On Tuesday, February 8, the Academy will announce its nominees for the 94th Academy Awards. As with every year, it wouldn’t be complete without a bit of conjecture. Sifting through all the guilds, critics awards, and other major film awards so far this year, I’ve compiled what I believe to be the contenders in each category. Some categories were more challenging than others, but I ripped off the band-aid and went with my gut instinct for the most part.
I took a few flyers on picks that aren’t on radars, but as they say, “no guts, no glory.” One of those includes Nicolas Cage getting in as the sole nominee for “Pig” because he was my favorite performance of the year, and I would love for him to get some recognition. I also projected a nomination for Kristen Stewart for her role in “Spencer” despite missing out almost everywhere. I feel like the Academy will rectify the wrongs thus far. Also, after seeing “King Richard,” I couldn’t help think that Jon Bernthal was a shoo-in for a nomination, and despite not showing up anywhere, I’m projecting one of the surprises of the bunch.
One thing I have a feeling I am wrong with is the lack of love for “Being the Ricardos.” I currently have it projected for only one nomination, with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem missing a nomination. I’m guessing that’s not right, but I went with my gut, as I said. I currently have “Dune” housing the most nominations with 10, “The Power of the Dog” coming in second with 8, and “Belfast” taking 6. “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” No Time to Die,” and “West Side Story” have 4 in my projections, and “Drive My Car,” “The French Dispatch,” “House of Gucci,” and “Nightmare Alley” all have 3. There are always surprises on Oscars nominations morning, and there’s no way to predict all those, but last year I guessed three-fourths of the nominations, so let’s see if I can get anywhere near that this year.
BEST PICTURE
“Belfast”
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, and Tamar Thomas
(Focus Features)
“CODA”
Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, and Patrick Wachsberger
(Apple Original Films)
“Don’t Look Up”
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick
(Netflix)
“Drive My Car”
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi annd Teruhisa Yamamoto
(Janus Films)
“Dune”
Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, and Denis Villeneuve
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“House of Gucci”
Ridley Scott, Giannina Facio Scott, Kevin J. Walsh, and Mark Huffam
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“King Richard”
Tim White, Trevor White, and Will Smith
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Licorice Pizza”
Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Adam Somner
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“The Power Of The Dog”
Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, and Emile Sherman
(Netflix)
“West Side Story”
Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger
(20th Century Studios)
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Nicolas Cage — “Pig”
Directed by Michael Sarnoski
(Neon)
Benedict Cumberbatch — “The Power Of The Dog”
Directed by Jane Campion
(Netflix)
Andrew Garfield — “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
(Netflix)
Will Smith — “King Richard”
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Denzel Washington — “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Directed by Joel Coen
(A24)
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Jessica Chastain — “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Directed by Michael Showalter
(Searchlight Pictures)
Olivia Colman — “The Lost Daughter”
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
(Netflix)
Lady Gaga — “House Of Gucci”
Directed by Ridley Scott
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Jennifer Hudson — “Respect”
Directed by Liesl Tommy
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Kristen Stewart — “Spencer”
Directed by Pablo Larraín
(Neon)
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jon Bernthal — “King Richard”
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Bradley Cooper — “Licorice Pizza”
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Ciarán Hinds — “Belfast”
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
(Focus Features)
Troy Kotsur — “CODA”
Directed by Siân Heder
(Apple Original Films)
Kodi Smit-McPhee — “The Power Of The Dog”
Directed by Jane Campion
(Netflix)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Caitríona Balfe — “Belfast”
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
(Focus Features)
Ariana DeBose — “West Side Story”
Directed by Steven Spielberg
(20th Century Studios)
Kirsten Dunst — “The Power of the Dog”
Directed by Jane Campion
(Netflix)
Aunjanue Ellis — “King Richard”
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ruth Negga — “Passing”
Directed by Rebecca Hall
(Netflix)
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Encanto”
Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino, and Clarke Spencer
