Predicting The Nominees & Winners Of All 23 Categories

It’s awards season again ahead of the Oscars 2025, and the list of eligible movies that could receive nominations and potentially win an Academy Award shows the scope of greatness across 2024 movies. Prior to the 97th Academy Awards taking place on March 2, 2025, it is up to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to nominate five movies in all 23 categories, with Best Picture the only category to get ten nominations. The 2024 Oscar winners saw Oppenheimer dominate the field, but there does not appear to be an overall frontrunner regarding the 2025 nominees and winners.

While the official Oscars 2025 nominations will be announced until January 17, 2025, the lead-up to that date leaves room to predict which films and creatives will be recognized in each category. Big-budget fare like Gladiator II or Dune: Part Two have Oscars hopes in many categories, especially when it comes to recognizing Ridley Scott or Denis Villeneuve. There are also smaller, critically acclaimed indies like Anora, Emilia Pérez, and The Brutalist in good shape to win despite a major Oscars rule change. Each of those films and many others are among Screen Rant‘s predicted Oscars 2025 nominations and winners.

23 Best Picture

Winner: Anora

The Best Picture race for the 2025 Oscars has a few movies that already appear to be in a strong position to receive nominations. Anora and Emilia Pérez took a step forward thanks to their reception at the Toronto International Film Festival. Dune: Part Two is still viewed as a favorite for a nomination months after its theatrical release. Meanwhile, Gladiator II looks poised to crash the party if Ridley Scott’s movie delivers as expected. Festival debuts for The Brutalist, Conclave, and Sing Sing also have given them plenty of early buzz.

The Room Next Door has a compelling case to secure a Best Picture nomination after winning the Golden Lion, the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and Steve McQueen’s WWII drama Blitz are still unseen, but both filmmakers have Best Picture nominees on their resume already with Ford v Ferrari and 12 Years a Slave – which won the category in 2014. That helps provide some confidence in the titles and how voters could respond to them.

These are far from the only titles in the Best Picture race for 2025. Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, Brazil’s Best International Feature Film selection I’m Still Here, Netflix’s The Piano Lesson, Amazon’s Nickel Boys, and Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain all have realistic chances at securing a nomination. Luca Guadagnino’s Queer and Challengers could do well with voters, as could Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2 or Maria after Angelina Jolie’s buzzy performance. The Academy could even bring animation back to the biggest category with The Wild Robot or Inside Out 2 or surprise by recognizing horror by nominating Nosferatu.

22 Best Director

Winner: Ridley Scott (Gladiator II)

The Oscars 2025 could have some of Hollywood’s biggest names among its Best Director nominees. Denis Villeneuve was notably snubbed from the category in 2022 for Dune, but Dune: Part Two could be his chance to secure his first Best Director nomination since Arrival. Ridley Scott is another name to watch in the category, as he’s been nominated three times before – including the original Gladiator. Assuming that Gladiator II delivers, he could finally win his long-awaited first Best Director Oscar.

Ridley Scott’s case to win Best Director is still a bit shaky. Without the movie being shown to anyone yet, there is no proof that the director delivered a motion picture worthy of him being recognized in this fashion. Considering he hasn’t been nominated in the category since Black Hawk Down, Gladiator II will need to be among Ridley Scott’s best movies for the Academy to award him with a nomination or win.

Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Sean Baker for Anora, and Brady Corbet for The Brutalist are other names to look out for when it comes to who could win Best Director. The Academy could even look to recognize Pedro Almodóvar for his work in The Room Next Door. Former winners in the category like Steve McQueen (Blitz) or Robert Zemeckis (Here) could get in with a nomination if any of the current leaders falter during campaigning. That also could open the door for James Mangold, Edward Berger, Jason Reitman, Pablo Larraín, Luca Guadagnino, and others to get their first nominations.

