Forecasts by entertainment industry professionals for the 2024 Academy Awards. A complete guide to all things related to the 2024 Oscars.
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The 96th edition of the Academy Awards, scheduled for this Sunday, will unite a diverse array of nominees. This includes box office record-breakers, seasoned Hollywood veterans, fresh faces, and more than one epic drama, as major players and blockbuster films vie for coveted recognition.
The 2024 Oscar ballot is poised to deliver an intriguing night. Leading up to the event, predictions from entertainment industry experts have been unveiled, offering insights into the potential outcomes of some of the most prominent categories.
On Sunday, March 10, the 2024 Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the event for the fourth time, and he’ll be joined onstage by a stellar lineup of presenters.
Kimmel expressed his return as the host, citing the anticipation of a popular movie being nominated. He believes it’s easier to craft jokes when the audience is familiar with the content.
Molly McNearney, executive producer of the Oscars, expressed a similar sentiment about the appreciation for nominated films that resonated with the audience at the box office. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter alongside Jimmy Kimmel, she shared, “It was a big relief to us as joke writers to have movies nominated that the home audience has seen, like Barbie and Oppenheimer.”
Regarding the decision-making process for hosting again, Kimmel humorously remarked, “I think Molly waits till I come up with the yes and then tries to talk me out of it. And if it’s still yes, then it becomes ‘yes!’” McNearney added that the dual actor and writer strikes in 2023 played a role in their decision to take on the hosting duties.
“I think the strike played a part, too,” she remarked. “It was providing job opportunities and having a room full of people who appreciate their jobs more than ever. Making movies again felt like a good wave to ride.”
While the ceremony will still be broadcast on ABC in the U.S., this year it commences an hour earlier than in previous years. Additionally, the show coincides with the commencement of daylight saving time in the U.S.
The 2024 Oscars haven’t been without controversy, notably centered around the prominent snubs of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig in the best actress and best director categories, respectively.
This year’s Oscars mark the first instance in which films must meet two of four representation and inclusion standards to qualify for the top prize of best picture.
“Oppenheimer” stands out as the clear frontrunner for the coveted Oscar for best picture. Christopher Nolan’s sweeping historical drama, delving into the life of the nuclear physicist often referred to as “the father of the atomic bomb,” leads the pack with an impressive 13 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards.
The film has not only secured a substantial number of nominations but has also clinched every precursor prize at earlier awards ceremonies this season. This includes equivalent categories at the Critics Choice and Golden Globe Awards, as well as accolades from the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, Producers Guild, and British Academy — providing substantial indicators of its potential success in the upcoming best picture race.
Television presenter and lifestyle expert Lilliana Vazquez emphasized, “I think there would be a crazy upset if ‘Oppenheimer’ did not win, simply because it has swept.” She highlighted the significance of unanimous recognition from various guilds as a strong predictor of success.
Erik Davis, the managing editor at Fandango, echoed this sentiment, noting, “I’m not sure if we’ve had an overwhelming favorite like ‘Oppenheimer’ in a while, but ‘Oppenheimer’ really is the favorite to win best picture.” He praised the film for its accomplishments across various aspects, including its narrative, cast performances, cinematography, editing, and score.
“All of the components of ‘Oppenheimer,’ when assembled, help push it over the line for best picture because it’s more than just an entertaining film,” Davis emphasized. “Across the board, I think this film achieves at an Oscar-winning level.”
Vazquez echoed this sentiment, stating, “‘Oppenheimer,’ for me, is a lock. I think it hits on so many different levels. That style of film, the script, the acting, is so good. Sometimes, you get these indie darling films, and people are like, ‘I don’t understand it.’ This is a topic that everyone can connect to.”
Competing alongside “Oppenheimer” for the best picture category are nine other films: “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things,” and “The Zone of Interest.”
Experts express skepticism that any of these titles will surpass Nolan’s film, and a loss for “Oppenheimer” in this category is anticipated to be the surprise of the night.
“I think it’s one of those versatile films that reached everyone. And, you know, we always gravitate towards historical dramas,” remarked Aramide Tinubu, a TV critic at Variety, who is betting on “Oppenheimer” to win. “As interesting as ‘The Holdovers’ was, and though it is kind of historically set, it’s a much quieter film. We love a good blockbuster here in America.”
