The Oscars are by no means predictable, however there are particular films that match the Academy’s archetype so neatly that it is easy to imagine they will make it into the lineup earlier than anyone has even watched them. This year’s Oscar race is shaping up properly, with some very sturdy contenders for Finest Image rising already – however there’s nonetheless room for extra.
This yr’s competition circuit is coming to an in depth with the continuing London Movie Competition, which signifies that most of this yr’s huge Oscar contenders have already been screened to critics, even when they have not been broadly launched but. This has allowed specialists to forge a fairly safe picture of what the Best Picture lineup may seem like.
Nonetheless, the race is way from over. There are a number of movies still to come in 2025 that will not be having a competition debut in any respect. This implies audiences (and critics) must wait till the broad launch to discern whether or not they pose a viable menace at Finest Image. 12 months after yr, this shakes up the lineup very drastically.
8
Eternity
Eternity may not appear to be a serious Oscars participant from a distance, however there’s each chance that this upcoming rom-com exceeds expectations and sparks a late marketing campaign for the Academy Awards. The movie stars Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner, and facilities round an uncommon love triangle within the afterlife.
The Oscars sometimes have not been form in direction of comedies, however that is been altering rather a lot over the previous years. The historic victory of All the pieces All over the place All At As soon as could be very current proof of this. There shall be obstacles that Eternity wants to beat, however David Freyne’s screenplay is exceptionally sturdy, and A24 runs a strong marketing campaign, something is feasible.
7
The Housemaid
The Housemaid is one other film that does not innately really feel like a Finest Image candidate, nevertheless it in the end comes right down to the standard of Paul Feig’s writing and the power of Amanda Seyfriend & Sydney Sweeney’s lead performances. In the event that they’re as spectacular as each actresses have confirmed they are often up to now, the film might be successful.
It additionally helps that The Housemaid has a prime Christmas release date. This makes it much more probably that normal audiences will see the film in theaters, and if it is good, doubtlessly get a word-of-mouth marketing campaign began. December is the perfect time for this — it is sufficient away from the competition circuit however shut sufficient to the Oscars ceremony to depend.
6
Music Sung Blue
It is no secret that the Oscars love a biopic, and there is not any scarcity this yr. Whether or not it is Dwayne Johnson’s transformative function as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine or Jeremy Allen White’s daring interpretation of Bruce Springsteen in Ship Me From Nowhere, the biopic roles this yr have been in abundance.
It’ll be powerful to interrupt by way of the competitors, however Music Sung Blue has an outdoor shot at being an actual crowd-pleasing success over the vacation interval. The movie stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as two beginner musicians who rise to prominence all through the ’80s after beginning a Neil Diamond tribute band.
Music Sung Blue undoubtedly looks like a extra lighthearted and audience-friendly biopic, which may assist its possibilities on the Oscars. It could not have the audacious, transformative performances that different biopics shall be utilizing to their benefit, however the pure appeal of this late-year launch might be sufficient to propel it to the Oscars.
5
The Operating Man
Picture by way of Paramount Footage
The Operating Man looks like it has all of the elements to be an enormous success. It is directed by Edgar Wright, it stars Glen Powell because the lead, and it is based mostly on an acclaimed novel by Stephen King. Nonetheless, the movie’s lack of competition presence and Wright’s poor Oscars monitor document have many followers apprehensive about its possibilities with the Academy.
It is admittedly exhausting to say whether or not The Operating Man shall be an Oscars participant or not, however the film’s initial trailer looks like precisely the sort of energetic, energetic motion film that normal audiences will take pleasure in. And if viewers champion the movie sufficient, the Academy may have no alternative however to provide it some illustration on the awards.
4
Keeper
The Academy typically has a bias against horror, however 2025 may lastly be the yr to vary that. We have seen such an abundance of good, unique horror films this yr, from Sinners to Weapons, that the Oscars haven’t any alternative however to acknowledge the style finally. And if Keeper seems to be nice, that might be added.
Oz Perkins’ horror career has been considerably hit-or-miss. 2024’s Longlegs was a direct success, and there was even some Oscar buzz for Nicolas Cage when the film initially got here out. The Monkey was far much less beloved, however Perkins’ technical prowess nonetheless shines by way of an in any other case uncared for plot.
Keeper may land on both facet of this spectrum, however it is in the end unwise to guess towards Perkins at this stage of his profession. He is an extremely versatile expertise whose voice could be very distinctive inside the horror style, and Keeper looks like an important catalyst for that.
3
Ella McCay
Yearly, specialists are positive they have the Finest Image lineup nailed down – and yearly, one thing comes alongside in November or December to utterly shake up their predictions. These are typically quieter, extra nuanced dramas that fly underneath the radar initially however get championed by critics upon their launch.
Ella McCay undoubtedly feels prefer it may play that function this yr. The movie stars Emma Mackay as a younger politician who finds herself elected because the governor of her hometown, who then struggles to stability her political profession with the relationships in her private life. It looks like a really candy and uplifting comedy that would actually play effectively.
2
Depraved: For Good
Ever since Depraved took the world by storm final yr and landed a number of Oscar nominations in consequence, most specialists have merely taken it with no consideration that Depraved: For Good will replicate that success.
Cynthia Erivo has planted herself firmly in the Best Actress race, whereas Ariana Grande looks like a lock for Finest Supporting Actress – and no person has even seen the movie but.
That is each a testomony to the standard of 2024’s Depraved and an illustration of the religion that the complete trade has in Jon M. Chu to deliver this story to a satisfying conclusion with Depraved: For Good. There is not any purpose to imagine this shall be any much less profitable than the unique, and the sequel’s trailers look very promising.
1
Avatar: Hearth & Ash
If there’s one film for which it is smart to go all-in with out seeing the completed product, it is Avatar: Hearth & Ash. James Cameron has a superb monitor document on the Oscars with this franchise – each earlier films have been nominated for Finest Image – and there is not any purpose to imagine Hearth & Ash will break that development.
Even when it one way or the other misses Finest Image, Hearth & Ash is sort of assured to search out itself nominated in a number of below-the-line classes, equivalent to Finest Sound or Finest Visible Results. The quantity of technical development that Cameron has facilitated by way of the Avatar movies is staggering, and it is solely proper that he continues to obtain acknowledgment on the Oscars for this.
8/10
- Location
-
Los Angeles, CA
- Dates
-
March 15, 2026
- Web site
-
https://www.oscars.org/
