The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC announced Monday.
This marks the third year the Academy Awards ceremony will be held in March after notching steady viewership bumps the past two years.
The Academy set the submission deadline for general categories for the 2024 Oscars for Nov. 18, 2023. Preliminary voting for the shortlists will begin on Dec. 18 with the results announced on Dec. 21. The nominations voting period will run from Jan. 11-16, 2024, with the official nominations announcement on Jan. 23.
As the anticipation for the summer movie season grows, alongside it, the whispers are starting about the possible contenders for the 2024 awards season, notably the Oscars. Among the contenders, several films have emerged as strong contenders despite not being released yet. Let’s check out which movies you should check out before the 2024 awards season.
Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan is set to embark on a new creative journey with his twelfth film. Departing from his signature style, Nolan will delve into the realm of biopics as he takes on the task of writing and producing a film centred around the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
As we all know, the Academy adores biopics, giving another advantage to the critically acclaimed director. Known for his exceptional ability to blend originality with adaptation, Nolan’s upcoming project promises to captivate audiences with its exploration of the enigmatic scientist’s story.
Air
Ben Affleck has established himself as a formidable director with an impressive repertoire of diverse. The actor and director is not only known for his captivating movies but also for his love of popular casino games and having fun in Las Vegas. However, his new movie, Air, doesn’t delve into the casino industry but into the story of Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) as he navigates the world of marketing and seeks to strike a deal with the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan in the 1980s.
With Affleck’s crisp direction and a stellar ensemble, Air emerges as a strong contender for one of the coveted slots in the Best Picture category at the upcoming Oscars.
Dune: Part Two
The movie blockbuster Dune was highly revered and received several nominations at the Baftas. The highly anticipated continuation of the epic sci-fi saga, Dune: Part Two, is set to arrive this fall, building upon the foundations laid by its predecessor. Director Denis Villeneuve emphasises that it is not a mere sequel but rather a second part, maintaining dramatic continuity with the characters and their journeys.
In Part Two, we witness Paul’s (Timothée Chalamet) transformation into a leader and redeemer of the Fremen people. The official synopsis teases a mythic journey as Paul unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen, seeking revenge against those who destroyed his family while grappling with a choice that could determine the fate of the universe. But will the movie secure the Oscars nomination? Only time will tell.
Barbie
Warner Bros. Pictures is set to unleash the iconic Mattel doll, Barbie, onto the silver screen in an upcoming film by director Greta Gerwig. After several years of anticipation and changes in casting, Margot Robbie is now confirmed to take on the lead role, while the talented Ryan Gosling joins as Barbie’s beloved partner, Ken.
While promotional images have offered glimpses of Robbie and Gosling in character, the plot itself remains shrouded in secrecy. However, Gerwig’s recent comments at the Academy’s Governors Awards hint at the dazzling array of costumes and the toy-inspired world that awaits audiences. Will Greta’s next appearance at the Academy be to accept the best picture award?
As the 2024 Oscars draw near, the competition for nominations is heating up, with a slew of remarkable films vying for recognition. As the anticipation mounts, film enthusiasts eagerly await the Oscar nominations, eager to see which of these outstanding movies will secure their place in cinematic history.
Everything Everywhere All at Once — (nonwhite) female lead, directed by two males
All Quiet on the Western Front — male lead, directed by a male
Avatar: The Way of Water — mixed ensemble, directed by a male
The Banshees of Inisherin — male leads, directed by a male
Elvis — male lead, directed by a male
The Fablemans — male lead, directed by a male
TAR — female lead, directed by a male
Top Gun: Maverick — male lead, directed by a male
Women Talking — female ensemble cast, directed by a female
What did change is what film won Best Picture without a doubt. The last film before Nomadland to win Best Picture and Best Actress was 2004’s Million Dollar Baby.
