As we dive into the buzz of Oscars 2025, the excitement is palpable on the red carpet and beyond. This year’s awards run (DGA, PGA, SAG, Spirit, BAFTA) has set the stage for a cinematic showdown, with top critics from Indiewire, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter fueling the debate.
Pundits and awards obsessives are clinging to precedent, using the DGA, PGA and BAFTA winners as road signs through an otherwise unpredictable season. But the truth is, plenty of question marks remain across multiple categories. With two frontrunners vying for glory in Best Feature Film(Anora and Conclave), Best Director(Sean Baker and Brady Corbet), Best Actress(Demi Moore and Mikey Madison), and Best International Feature Film(Emilia Perez and I’m Still Here), the competition is as intricate and unpredictable as ever.
Our predictions add another twist to the film fiesta, where every category seems to be playing a dual role. Grab your popcorn and get ready for a feature presentation packed with suspense and cinematic flair!
BEST PICTURE
“Anora” (Neon) *** [Winner]
“The Brutalist” (A24)
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“I’m Still Here” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“The Substance” (Mubi)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
DIRECTING
Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
Sean Baker, “Anora” (Neon)*** [Winner]
Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist” (A24)
Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance” (Mubi)
James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cynthia Erivo (Wicked)
Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez)
Mikey Madison (Anora) [Winner]
Demi Moore (The Substance)***
Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist” (A24)*** [Winner]
Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing” (A24)
Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave” (Focus Features)
Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice” (Briarcliff Entertainment)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
Ariana Grande, “Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist” (A24)
Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave” (Focus Features)
Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)*** [Winner]
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Yura Borisov, “Anora” (Neon)
Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” (Searchlight Pictures)*** [Winner]
Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist” (A24)
Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice” (Briarcliff Entertainment)
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Anora” (Neon), Sean Baker*** [Winner]
“The Brutalist” (A24), Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
“A Real Pain” (Searchlight Pictures), Jesse Eisenberg
“September 5” (Paramount Pictures), Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
“The Substance” (Mubi), Coralie Fargeat
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures), Jay Cocks, James Mangold
“Conclave” (Focus Features),Peter Straughan*** [Winner]
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix), Jacques Audiard
“Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM Studios), RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes
“Sing Sing” (A24), Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield
ANIMATED FEATURE
“Flow” (Janus Films/Sideshow)*** [Winner]
“Inside Out 2” (Pixar)
“Memoir of a Snail” (IFC Films)
“Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” (Netflix)
“The Wild Robot” (DreamWorks Animation)***
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“Black Box Diaries” (MTV Documentary Films)
“No Other Land” (No U.S. Distribution) [Winner]
“Porcelain War” (Picturehouse)***
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” (Kino Lorber)
“Sugarcane” (National Geographic Documentary Films)
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“Emilia Pérez” from France (Netflix)
“Flow” from Latvia (Janus Films/Sideshow)
“The Girl with the Needle” from Denmark (Mubi)
“I’m Still Here” from Brazil (Sony Pictures Classics)*** [Winner]
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” from Germany (Neon)
ORIGINAL SCORE
“The Brutalist” (A24)*** [Winner]
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
“The Wild Robot” (DreamWorks Animation)
ORIGINAL SONG
“Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late” (Walt Disney Pictures)
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)*** [Winner]
“Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight” (Netflix)
“Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” (A24)
SOUND
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)*** [Winner]
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
“The Wild Robot” (DreamWorks Animation)
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“A Different Man” (A24)
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“Nosferatu” (Focus Features)
“The Substance” (Mubi) [Winner]
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)***
COSTUME DESIGN
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Gladiator II” (Paramount Pictures)
“Nosferatu” (Focus Features)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)*** [Winner]
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“The Brutalist” (A24)*** [Winner]
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“Maria” (Netflix)
“Nosferatu” (Focus Features)
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“The Brutalist” (A24)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)
“Nosferatu” (Focus Features)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)*** [Winner]
FILM EDITING
“Anora” (Neon) [Winner]
“The Brutalist” (A24)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)***
“Emilia Pérez” (Netflix)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
VISUAL EFFECTS
“Alien: Romulus” (20th Century Studios)
“Better Man” (Paramount Pictures)
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.)*** [Winner]
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Studios)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT FILM)
“Death by Numbers” (Cuomo Cole Productions)
“I Am Ready, Warden” (MTV Documentary Films)***
“Incident” (Hypnotic Pictures)
“Instruments of a Beating Heart” (The New York Times OpDocs/Cineric Creative)
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra” (Netflix) [Winner]
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
“Anuja” (Netflix)***
“I’m Not a Robot” (The New Yorker) [Winner]
“The Last Ranger” (Six Feet Films)
“A Lien” (No U.S. Distribution)
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent” (Manifest)
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
“Beautiful Men” (Miyu Distribution)
“In the Shadow of Cypress” (Voce Spettacolo) [Winner]
“Magic Candies” (Toei Animation)***
“Wander to Wonder” (Bantam Film)
“Yuck!” (Miyu Distribution)
As the credits roll on our Oscar 2025 predictions, one thing is clear: this year’s battle for the gold is as dynamic as a well-crafted plot twist. The double threats in film, director, actress, and international feature keep us guessing and add layers to the night’s drama. Whether you're a dedicated cinephile or simply enchanted by the magic of movies, stay tuned for the surprises ahead.