oscar nominations and six wins (all tech categories). He’ll be back helming the franchise again with 2024’s Furiosa. This in-between effort premiered at Cannes back in May to mixed reaction. While its visuals were praised, several critics weren’t overly keen on the story. The Rotten Tomatoes score is currently 62%.
Elba is a busy man in the last half of August with Beast debuting the week prior. That survival tale might make more in its second frame than Longing accomplishes in its first.
When the theater count is released, my estimate could fluctuate. Initial projections have this potentially reaching $10 million. I’m not buying it. The awareness factor for it seems low and it generated little buzz with the French festival premiere. This has the feel of a significant flop and the late August placement hardly dispels that possibility. I’m projecting that it might not reach $5 million as Miller’s most ardent supporters could be the only moviegoers turning up.
Three Thousand Years of Longing opening weekend prediction: $4 million
As May comes to a close and the Cannes Film Festival wraps up, I’m giving you a fresh update in the six major Oscar categories!
In Best Picture, I’m elevating Empire of Light from Sam Mendes into the top ten and that takes Rustin out. The Daniels from Everything Everywhere All at Once vault into Director to the detriment of Sarah Polley for Women Talking.
Empire of Light also benefits in Best Actress with Olivia Colman in over Carey Mulligan from She Said. While Actor and Supporting Actress remain unchanged, there’s two alterations in Supporting Actor with Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere…) and Jesse Plemons (Killers of the Flower Moon) in over John David Washington (Amsterdam) and Tom Hanks (Elvis).
You can peruse all the movement below!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Babylon (Previous Ranking: 1) (E)
2. The Fabelmans (PR: 2) (E)
3. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 3) (E)
4. Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 6) (+2)
5. The Son (PR: 5) (E)
6. Women Talking (PR: 4) (-2)
7. Bardo (PR: 8) (+1)
8. She Said (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Empire of Light (PR: 16) (+7)
10. The Whale (PR: 9) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
11. Rustin (PR: 10) (-1)
12. Broker (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Decision to Leave (PR: 12) (-1)
14. Amsterdam (PR: 11) (-3)
15. White Noise (PR: 13) (-2)
16. Thirteen Lives (PR: 21) (+5)
17. Elvis (PR: 20) (+3)
18. Poor Things (PR: 14) (-4)
19. Avatar: The Way of Water (PR: 15) (-4)
20. Top Gun: Maverick (PR: Not Ranked)
21. Armageddon Time (PR: 19) (-2)
22. Till (PR: 18) (-4)
23. Next Goal Wins (PR: 25) (+2)
24. Tar (PR: 17) (-7)
25. Aftersun (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Woman King
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Don’t Worry Darling
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
Damien Chazelle, Babylon (PR: 1) (E)
2. Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans (PR: 2) (E)
3. Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 3) (E)
4. Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Bardo (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sarah Polley, Women Talking (PR: 4) (-2)
7. Florian Zeller, The Son (PR: 7) (E)
8. Park Chan-wook, Decision to Leave (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Sam Mendes, Empire of Light (PR: 15) (+6)
10. Hirokazu Kore’eda, Broker (PR: Not Ranked)
11. Darren Aronofsky, The Whale (PR: 10) (-1)
12. Maria Schrader, She Said (PR: 8) (-4)
13. David O. Russell, Amsterdam (PR: 13) (E)
14. James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water (PR: 12) (-2)
15. Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things (PR: 14) (-1)
Dropped Out:
George C. Wolfe, Rustin
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Margot Robbie, Babylon (PR: 1) (E)
2. Regina King, Shirley (PR: 2) (E)
3. Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Olivia Colman, Empire of Light (PR: 9) (+5)
5. Danielle Deadwyler, Till (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Carey Mulligan, She Said (PR: 3) (-3)
7. Cate Blanchett, Tar (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Naomi Ackie, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (PR: 8) (E)
9. Emma Stone, Poor Things (PR: 7) (-2)
10. Laura Dern, The Son (PR: 11) (+1)
11. Viola Davis, The Woman King (PR: 10) (-1)
12. Michelle Williams, Showing Up (PR: Not Ranked)
13. Helen Mirren, Golda (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Ana de Armas, Blonde (PR: 14) (E)
15. Saoirse Ronan, See How They Run (PR: 13) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Florence Pugh, Don’t Worry Darling
Tilda Swinton, Three Thousand Years of Longing
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Hugh Jackman, The Son (PR: 1) (E)
2. Brendan Fraser, The Whale (PR: 2) (E)
3. Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Colman Domingo, Rustin (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Austin Butler, Elvis (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Song Kang-Ho, Broker (PR: Not Ranked)
7. Christian Bale, Amsterdam (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Adam Driver, White Noise (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Bardo (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Diego Calva, Babylon (PR: 7 (-3)
11. Michael Fassbender, Next Goal Wins (PR: 12) (+1)
12. Viggo Mortensen, Thirteen Lives (PR: 11) (-1)
13. Gabriel LaBelle, The Fabelmans (PR: 8) (-5)
14. Paul Mescal, Aftersun (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin (PR: 13) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Joaquin Phoenix, Disappointment Blvd.
