In last week’s entertainment blog, we made our Oscar predictions for the acting categories: Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. In this week’s blog, we make predictions for Best Director and Best Picture. As a reminder, the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences increased nominations for Best Picture up to 10. That doesn’t mean 10 films will grab Best Picture noms. It means up to 10 films can receive nominations. Nominations come out on February 8. Check out our predictions for Best Director and Best Picture so you can continue planning your bets against the Academy Award odds.
Entertainment Betting News | Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture Predictions Update
2022 Academy Awards
- When: Sunday, March 27
How many women will receive Best Director nominations?
Of the three locks, two are women. Sian Heder should grab a nomination for directing CODA, one of the best reviewed, and most liked movies of the year. Heder’s directorial debut, 2015’s Tallulah, received rave reviews.
No doubt, the 44-year-old is an up and comer. She’ll grab her first Academy Award nomination.
The other woman lock is Jane Campion. The Power of the Dog director won the Golden Globe. Campion is one of the world’s best directors, but she doesn’t often make movies. The fact The Power of the Dog is one of 2021’s best films means Campion is a lock.
What other three directors will grab noms?
The third lock is Paul Thomas Anderson for his movie Licorice Pizza. Any time P.T makes a move, he’s almost guaranteed some kind of nomination.
Licorice Pizza is one of his best. It’s also a comedy and drama, a dramedy, which makes it unique. Anderson has received six nominations. Two of the noms were for best director. Expect a third for P.T.
The other two Best Director nominations should go to Denis Villeneuve for putting together Dune and Kenneth Branagh for Belfast.
Belfast remains a favorite to win Best Picture. But of the two, Branagh is the one the Academy could decide to leave off the best director list.
The Academy might give Branagh an award for Best Original Screenplay. Instead of giving the nomination to Branagh, Joel Coen for The Tragedy of McBeth or Reinaldo Marcus Green for directing King Richard could grab the nom.
Which two films are guaranteed nominations for Best Picture?
Four films are locks to receive nominations for Best Picture: The Power of the Dog, Belfast, Licorice Pizza, and The Tragedy of McBeth.
The Power of the Dog won the Golden Globe, has a great cast, and is directed by Campion, making it the favorite to not only grab the nomination but to also win the award.
Belfast is a serious contender. It’s one of the best reviewed films of the year. Licorice Pizza is one of Anderson’s best and is hilarious to boot. The Tragedy of McBeth is a Joel Cohen film that stars Denzel Washington as the title character.
Those films look like locks to grab Best Picture nominations.
Will a full 10 films receive nominations for Best Picture? If so, what other 6 movies are in line for noms?
This year is loaded with great movies. So there’s a good chance the Academy nominates 10 films. After the top four, the next three should be CODA, King Richard, and Dune.
CODA is a great small film. The Academy loves small moves. Dune is a fantastic big movie. The Academy loves big movies as much as they love small movies.
King Richard is a biopic. And, yep, the Academy loves biopics. So in addition to King Richard, expect Being the Ricardos, about Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo to grab a nomination.
One of the other two noms should go to West Side Story because it won the Globe for best musical or comedy. We’re predicting the final Best Picture nomination ends up going to Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley.
del Toro is an Academy favorite. His movie The Shape of Water took home the Oscar for Best Picture. Not only does del Toro direct, but Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper, and Rooney Mara star. Other A-list actors, like Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, and Ron Perlman, have supporting roles.
Even thespians like Mary Steenburgen and David Strathairn have roles. The movie didn’t release until December, which is one of the reasons the buzz didn’t start building until around Christmas. If the buzz started before most of the Academy filled out their nomination cards, Nightmare Alley should grab the final Best Picture nom.
