VISUAL EFFECTS
Nominees:
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man”
“Civil War”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Gladiator II”
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
“Twisters”
“Wicked”
Per the Academy’s press release:
Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 97th Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
Nominations voting begins on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and concludes on Sunday, January 12, 2025. Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be announced on Friday, January 17, 2025. The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and airs live in more than 200 territories worldwide.
OSCAR NOMINATION PREDICTIONS
“ALIEN: ROMULUS” • 20th Century Studios
Fede Alvarez | Director
Ridley Scott, Michael A. Pruss, Walter Hill | Producers
“CIVIL WAR” • A24
Alex Garland | Director
Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Gregory Goodman | Producers
“Dune: Part Two” • Warner Bros Pictures
VISUAL EFFECTS BY Paul Lambert, Stephen James, & Rhys Salcombe
Denis Villeneuve | Director
Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe, Patrick McCormick | Producers
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” • 20th Century Studios
VISUAL EFFECTS BY Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, Rodney Burke
Wes Ball | Director
Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Jason Reed | Producers
“Wicked” • Universal Pictures
VISUAL EFFECTS by Anthony Smith, Jonathan Fawkner, Pablo Helman, and Robert Weaver
Jon M. Chu | Director
Marc Platt, David Stone | Producers
WHY I CHOSE THOSE FIVE?
Give the Best Visual Effects trophy to “Dune: Part Two,” because I cannot see any other film competing. The one shred of hope the other contenders have is that the first “Dune” won this category in 2022, so voters might be looking elsewhere. I’m putting “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” in because the Academy has nominated all three of the previous “Apes” films. I’m not predicting it, but I’m curious if “Better Man,” which turns singer Robbie Williams into a motion capture ape, will get in on the coattails of the “Apes” films. “Wicked” is so beloved that despite not deserving a Visual Effects nomination, I fear that once the ball starts rolling for the film, it won’t stop. I’m tossing “Civil War” in the mix because it was one of my favorite films of the year. It was a surprise to see it shortlisted, so I’m pulling for it to be the dark horse.
Then, there’s a bunch of sequels whose predecessors all had Visual Effects nominations, including “Mufasa: The Lion King,” whose original film, “The Lion King,” garnered a sole Visual Effects nomination. If you go back to 1997, the original “Twister” was nominated for Best Visual Effects, so don’t count out “Twisters.” And Ridley Scott’s original “Gladiator” won five Oscars from 12 nominations, including a Visual Effects win, so “Gladiator II” is hanging in there. Speaking of Ridley Scott, the original “Alien” also won the Best Visual Effects Oscar in 1980. “Alien: Romulus” is not as ground-breaking as the original, but there is precedence for it to get a nomination, so of these films, I’m putting it in for my final pick. The experts at Gold Derby say ”Gladiator II” and ”Twisters” will get in over ”Civil War” and ”Alien: Romulus.”
“Alien: Romulus”
August 16, 2024 | 20th Century Studios | 119 min | English
Directed by Fede Alvarez
Eric Barba, Daniel Macarin, Nelson Sepulveda, Shane Mahan, Ale Melendez,
Steven Denyer, Sebastian Ravagnani, & Nicolas Caillier
Synopsis: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
✰ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award Nominee
✰ Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Professional Association Award Nominee
✰ Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ San Diego Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ St. Louis Film Critics Association Award Nominee
“Better Man”
December 25, 2024 | Paramount Pictures | 131 min | English
Directed by Michael Gracey
Luke Millar, Keith Herft, Peter Stubbs, Craig Young, & Dave Clayton
Synopsis: Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist — all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
✰ Critics Choice Award Nominee
✰ Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award Nominee
✰ Indiana Film Journalists Association Award Nominee
✰ Utah Film Critics Association Award Nominee
“Civil War”
April 12, 2024 | A24 | 109 min | English
Directed by Alex Garland
David Simpson
Synopsis: In a dystopian future, four journalists travel across the United States during a nation-wide conflict. While trying to survive, they aim to reach the White House to interview the president before he is overthrown.
✰ British Independent Film Award Winner
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
July 26, 2024 | Marvel Studios | 128 min | English
Directed by Shawn Levy
Swen Gillberg, Vincent Papaix, Dominic Tuohy, Matthew Twyford, Ziad Shureih,
Alex Poei, Georg Kaltenbrunner, & Russell Lum
Synopsis: Deadpool’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.
✰ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Professional Association Award Nominee
“Dune: Part Two”
March 1, 2024 | Warner Bros Pictures | 166 min | English
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Stephen James, Paul Lambert, Gerd Nefzer, & Rhys Salcombe
Synopsis: The stories of a group of Londoners during the German bombing campaign of the British capital during World War II.
✰ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award Nominee
✰ Critics Choice Award Nominee
✰ Satellite Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Creative Arts Award Winner
✰ Online Association of Female Film Critics Award Winner
✰ Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Winner
✰ Seattle Film Critics Society Award Winner
✰ St. Louis Film Critics Association Award Winner
✰ Chicago Film Critics Association Award Nominee
✰ Indiana Film Journalists Association Award Nominee
✰ North Carolina Film Critics Association Award Nominee
✰ San Diego Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ Utah Film Critics Association Award Nominee
“Gladiator II”
November 22, 2024 | Paramount Pictures | 148 min | English
Directed by Ridley Scott
Mark Bakowski & Nikki Penny
Synopsis: After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.
✰ Critics Choice Award Nominee
✰ Satellite Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Creative Arts Award Nominee
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
May 10, 2024 | 20th Century Studios | 145 min | English
Directed by Wes Ball
Erik Winquist, Paul Story, Rodney Burke, & Stephen Unterfranz
Synopsis: Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
✰ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award Nominee
✰ Critics Choice Award Nominee
✰ Satellite Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Professional Association Award Winner
✰ Indiana Film Journalists Association Award Nominee
✰ North Carolina Film Critics Association Award Nominee
✰ Online Association of Female Film Critics Award Nominee
✰ San Diego Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ Seattle Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ St. Louis Film Critics Association Award Nominee
✰ Utah Film Critics Association Award Nominee
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
December 20, 2024 | Walt Disney Pictures | 120 min | English
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Audrey Ferrara & Adam Valdez
Synopsis: Mufasa, a cub lost and alone, meets a sympathetic lion named Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of a group of misfits searching for their destiny.
✰ Satellite Award Nominee
“Twisters”
July 19, 2024 | Universal Pictures | 122 min | English
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung
Scott R. Fisher, Florian Witzel, Ben Snow, & Bill Georgiou
Synopsis: Kate Carter, a retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist, is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies.
✰ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Creative Arts Award Nominee
✰ Indiana Film Journalists Association Award Nominee
“Wicked”
November 22, 2024 | Universal Pictures | 160 min | English
Directed by Jon M. Chu
Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould, David Shirk, Robert Weaver, & Anthony Smith
Synopsis: Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman because of her green skin, and Glinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads.
✰ Critics Choice Award Nominee
✰ Satellite Award Nominee
✰ Nevada Film Critics Society Award Winner
✰ Chicago Film Critics Association Award Nominee
✰ Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Creative Arts Award Nominee
✰ Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award Nominee
✰ Online Association of Female Film Critics Award Nominee
✰ Seattle Film Critics Society Award Nominee
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