21 Best Actress

Winner: Angelina Jolie (Marie)

Best Actress is shaping up to be one of the most competitive categories for the Oscars 2025. A field that already had strong performances from Angelina Jolie in Maria, Mikey Madison in Anora, and Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun as major contenders got tougher with the announcement that Tilda Swinton and Julian Moore will both run in the category for The Room Next Door. That creates a possibility for either of them to secure a nomination as long as they do not cancel each other out with voters who won’t give the movie two of the five Best Actress nominees.

Angelina Jolie has long been viewed as a favorite to win Best Actress for the 2025 Oscars thanks to Maria. The transformational biopic role has earned her great acclaim, making it look like a guarantee Jolie will get her third Oscar nomination overall. But after winning in Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for Girl, Interrupted and getting a Best Actress nomination for Changeling in 2009, she could now finally take home a second Oscar. That’s assuming she holds off Mikey Madison and the Anora wave or an Oscars favorite in Saoirse Ronan.

There is still room for the full nomination lineup to fluctuate too. Karla Sofí Gascón should get in for Emilia Pérez, but the fifth spot is very much open. Fernanda Torres gives a powerful performance in I’m Still Here, while Nicole Kidman and Demi Moore could both campaign enough for their bold roles in Babygirl and The Substance to possibly get a nomination. Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness), Amy Adams (Nightbitch), and Florence Pugh (We Live In Time) are also former Oscar nominees and winners who could surprise.

20 Best Actor

Winner: Ralph Fiennes (Conclave)

The Best Actor category for the 2025 Oscars is also one where plenty of star power could be included. A24 releasing The Brutalist and Queer in 2024 immediately made Adrien Brody and Daniel Craig strong contenders to receive nominations in 2025. Sing Sing‘s release helped Colman Domingo leave a huge impression on viewers a year after securing his first Oscar nomination for Rustin. Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet’s 2025 Best Actor win could come from multiple movies, with Dune: Part Two and A Complete Unknown aiming to give him his second nomination.

At this stage, our predicted Best Actor winner for the 2025 Oscars is Ralph Fiennes for Conclave. He’s a two-time Oscar nominee, but it’s been nearly 30 years since he was last recognized. The Academy has given the Best Actor Oscar to a first-time winner in each of the last three years, a streak that could continue with Fiennes winning. Since his performance is the standout of Conclave, it would make sense for him to be a chance for the Academy to honor his career and the acclaimed film. Daniel Craig and Adrien Brody could still overtake him, though.

There are still other names who could enter the mix for Best Actor too. Jesse Plemons is campaigning in Best Actor for Kinds of Kindness two years after being nominated in supporting for The Power of the Dog. Paul Mescal could also get his second Best Actor nomination for Gladiator II, while Andrew Garfield is looking for his third nomination and first win with We Live In Time. John David Washington and Sebastian Stan are also in contention, thanks to The Piano Lesson and The Apprentice, to earn their first nominations.

19 Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

The Best Actress field for the Oscars 2025 is quite competitive as notable established stars and rising names look to make a mark. Those in the strongest spots include Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez, Danielle Deadwyler for The Piano Lesson, and Saoirse Ronan for Blitz. It would not be too surprising if the category ultimately came down to one of them winning, but which one ultimately comes out on top is certainly up for debate.

Zoe Saldaña gives a career-best performance in Emilia Pérez, and her acclaimed dramatic turn could gain extra praise after spending so much time with Marvel and Avatar. She looks like a shoo-in for her first Oscar nomination and has a strong narrative case to win, in addition to being attached to a major Best Picture contender. After being one of the biggest Oscars 2022 snubs after her role in Till, Danielle Deadwyler could take the category instead. Meanwhile, Saoirse Ronan is already a four-time Oscar nominee but has yet to win, making Blitz a chance to finally reward her.