Idris Elba, Three Thousand Years of Longing
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Vanessa Kirby, The Son (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Jessie Buckley, Women Talking (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Zoe Kazan, She Said (PR: 3) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Hong Chau, The Whale (PR: 6) (E)
7. Jean Smart, Babylon (PR: 7) (E)
8. Audra McDonald, Rustin (PR: 13) (+5)
9. Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Patricia Clarkson, She Said (PR: 12) (+2)
11. Whoopi Goldberg, Till (PR: 8) (-3)
12. Margot Robbie, Amsterdam (PR: 9) (-3)
13. Dakota Johnson, Cha Cha Real Smooth (PR: Not Ranked)
14. Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: Not Ranked)
15. Anne Hathaway, Armageddon Time (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Rooney Mara, Women Talking
Margaret Qualley, Poor Things
Thuso Mbedu, The Woman King
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 1) (E)
2. Paul Dano, The Fabelmans (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Brad Pitt, Babylon (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Jesse Plemons, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 9) (+4)
When legendary filmmaker George Miller was last behind the camera, 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road garnered 10 nominations and a ceremony high 6 victories in tech categories. Before he moves to Fury‘s prequel Furiosa, his in-between picture is Three Thousand Years of Longing and it’s premiered at Cannes before its late summer bow.
The fantastical romance casts Tilda Swinton as an academic whose life is turned upside down when she encounters a genie in the form of Idris Elba. If the movie is wishing for Oscar attention, the answer is cloudy as to whether that is granted. Early reviews have resulted in a 78% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Some critical reaction is gushing while some is decidedly more mixed.
Miller is, of course, known for visual skills and Longing could be in play for its Cinematography (by the great John Seale), Production Design, and Visual Effects. As for the leads, Swinton is (rather shockingly) just a one-time nominee when she won for 2007’s Michael Clayton. Elba is no time nominee having notably been snubbed for 2015’s Beasts of No Nation (for which he took home the SAG).
My feeling is that this would have to vault into serious Best Picture discussion (and for Miller’s direction) for Swinton and Elba to be viable. This will certainly have its vocal supporters based on Cannes chatter, but I’m not confident it will be enough. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
My second round of Oscar predictions in the six biggest races are before you. When I update them next, we’ll be in the midst of the Cannes Film Festival where some of these hopefuls are screening.
As for category placement changes, I’ve moved Jesse Plemons in Killers of the Flower Moon to Supporting Actor from lead. It remains to be seen which contest he’s placed in. If it is supporting, we shall see if it’s him or Robert De Niro that gets the buzz. I’m betting on the latter at press time.
Let’s get into it!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. Babylon (Previous Ranking: 1) (E)
2. The Fabelmans (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Women Talking (PR: 5) (+1)
5. The Son (PR: 4) (-1)
6. Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 8) (+2)
7. She Said (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Bardo (PR: 7) (-1)
9. The Whale (PR: 9) (E)
10. Rustin (PR: 10) (E)
Other Possibilities:
11. Amsterdam (PR: 11) (E)
12. Decision to Leave (PR: Not Ranked)
13. White Noise (PR: 12) (-1)
14. Poor Things (PR: 13) (-1)
15. Avatar: The Way of Water (PR: 17) (+2)
16. Empire of Light (PR: 16) (E)
17. Tar (PR: 14) (-3)
18. Till (PR: 15) (-3)
19. Armageddon Time (PR: 25) (+6)
20. Elvis (PR: 22) (+2)
21. Thirteen Lives (PR: 20) (-1)
22. The Woman King (PR: 23) (+1)
23. Three Thousand Years of Longing (PR: 24) (+1)
24. Don’t Worry Darling (PR: 18) (-6)
25. Next Goal Wins (PR: 19) (-6)
Dropped Out:
The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Damien Chazelle, Babylon (PR: 1) (E)
2. Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Sarah Polley, Women Talking (PR: 4) (E)
5. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Bardo (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 6) (E)
7. Florian Zeller, The Son (PR: 7) (E)
8. Maria Schrader, She Said (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Park Chan-wook, Decision to Leave (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Darren Aronofsky, The Whale (PR: 8) (-2)
11. George C. Wolfe, Rustin (PR: 10) (-1)
12. James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water (PR: 12) (E)
13. David O. Russell, Amsterdam (PR: 14) (+1)
14. Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things (PR: 11) (-3)
15. Sam Mendes, Empire of Light (PR: 15) (E)
Dropped Out:
Noah Baumbach, White Noise
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Margot Robbie, Babylon (PR: 1) (E)
2. Regina King, Shirley (PR: 2) (E)
3. Carey Mulligan, She Said (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Danielle Deadwyler, Till (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Cate Blanchett, Tar (PR: 6) (E)
7. Emma Stone, Poor Things (PR: 9) (+2)
8. Naomi Ackie, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (PR: 8) (E)
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