FINAL 2021 Oscar Nomination Predictions in all 23 categories
Just cut to the good stuff.
Click on each category for the full breakdown, stats, history and why I’m predicting what and who I am or just cut to the chase and scroll down for only the predictions. Let’s gooooo.
1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, PGA, SAG plus ACE, ADG, ASC, CAS, CSA, DGA, MPSE, WGA
Stuart M. Besser, Matt Jackson, Marc Platt, Tyler Thompson (producers)
2. Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, PGA plus ACE, MPSE
Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Chloé Zhao (producers)
3. Minari (A24) – BFCA, GG (foreign), SAG, PGA plus ACE
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Christina Oh (producers)
4. Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – BFCA, GG plus ACE, ADG, CDG, CSA, DGA, MUAH, PGA, WGA
Tom Ackerley, Ben Browning, Emerald Fennell, Ashley Fox (producers)
5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BFCA, PGA, SAG plus ADG, CSA, CDG, MPSE, MUAH, WGA
Todd Black, Denzel Washington, Dany Wolf (producers)
6. Mank (Netflix) – BFCA, GG plus ACE, ADG, ASC, CAS, MPSE, MUAH, VES
David Fincher, Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth, Douglas Urbanski (producers)
7. Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – PGA plus ACE, CAS, CSA, MPSE, WGA
Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche, Bill Benz, Cathy Benz (producers)
8. One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios) – BFCA, SAG, PGA plus CDG, WGA
Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder, Jody Klein (producers)
9. Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros) – PGA plus CSA, CDG, WGA
Charles D. King, Ryan Coogler, Shaka King (producers)
If 10. The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) BAFTA, GG
Philippe Carcassonne, Simon Friend, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt, Christophe Spadone (producers)
Watch out for: News of the World (Universal Pictures) – BFCA plus ADG, CAS, MPSE, WGA
Gary Goetzman, Gail Mutrux, Gregory Goodman (producers)
1. Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – GG, BAFTA, BFCA, DGA
2. Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24) – BAFTA, BFCA, DGA
3. Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – BFCA, DGA, GG
4. David Fincher – Mank (Netflix) – BFCA, DGA, GG
5. Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round (Samuel Goldwyn Mayer) – BAFTA
Watch out for: Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – BFCA, DGA, GG
- 1. Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BFCA, BAFTA, GG, SAG
- 2. Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
- 3. Anthony Hopkins – The Father(Sony Pictures Classics) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
- 4. Steven Yeun – Minari (A24) – BFCA, SAG
- 5. Gary Oldman – Mank (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, SAG
Watch out for: Mads Mikkelsen – Another Round (Samuel Goldwyn Mayer) – BAFTA
- 1. Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – BFCA, GG, SAG
- 2. Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday (Hulu) – BFCA, GG
- 3. Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, SAG
- 4. Frances McDormand – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
- 5. Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
Watch out for: Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Ever (Focus Features) – BFCA
- 1. Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros) – BFCA, GG, SAG, BAFTA longlist, BFCA
- 2. Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
- 3. Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, SAG
- 4. Paul Raci – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – BAFTA, BFCA
- 5. Alan S. Kim – Minari (A24) – BAFTA, BFCA (young actor/actress)
Watch out for: Jared Leto – The Little Things (Warner Bros) – GG, SAG
- 1. Youn Yuh-jung – Minari (A24) – BAFTA, BFCA, SAG
- 2. Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, SAG
- 3. Olivia Colman – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) – BFCA, GG, SAG
- 4. Jodie Foster – The Mauritanian (STX Films) – GG
- 5. Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, SAG
Watch out for: Amanda Seyfried – Mank (Netflix) – BFCA, GG
- 1. Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, USC (WGA ineligible)
Chloé Zhao (based on the book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder) - 2. One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios) – BFCA , USC, WGA
