Even as Los Angeles continues to battle and begins to recover from the tragic wildfires, the awards season still marches on. Though, some are still questioning whether it should be. It is an understatement to say it has been an eventful season, but after COVID-19 and the strikes ravaged the last five years, ‘eventful,’ it appears, is the new norm. The Los Angeles fires leveled the Pacific Palisades, a haven for Hollywood A-listers, and the Historic Altadena neighborhood outside of Pasadena. Both thriving communities were popular with artists from all backgrounds. All of RT is hopeful and committed to the recovery, including many LA-based team members.
(Photo by Courtesy of Neon)
The scale of devastation has many in the town questioning whether the awards season will or should continue. And there have already been a few cancellations. The Academy announced that the annual nominee luncheon would be canceled and that the show, set to take place on March 2, will have a fundraising aspect. And if the show must go on? So, shall we. Our awards coverage continues this week, breaking down which films we expect to be announced on Thursday for the 97th annual Oscar nominations. And we expect more than a few surprises.
Not all of LA was affected by the fires, but due to the nature of the disaster and the fact that virtually everyone knows at least one person affected, many in the industry have naturally tuned out on awards season. Campaigning for an Oscar is always a delicate dance between doing what you should to win votes but never so much that you look like you want to win. And to misstep in the wake of this tragedy is the kind of industry faux pas that could affect more than your trophy chances.
(Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros)
To that end, awards strategists and publicists for contenders this season had frantic phone calls throughout last week trying to figure out precisely what they would do and how to proceed. Many events were canceled leading up to voting, and even with an extraction, some questioned if their clients would do any campaigning going forward. So, who knows what will be announced, given all the disruption, or what will happen after that, if the regular schedule of events is even allowed to proceed. As we said, it’s been eventful.
The 24/24 season must contend with all that, plus headlines about AI used in The Brutalist, Jamie Lee Curtis’ late-season surge, and September 5’s little-engine-that-could Best Picture vibes. We tried to take all that into account when we made our predictions for the year, but we must confess now how difficult that may turn out to be. Either way, we will be tuned in bright and early Thursday when Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott announce the nominees.
Our Awards Editor, Jacqueline Coley, has made these guesses on who will be nominated on Thursday. She based her picks on potential nominees’ critical reception (hello, Tomatometer!), the nominations and wins they’ve been receiving from guilds and other groups during awards season, and what we’re hearing from voters and other industry folks — aka the “buzz.”
Read on for our picks for the 2025 Oscar nominations. Let us know who you think will be nominated in the comments, and tune in on Thursday, January 23rd, on ABC at 8 a.m. EST/5 a.m. PST to see if we — or you — were right.
Best Picture
Who will be nominated?
93%
Anora
(2024)
93%
The Brutalist
(2024)
79%
A Complete Unknown
(2024)
93%
Conclave
(2024)
92%
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
88%
Challengers
(2024)
76%
Emilia Pérez
(2024)
92%
September 5
(2024)
89%
The Substance
(2024)
88%
Wicked
(2024)
Possible Spoilers: Sing Sing, Nickel Boys, A Real Pain
Shoulda Been a Contender: The Piano Lesson, Babygirl
Best Actor In a Leading Role
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/X0d0rlzcvN8
Who will be nominated?
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothee Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Possible Spoilers: Sebastian Stan, A Different Man
Shoulda Been a Contender: Hugh Grant, Heretic; Nicholas Hoult, Juror #2
Best Actress In A Leading Role
(Photo by Courtesy of Universal Pictures)
Who will be nominated?
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Possible Spoilers: Nicole Kidman, Babygirl; Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl; Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths
Shoulda Been a Contender: Zendaya, Challengers
Best Actor In a Supporting Role
(Photo by Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures)
Who will be nominated?
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Possible Spoilers: Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
Best Actress In A Supporting Role
(Photo by Courtesy of Netflix)
Who will be nominated?
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Possible Spoilers: Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Shoulda Been a Contender: Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lessson
Best Animated Feature Film
Who will be nominated?
97%
Flow
(2024)
91%
Inside Out 2
(2024)
95%
Memoir of a Snail
(2024)
97%
The Wild Robot
(2024)
100%
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
(2024)
Best Cinematography
Who will be nominated?
84%
Nosferatu
(2024)
76%
Emilia Pérez
(2024)
93%
Conclave
(2024)
93%
The Brutalist
(2024)
92%
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
Best Costume Design
Who will be nominated?
84%
Nosferatu
(2024)
92%
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
88%
Wicked
(2024)
93%
Conclave
(2024)
75%
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
(2024)
Best Director
Who will be nominated?
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Edward Berger, Conclave
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two
Possible Spoilers: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Shoulda Been a Contender: RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys
Best Documentary (Feature)
(Photo by Courtesy of MTV Films)
Who will be nominated?
98%
Black Box Diaries
(2024)
95%
The Bibi Files
(2024)
100%
Daughters
(2024)
100%
No Other Land
(2024)
100%
Sugar Cane Alley
(1983)
Possible Spoilers: Union
Best International Feature Film
Who will be nominated?
95%
I’m Still Here
(2024)
76%
Emilia Pérez
(2024)
96%
Kneecap
(2024)
95%
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
(2024)
93%
Vermiglio
(2024)
Best Music (Original Score)
Who will be nominated?
88%
Challengers
(2024)
93%
The Brutalist
(2024)
93%
Conclave
(2024)
84%
Nosferatu
(2024)
97%
The Wild Robot
(2024)
Best Music (Original Song)
Who will be nominated?
“El Mal” – Emilia Pérez
“Compress / Repress” – Challengers
“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot
“Mi Camino” – Emilia Pérez
“The Journey” – The Six Triple Eight
Possible Spoilers: “Out Of Oklahoma” – Twisters, “Tell Me It’s You” – Mufasa: The Lion King
Shoulda Been a Contender: “Beautiful That Way” – The Last Showgirl
Best Visual Effects
(Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros)
Who will be nominated?
92%
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
88%
Wicked
(2024)
80%
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
(2024)
75%
Twisters
(2024)
58%
Mufasa: The Lion King
(2024)
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Who will be nominated?
76%
Emilia Pérez
(2024)
97%
Sing Sing
(2023)
92%
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
79%
A Complete Unknown
(2024)
93%
Conclave
(2024)
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
(Photo by Courtesy of MUBI)
Who will be nominated?
88%
Challengers
(2024)
93%
The Brutalist
(2024)
96%
A Real Pain
(2024)
93%
Anora
(2024)
89%
The Substance
(2024)
The Oscars will air live on ABC at 4 pm PST, 7 pm EST on Sunday 2nd March 2025.
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