However, potential dark horses for the best picture prize could include “The Holdovers,” Alexander Payne’s nostalgic crowd-pleaser, Justine Triet’s multilingual court drama “Anatomy of a Fall,” or Yorgos Lanthimos’ offbeat sci-fi comedy “Poor Things,” which closely follows “Oppenheimer” with 11 Oscar nominations.
“The most interesting thing about the race this year is you can’t even tell what’s going to be the runner-up,” noted Joyce Eng, an entertainment journalist and senior editor at Gold Derby, a blog site focusing on Hollywood awards predictions. Eng, alongside Christopher Rosen, the site’s digital director, co-hosts the podcast “Gold Derby Show,” where they discuss and forecast awards season.
Rosen highlighted that the anticipated victory of “Oppenheimer” in the best picture race stems not only from its dominance throughout the awards circuit but also because it possesses all the qualities of a winner. Beyond being a historical biopic, it garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. Both Eng and Rosen noted that the film’s early portrayal as a potential dark horse likely contributed to its popularity.
“I think it ran second a lot, at least over the summer, to ‘Barbie’ in terms of its box office and coverage. So, it had the sheen of an underdog even though it obviously wasn’t,” stated Rosen, characterizing “Oppenheimer” as a “perfect consensus movie on top of being the steamroller.”
“There’s been no fatigue with it being a frontrunner, either,” added Eng. “I think that’s key.”
The 96th annual Academy Awards are set to air on ABC in the U.S. at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, preceded by a half-hour ABC preshow starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
For online streaming, viewers can tune in on ABC through DirecTV Stream, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV.
The ceremony is anticipated to conclude by 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, making way for a new episode of ABC’s popular sitcom, Abbott Elementary.
The start time of this year’s Oscars at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT is notably earlier than the usual 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT start in previous years, marking a first for the Film Academy.
Additionally, the Oscars coincides with the first day of daylight saving time this year, adding to the perception of an even earlier broadcast for many U.S. viewers.
The 2024 Oscars boast a star-studded lineup of presenters, including Zendaya, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Sally Field, Ariana Grande, Ben Kingsley, Melissa McCarthy, Issa Rae, Tim Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlize Theron, Forest Whitaker, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christoph Waltz, Brendan Fraser, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Rita Moreno, Bad Bunny, John Mulaney, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer, and Ramy Youssef, among others.
In a return to the 2009 format, five past acting winners will introduce this year’s acting nominees. Presenters include previous best actor winners Nicolas Cage, Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino, Brendan Fraser, Ben Kingsley, and Forest Whitaker; past best actress winners Jessica Lange, Sally Field, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, and Michelle Yeoh; prior best supporting actor winners Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Ke Huy Quan, Tim Robbins, and Christoph Waltz; and past best supporting actress winners Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Regina King, Rita Moreno, Octavia Spencer, and Mary Steenburgen.
Each of the nominated best original song contenders will be brought to life on stage during the ceremony. Ryan Gosling will make his debut performance with “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie; Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas will present her Barbie ballad “What Was I Made For?”; Scott George and the Osage Singers will perform “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon; Becky G will sing “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot; and Jon Batiste will play “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony.
The nominations for this year’s Academy Awards are led by Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” boasting 13 nods. Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” closely follows with 11 nominations, while Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” has received 10 nods. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” secures eight nominations. These four films are in contention for the coveted Best Picture award, along with “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “Maestro,” “The Zone of Interest,” and “Past Lives.”
This year’s list of contenders includes several first-time acting nominees, such as Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”), Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”), Colman Domingo (“Rustin”), America Ferrera (“Barbie”), Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”).
Noteworthy records include Lily Gladstone, the first Native American acting nominee, and Martin Scorsese, who now holds the record for the most nominated living movie director.
The Best Directing category for this year’s Academy Awards features Justine Triet as the sole female nominee, marking the eighth woman to receive this nomination in the history of the Oscars. Triet is nominated alongside Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), and Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”).
The Oscar for Best Actor is widely predicted to go to Cillian Murphy for his portrayal of the scientist in “Oppenheimer.” Experts point to the film’s immense success and Murphy’s previous wins at the SAG Awards and the BAFTAs as indicators of strong support from industry members who are likely to overlap with the Oscars voting pool.
The race for Best Actress at the Oscars appears to be closely contested between Lily Gladstone for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Emma Stone for her role in “Poor Things.” Both actresses are acclaimed for their outstanding performances, and the competition is anticipated to be a closely watched and debated aspect of the 2024 Oscars.
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