Kemp Powers (based on the play “One Night in Miami…” by Kemp Powers) - 3. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BFCA , USC, WGA
Ruben Santiago-Hudson (based on the play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” by August Wilson) - 4. The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG (WGA ineligible)
Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller (based on the play “Le Père” by Florian Zeller) - 5. First Cow (A24) – BFCA, USC
Kelly Reichardt, Jonathan Raymond (based on the novel “The Half Life” by Jonathan Raymond)
Watch out for: News of the World – BFCA , USC, WGA
- 1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA , GG, WGA
Aaron Sorkin - 2. Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – BAFTA, BFCA , GG, WGA
Emerald Fennell - 3. Minari (A24) – BFCA (WGA ineligible)
Lee Isaac Chung - 4. Mank (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG (WGA ineligible)
Jack Fincher - 5. Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – BFCA, WGA
Abraham Marder, Darius Marder (screenplay), Derek Cianfrance (story by)
Watch out for: Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros) – WGA
- 1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – ACE (drama), BAFTA, BFCA
Alan Baumgarten - 2. Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – ACE (drama), BAFTA, BFCA
Mikkel E.G. Nielsen - 3. Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – ACE (drama), BAFTA, BFCA
Chloé Zhao - 4. Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) – ACE (comedy), BAFTA
Frédéric Thoraval - 5. Minari (A24) – ACE (drama)
Harry Yoon
Watch out for: Mank (Netflix) – ACE, BFCA
- 1. Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) – ASC, BAFTA, BFCA
Joshua James Richards - 2. Mank (Netflix) – ASC, BAFTA, BFCA
Erik Messerschmidt - 3. News of the World (Universal Pictures) – ASC, BAFTA, BFCA
Dariusz Wolski - 4. Cherry (Apple TV+) – ASC
Newton Thomas Sigel - 5. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – ASC
Phedon Papamichael
Watch out for: Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros) – BAFTA
- 1. Soul (Disney/Pixar) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, HMMA, SCL
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste - 2. News of the World (Universal Pictures) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, HMMA, SCL
James Newton Howard - 3. Mank (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, GG, HMMA, SCL
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - 4. Minari (A24) – BAFTA, BFCA, HMMA, SCL
Emile Mosseri - 5. The Midnight Sky (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, HMMA
Alexandre Desplat
Watch out for: Tenet (Warner Bros) – BFCA, GG, HMMA, SCL
- 1. “Io Sì” (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (Netflix) – BFCA, HMMA, GG, SCL
Written by Diane Warren, Laura Pausini and Niccolò Agliardi - 2. “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios) – BFCA, GG, HMMA
Written by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth - 3. “Husavik (My Hometown)” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix) – BFCA, HMMA, SCL
Written by Fat Max Gsus, Rickard Göransson, and Savan Kotecha - 4. “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros) – BFCA, HMMA
Written by H.E.R., D’Mile, Tiara Thomas - 5. “Turntables” from All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios) – HMMA
Written by Janelle Monáe, Nathaniel Irvin III, George “George 2.0.” A. Peters II
Watch out for: “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7
- 1. Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios) – BAFTA, CAS, MPSE (x3)
Phillip Bladh, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés, Carolina Santana - 2. News of the World (Universal Pictures) – BAFTA, CAS, MPSE (x3)
John Pritchett, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller, Oliver Tarney, Michael Fentum - 3. Greyhound (Apple TV+) – BAFTA, CAS, MPSE (x2)
Odin Benitez, Jason King, Christian P. Minkler, Michael Minkler, Jeff Sawyer - 4. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – CAS, MPSE (x2)
Renee Tondelli, Dan Kenyon, Julian Slater, Michael Babcock, Thomas Varga - 5. Mank (Netflix) – CAS, MPSE
Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance, Drew Kunin
Watch out for: The Midnight Sky (Netflix) – MPSE (x2)
- 1. Mank (Netflix) – ADG, BAFTA, BFCA
Donald Graham Burt (production designer), Jan Pascale (set decorator) - 2. News of the World (Universal Pictures) – ADG, BAFTA, BFCA
David Crank (production designer), Elizabeth Keenan (set decorator) - 3. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – ADG, BFCA