(Walt Disney Pictures)
“Luca”
Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren
(Pixar Animation)
“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”
Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller
(Netflix)
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho
(Walt Disney Pictures)
“Sing 2”
Garth Jennings, Christopher Meledandri, and Janet Healy
(Illumination / Walt Disney Pictures)
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Belfast”
Cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos
(Focus Features)
“Dune”
Cinematography by Greig Fraser
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Nightmare Alley”
Cinematography by Dan Laustsen
(Searchlight Pictures)
“The Power Of The Dog”
Cinematography by Ari Wegner
(Netflix)
“The Tragedy Of Macbeth”
Cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel
(A24)
COSTUME DESIGN
“Cruella”
Costume Design by Jenny Beavan
(Walt Disney Pictures)
“Dune”
Costume Design by Robert Morgan and Jacqueline West
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“House of Gucci”
Costume Design by Janty Yates
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“Nightmare Alley”
Costume Design by Luis Sequeira
(Searchlight Pictures)
“West Side Story”
Costume Design by Paul Tazewell
(20th Century Studios)
DIRECTING
Paul Thomas Anderson — “Licorice Pizza”
Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Adam Somner
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Kenneth Branagh — “Belfast”
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, and Tamar Thomas
(Focus Features)
Jane Campion — “The Power Of The Dog”
Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, and Emile Sherman
(Netflix)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi — “Drive My Car”
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi annd Teruhisa Yamamoto
(Janus Films)
Denis Villeneuve — “Dune”
Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, and Denis Villeneuve
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
“Ascension”
Jessica Kingdon
(MTV Documentary Films)
“The First Wave”
Matthew Heineman, Jenna Millman, and Leslie Norville
(National Geographic)
“Flee”
Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Monica Hellström
(Neon)
“The Rescue”
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, John Battsek, and P. J. van Sandwijk
(Greenwich Entertainment)
“Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, and Joseph Patel
(Searchlight Pictures)
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
“Audible”
Matthew Ogens
“A Broken House”
Jimmy Goldblum
“The Facility”
Seth Freed Wessler
“Lead Me Home”
Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk
“When We Were Bullies”
Jay Rosenblatt
FILM EDITING
“Belfast”
Edited by Úna Ní Dhonghaíle
(Focus Features)
“Dune”
Edited by Joe Walker
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Licorice Pizza”
Edited by Andy Jurgensen
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“No Time To Die”
Edited by Tom Cross and Elliot Graham
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“The Power of the Dog”
Peter Sciberras
(Netflix)
INTERNATIONAL FILM
“Drive My Car” (Japan)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi annd Teruhisa Yamamoto
(Janus Films)
“Flee” (Denmark)
Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Monica Hellström
(Neon)
“The Hand of God” (Italy)
Paolo Sorrentino and Lorenzo Mieli
(Netflix)
“A Hero” (Iran)
Asghar Farhadi
(Amazon Studios)
“The Worst Person In The World” (Norway)
Joachim Trier and Thomas Robsahm
(Neon)
MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
“Coming 2 America”
Makeup & Hair by Merc Arceneaux and Louisa V. Anthony
(Amazon Studios)
“Cruella”
Makeup & Hair by Nadia Stacey and Naomi Donne
(Walt Disney Pictures)
“Dune”
Makeup & Hair by Love Larson and Donald Mowat
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Makeup & Hair by Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh
(Searchlight Pictures)
“House Of Gucci”
Makeup & Hair by Frederic Aspiras, Jane Carboni, Giuliano Mariana, and Sarah Nicole Tanno
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
ORIGINAL SCORE
“Don’t Look Up”
Composed by Nicholas Britell
(Netflix)
“Dune”
Composed by Hans Zimmer
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The French Dispatch”
Composed by Alexandre Desplat
(Searchlight Pictures)
“The Power Of The Dog”
Composed by Jonny Greenwood
(Netflix)
“Spencer”
Composed by Jonny Greenwood
(Neon)
ORIGINAL SONG
“Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto”
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Performed by Sebastián Yatra
(Walt Disney Pictures)
“Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days”
Written by Diane Warren
Performed by Reba McEntire
(Vertical Entertainment)
“Be Alive” from “King Richard”
Written by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson
Performed by Beyoncé
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die”
Written by Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish
Performed by Billie Eilish
