Final Predictions: 96th Academy Awards
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
It’s here—the biggest night in Hollywood. “Oppenheimer” leads the nominees with 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. “Poor Things” follows with 11 nominations. “Killers of the Flower Moon” earned ten mentions.
If you’ve kept up with awards season, you know that several frontrunners secured their status early with win after win. There could still be some surprises, though. Best Actress in a Leading Role is the most exciting race of the night. First-time nominee Lily Gladstone took home several precursors and has enjoyed Oscar buzz since “Killers of the Flower Moon” screened at Cannes. Emma Stone, however, stomped onto the scene with her career-altering performance in “Poor Things.” Gladstone won the SAG Award. Stone won the BAFTA. It’s the most challenging category to predict at this stage.
Whether it’s Best Actress or Adapted Screenplay (where “Barbie” could upset “Oppenheimer” and “American Fiction”) or any other category, we’ve studied every critics’ group award, industry celebration and those pesky “anonymous Oscar voter” articles to land on the following predictions.
We hope they help you fill out your ballot. Good luck!
Watch the 96th Academy Awards live on ABC on tonight at 6 pm CT.
Actor in a Leading Role
Will win: Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
Could win: Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”
Actor in a Supporting Role
Will win: Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
Could win: Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
Actress in a Leading Role
Will win: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Could win: Emma Stone, “Poor Things”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Will win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
Could win: Jodie Foster, “Nyad”
Animated Feature Film
Will win: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Could win: “The Boy and the Heron”
Cinematography
Will win: “Oppenheimer”
Could win: “Poor Things”
Costume Design
Will win: “Barbie”
Could win: “Poor Things”
Directing
Will win: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Could win: Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest”
Documentary Feature Film
Will win: “20 Days in Mariupol”
Could win: “Four Daughters”
Documentary Short Film
Will win: “The Last Repair Shop”
Could win: “Nai Nai and Wài Pó”
Film Editing
Will win: “Oppenheimer”
Could win: “Anatomy of a Fall”
International Feature Film
Will win: “The Zone of Interest”
Could win: “Perfect Days”
Makeup and Hairstyling
Will win: “Maestro”
Could win: “Poor Things”
Original Score
Will win: “Oppenheimer”
Could win: “Poor Things”
Original Song
Will win: “What Was I Made For,” from “Barbie”
Could win: “I’m Just Ken,” from “Barbie”
Best Picture
Will win: “Oppenheimer”
Could win: “The Zone of Interest”
Production Design
Will win: “Barbie”
Could win: “Poor Things”
Animated Short Film
Will win: “WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”
Could win: “Letter to a Pig”
Live Action Short Film
Will win: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
Could win: “The After”
Sound
Will win: “Oppenheimer”
Could win: “The Zone of Interest”
Visual Effects
Will win: “The Creator”
Could win: “Godzilla Minus One”
Adapted Screenplay
Will win: “American Fiction”
Could win: “Barbie”
Original Screenplay
Will win: “The Holdovers”
Could win: “Anatomy of a Fall”