Mark Ricker (production designer), Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton (set decorators) - 4. Tenet (Warner Bros) – ADG, BFCA
Nathan Crowley (production designer), Kathy Lucas (set decorator) - 5. The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures) – BFCA
Cristina Casali (production designer), Charlotte Dirickx (set decorator)
Watch out for: Mulan (Walt Disney) – ADG
- 1. Mank (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, CDG
Trish Summerville - 2. Emma. (Focus Features) – BAFTA, BFCA, CDG
Alexandra Byrne - 3. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, CDG
Ann Roth - 4. Mulan (Walt Disney Pictures) – BFCA, CDG
Bina Daigeler - 5. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
Michael Wilkinson
Watch out for: The Glorias (Roadside Attractions)
- 1. Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, MUAH (x3)
Eryn Krueger Mekash (makeup department head), Patricia Dehaney (hair department head), Matthew Mungle (prosthetic designer) - 2. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, MUAH (x2)
Sergio Lopez-Rivera (personal makeup for Viola Davis), Mia Neal (hair department head, wig designer & wig builder), Jamika Wilson (personal hair for Viola Davis) - 3. Pinocchio (Roadside Attractions) – BAFTA, MUAH
Mark Coulier (prosthetic makeup designer), Dalia Colli (makeup artist), Francesco Pegoretti (hair designer) - 4. Mank (Netflix) – BAFTA, BFCA, MUAH
Kimberley Spiteri (hair department head), Gigi Williams (makeup department head) - 5. Emma. (Focus Features) – BFCA
Marese Langan (hair and makeup designer)
Watch out for: Birds of Prey (Warner Bros) – MUAH (x2)
- 1. The Midnight Sky (Netflix) – BAFTA, VES
Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, Dave Watkins, Max Solomon - 2. Tenet (Warner Bros) – BAFTA, BFCA, VES
Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley, Scott R. Fisher, Mike Chambers - 3. Welcome to Chechnya (HBO) – VES
Ryan Laney - 4. Mank (Netflix) – BFCA, VES
Wei Zheng, Simon Carr, Pablo Helman, James Pastorius - 5. Mulan (Disney+) – BAFTA, BFCA, VES
Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury, Steve Ingram
Watch out for: The One and Only Ivan (Disney+) – Annie, BAFTA, VES
- 1. Soul (Disney/Pixar) – Annie, BAFTA, BFCA, GG, PGA, VES
Pete Docter, Dana Murray - 2. Wolfwalkers (Apple TV+/Cartoon Saloon) – Annie, BAFTA, BFCA, GG, PGA
Stéphan Roelants, Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young, Nora Twomey - 3. Onward (Pixar) – Annie, BAFTA, BFCA, GG, PGA, VES
Dan Scanlon, Kori Rae - 4. The Croods: A New Age (Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation) – Annie, GG, PGA, VES
Mark Swift, Joel Crawford - 5. Over the Moon (Netflix) – BFCA, GG, PGA, VES
Glen Keane, Peilin Chou, Gennie Rim
Watch out for: The Willoughbys (Netflix) – Annie, BFCA, VES
- 1. Collective (Magnolia Selects) – BAFTA, CEH, IDA
Alexander Nanau - 2. Time (Amazon Studios) – BFCA, CEH, IDA, PGA
Garrett Bradley - 3. Welcome to Chechnya (HBO Documentary Films) – DGA, IDA
David France - 4. Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix) – BFCA, IDA
James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham - 5. The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics) – DGA, IDA, PGA
Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw
Watch out for: My Octopus Teacher (Netflix) – BAFTA, DGA
- 1. Another Round (Denmark, Samuel Goldwyn Mayer) – GG, BAFTA, BFCA
- 2. Quo Vadis, Aida? (Bosnia-Herzegovina, NEON/SUPER LTD) – BAFTA
- 3. Dear Comrades! (Russia, Hulu) – BAFTA
- 4. I’m No Longer Here (Mexico, Netflix)
- 5. Night of the Kings (Ivory Coast, NEON)
Watch out for: Two of Us (France, Magnolia Pictures) – GG, BFCA
ANIMATED, LIVE ACTION, DOCUMENTARY SHORT
ANIMATED SHORT
- 1. Burrow
- 2. Out
- 3. If Anything Happens I Love You
- 4. Genius Loci
- 5. Kapaemahu
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
- 1. Hunger Ward (trailer)
- 2. What Would Sophia Loren Do? (trailer)
- 3. A Concerto Is a Conversation(full film)
- 4. The Speed Cubers
- 5. Colette
LIVE ACTION SHORT
- 1. The Human Voice (trailer)
- 2. The Letter Room
- 3. White Eye
- 4. Feeling Through
- 5. Two Distant Strangers (trailer)
NOMINATION TOTALS
Mank – 10
Minari – 8
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – 7
Nomadland – 6
Sound of Metal – 6
The Trial of the Chicago – 6
Promising Young Woman – 5
One Night in Miami – 4
Judas and the Black Messiah – 3
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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