2022 — Everything Everywhere All at Once (non-white female lead, inclusive cast + LGBTQIA)
2021 — CODA (female lead, female-directed, with 3 deaf characters)
2020 — Nomadland (female lead, non-white female-directed)
2019 — Parasite (non-white cast)
2018 — Green Book (partly non-white cast/LGBTQIA theme)
2017 — The Shape of Water (female lead)
2016 — Moonlight (non-white cast/LGBTQIA theme)
2015 — Spotlight (ensemble but mostly male)
2014 — Birdman (director from Mexico)
2013 — 12 Years a Slave (non-white cast and director)
2012 — Argo
2011 — The Artist
2010 — The King’s Speech
2009 — The Hurt Locker (female director)
2008 — Slumdog Millionaire (non-white cast)
2007 — No Country for Old Men
2006 — The Departed
2005 — Crash
2004 — Million Dollar Baby
Green Book was the only movie that caused a revolution in the industry. Even though it was about the relationship between an ignorant white man and an evolved Black, gay man, the Trump factor (the screenwriter was a supporter) was too big to ignore. It was more about the film that lost, ROMA, which many critics took as a personal affront.
But the question remains (other than the efforts to virtue signal when it comes to what wins): has anything changed when it comes to what kinds of films drive the race? If last year’s lineup is any sign, then no. Audiences, critics, and voters are still drawn to male-driven films for the most part. But when it comes to pulling the trigger on a winner, the ways they speak for change in the industry do still matter.
Last year’s Best Actor lineup did not really match Best Picture, weirdly enough. Only two contenders came from a Best Picture nominee. This was only the second time since 2009 (post-expanded ballot) when the same thing happened. Jeff Bridges won that year for Crazy Heart, like Brendan Fraser winning for The Whale. Weird, right?
By contrast, three of the Best Actress nominees were featured in Best Picture nominees, including the winner, Michelle Yeoh. That means Best Picture and Best Actress have gone together three since 2004. Even if it doesn’t really change the nominees overall, the “Great Awokening” has most definitely changed the winners. That was especially true last year when Everything Everywhere broke records for winning three acting prizes along with Best Picture.
Will that happen again this year? It’s hard to know. Everything Everywhere was the exact right movie about the exact right thing at the exact right time. While the rest of the country was celebrating Top Gun: Maverick, Everything Everywhere most definitely reflected the world “inside” what Hollywood and the Oscars have become.
Let’s look at what might lie ahead for 2023, at this very early moment in the race.
I am taking the contenders from various sources, including our Good as Gold, Erik Anderson’s AwardsWatch, Clayton Davis’ Variety, Jeff Wells’ Hollywood Elsewhere.
Best Actor-driven Best Picture contenders
Oppenheimer (male lead, directed by a male)
Killers of the Flower Moon (male leads, directed by male, ensemble cast of Native Americans)
The Killer (male lead, directed by a male)
Maestro (male lead, directed by male, LGBTQIA+ theme)
Dune: Part Two (male lead, directed by a male)
The Holdovers (male leads, directed by a male)
Saltburn (male leads, directed by a female)
Napoleon (male lead, directed by a male)
Air (male lead, directed by a male)
Freud’s Last Session (male lead, directed by a male)
Ferrari (male lead, directed by a male)
Ensembles
Next Goal Wins (mostly male, directed by a male, LGBTQIA+ theme)
Past Lives (male and female leads, directed by a female)
Zone of Interest (directed by a male)
Best Actress-Driven Best Picture Contenders
Poor Things (female lead, directed by a male)
The Color Purple (non-white female lead+ensemble, non-white male director, LGBTQIA+ aspect)
Barbie (female lead, inclusive cast, directed by a female, LGBTQIA+ aspect)
Lee (female lead, directed by a female)
These are, on first pass, the films that stand out to me as potential contenders. Does that mean anything? Not really. It’s too early to know anything for sure. If I had to lay out a sloppy predictions list right now I’d go with:
Best Picture/Best Director
Oppenheimer/Christopher Nolan
Killers of the Flower Moon/Martin Scorsese
The Killer/David Fincher
The Holdovers/Alexander Payne
Poor Things/Yorgos Lanthimos
Best Picture
Past Lives
Next Goal Wins
The Color Purple
Maestro
Saltburn
Alts
Dune: Part Two
Napoleon
Zone of Interest
Best Actor
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Michael Fassbender, The Killer
Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon
Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon
Alts
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Adam Driver, Ferrari
Best Actress
Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Emma Stone, Poor Things
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Kate Winslet, Lee
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
There are plenty of other films I’ve heard about, and performances upcoming. I’m laying these down here now as a record of an impression in time and nothing more. We’ll keep looking more deeply as the year unfolds.
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