Get ready for the 96th Oscars Awards, airing on March 10, 2024, on ABC. The anticipation is high as the nominees are set to be revealed, leaving us to wonder if Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” will continue its triumphant journey or if Greta Gerwig’s delightful pop-culture creation will steal the spotlight. Alongside these contenders, keep an eye out for the whimsical dark comedy “Poor Things” and Martin Scorsese’s epic “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Will the expected nominees secure their spots, or will the unpredictable choices of Academy voters bring chaos to the nominations?
As anticipation builds for the 96th Academy Awards, set to air on ABC on March 10, film enthusiasts are eager to see whether Christopher Nolan’s powerful atomic bomb biopic “Oppenheimer” will continue its winning streak or if Greta Gerwig’s vibrant pop-culture creation, “Barbie,” will paint the Oscars pink. The competition is fierce, with dark comedies like “Poor Things” and epic Western crime tales like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” also vying for multiple nominations.
Best Picture Predictions: Separating Contenders from Pretenders
The Oscars top contenders for the Best Picture category include “Oppenheimer,” which has already claimed top prizes at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Following the trend, “Barbie,” “Poor Things,” “The Holdovers,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are expected to join the race, with indications from the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild providing a reliable barometer.
Best Actor and Actress: A Battle of Talent
In the Best Actor category, the race seems to be narrowing down to a two-man competition between Golden Globe winners Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”). However, with stellar performances, Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”) are strong contenders. In the Best Actress category, Globe winners Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) take the lead, closely followed by Margot Robbie (“Barbie”) and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”).
Supporting Cast: Who Will Steal the Spotlight?
For Best Supporting Actor, Robert Downey Jr. is poised for Oscar glory with his role in “Oppenheimer.” SAG nominees Ryan Gosling and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) are likely to join him. The supporting actress category is dominated by Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”), and Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), while a competitive field fights for the remaining spots.
Best Director Predictions: A Familiar Pattern Emerges
Oscar watchers expect a familiar pattern in the Best Director category, with four out of five DGA nominees usually securing a spot. Predicted nominees include Nolan, Scorsese, Gerwig, Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), and Alexander Payne (“The Holdovers”). However, potential surprises might come from Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”), Celine Song (“Past Lives”), or international contenders like Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”) and Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”).