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“Your Song Saved My Life” from “Sing 2”
Written by U2 (Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton, The Edge, & Bono)
Performed by U2
(Universal Pictures)
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Cyrano”
Production Design by Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer
(United Artists)
“Dune”
Production Design by Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The French Dispatch”
Production Design by Adam Stockhausen and Rena Deangelo
(Searchlight Pictures)
“Nightmare Alley”
Production Design by Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
(Searchlight Pictures)
“West Side Story”
Production Design by Adam Stockhausen and Rena Deangelo
(20th Century Studios)
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
“Mum Is Pouring Rain”
Hugo de Faucompret and Lison d’Andréa
“Namoo”
Erick Oh
“Only a Child”
Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Simone Giampaolo
“Robin Robin”
Daniel Ojari, Michael Please, and Sam Morrison
“Us Again”
Zach Parrish
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
“Censor of Dreams”
Leo Berne and Raphaël Rodriguez
“The Dress”
Tadeusz Lysiak
“The Long Goodbye”
Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed
“Tala’vision”
Murad Abu Eisheh
“You’re Dead Helen”
Michiel Blanchart
SOUND
“Dune”
Sound Design by Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Doug Hemphill, Theo Green, and Ron Bartlett
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Last Night In Soho”
Sound Design by Colin Nicolson, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin, and Dan Morgan
(Focus Features)
“No Time To Die”
Sound Design by James Harrison, Simon Hayes, Paul Massey, Oliver Tarney, and Mark Taylor
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“A Quiet Place Part II”
Sound Design by Erik Aadahl, Michael Barosky, Brandon Proctor, and Ethan Van Der Ryn
(Paramount Pictures)
“West Side Story”
Sound Design by Brian Chumney, Tod Maitland, Andy Nelson, and Gary Rydstrom
(20th Century Studios)
VISUAL EFFECTS
“Dune”
Visual Effects by Brian Connor, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, and Gerd Nefzer
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Free Guy”
Visual Effects by Swen Gillberg, Brian Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, and Daniel Sudick
(20th Century Studios)
“Godzilla vs. Kong”
Visual Effects by John ‘D.J.’ Des Jardin, Tamara Watts Kent, Bryan Hirota, Kevin Andrew Smith, and Michael Meinardus
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“No Time To Die”
Visual Effects by Mark Bokowski, Chris Corbould, Joel Green, and Charlie Noble
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
“Spider-Man: No Way Home”
Visual Effects by Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein, and Daniel Sudick
(Columbia Pictures)
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
“CODA”
Written by Siân Heder
Based on “La Famille Bélier” by Victoria Bedos, Thomas Bidegain, Stanislas Carré de Malberg, and Éric Lartigau
(Apple Original Films)
“Drive My Car”
Written by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Based on “Drive My Car” by Haruki Murakami
(Janus Films)
“Dune”
Written by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
Based on “Dune” by Frank Herbert
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The Lost Daughter”
Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
Based on “The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante
(Netflix)
“The Power Of The Dog”
Written by Jane Campion
Based on “The Power Of The Dog” by Thomas Savage
(Netflix)
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
“Being The Ricardos”
Written by Aaron Sorkin
(Amazon Studios)
“Belfast”
Written by Kenneth Branagh
(Focus Features)
“Don’t Look Up”
Screenplay by Adam McKay, Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
(Netflix)
“The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun”
Screenplay by Wes Anderson, Story by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Hugo Guinness & Jason Schwartzman
(Searchlight Pictures)
“Licorice Pizza”
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
BREAKDOWN
“Dune” (10)
“The Power Of The Dog” (8)
“Belfast” (6)
“King Richard” (4)
“Licorice Pizza” (4)
“No Time To Die” (4)
“West Side Story” (4)
“Drive My Car” (3)
“The French Dispatch” (3)
“House Of Gucci” (3)
“Nightmare Alley” (3)
“CODA” (2)
“Cruella” (2)
“Don’t Look Up” (2)
“Encanto” (2)
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (2)
“Flee” (2)
“The Lost Daughter” (2)
“Sing 2” (2)
“Spencer” (2)
“The Tragedy Of Macbeth” (2)
“Ascension”
“Being The Ricardos”
“Coming 2 America”
“Cyrano”
“The First Wave”
“Four Good Days”
“Free Guy”
“Godzilla vs. Kong”
“The Hand of God”
“A Hero”
“Last Night In Soho”
“Luca”
“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”
“Passing”
“Pig”
“A Quiet Place Part II”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“The Rescue”
“Respect”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home”
“Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”
“Tick, Tick … Boom!”
“The Worst Person In The World”