Beyond these three actresses, there are many others vying for nominations and a chance for an upset win. His Three Daughters lets Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen shine, with Coon viewed as the most likely to earn an Oscar nomination. Isabella Rossellini could finally get an Oscar nomination with Conclave, and Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez), Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), and Ariana Grande (Wicked) hope to break through too. Meanwhile, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), and Lady Gaga (Joker: Folie à Deux) could chase their second nominations.

18 Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Denzel Washington (Gladiator II)

Is the Best Supporting Actor win for the Oscars 2025 Denzel Washington’s to lose? That’s certainly how it can feel leading up to Gladiator II‘s release. The nine-time Oscar nominee received his first ever Academy Award in the category in 1990 for Glory, and his only other win for Training Day came in Best Actor. And with him repeatedly talking about retiring in the near future, time could be running out for the Academy to have Denzel join the elite group of actors who are three-time Oscar winners. Recognizing him for Gladiator II is something everyone could root for.

That said, Denzel Washington has not locked up this category, especially since Gladiator II has yet to screen. The Brutalist‘s premiere has started the buzz for Guy Pearce to emerge as someone who could strongly contend for Best Supporting Actor, especially since he’s never been nominated. Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), and John Turturro (The Room Next Door) are vying for their first nominations. In contrast, Stanley Tucci (Conclave) and Brian Tyree Henry (The Fire Inside) could secure second nominations. Plus, Saturday Night‘s castcould bring several contenders into the mix.

17 Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Anora

The Best Original Screenplay category still needs some sorting out from the Academy to fully determine. Saturday Night is currently trying to campaign for the category, although there is a chance it will move to Best Adapted Screenplay, which is an arguably tougher category. Still, Sean Baker’s script for Anora has been widely praised and recognized for how it handles its sex worker story and balances romance, comedy, and drama. If an upset is to come, Mohammad Rasoulof’s work on The Seed of the Sacred Fig could be recognized here or even Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay for A Real Pain.

Without knowing for certain where Saturday Night will run, its possible it will get a nomination in Best Original Screenplay still. In the meantime, The Brutalist, Blitz, and September 5 are among the movies still angling for spots. Other candidates that look like long shots in need of a strong campaign include Hard Truths, His Three Daughters, Dìdi, and Challengers. It’s possible any of these titles could emerge as a favorite to win if Anora misses out because of its potential Best Picture win.

16 Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: Emilia Pérez

Best Adapted Screenplay could be another chance for the Academy to honor Emilia Pérez if the movie falls short of a Best Picture win. Jacques Audiard’s movie could strengthen its position in other categories if it manages to pull ahead as the favorite in this category. And while Audiard has received plenty of accolades across his filmography, an Oscar nomination for his writing has alluded him. Emilia Pérez is a chance to fix that and win if it holds off the other contenders.

The Piano Lesson has some Oscars pedigree attached to it with Virgil Williams co-writing the screenplay after receiving a nomination for Mudbound. Dune: Part Two is also looking to get Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaights recognized again after their work with Eric Roth on the first movie, which got an Oscar nomination. Conclave‘s Peter Straughan has an Oscar nomination under his belt in the category from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, while Pedro Almodóvar won Best Original Screenplay in 2002. Other titles that could emerge include I’m Still Here, Sing Sing, and A Complete Unknown.

15 Best Animated Feature Film

Winner: The Wild Robot

Best Animated Feature Film could be The Wild Robot‘s Oscar to lose. Pixar was thought to be in a strong position to win with Inside Out 2 and its emotional exploration of puberty, anxiety, and growing up. However, The Wild Robot‘s reviews marked just the beginning of the praise being showered upon DreamWorks’ animated movie about motherhood, family, and technology vs. nature. The incredible love for the movie and its beautiful handpainted animation style make it look like the frontrunner in a category Pixar used to dominate.

The Oscar nominations lineup for Best Animated Film still has a chance for variance. Inside Out 2 should be in and keep Pixar’s nomination streak intact. Flow is a strong contender after being selected as Latvia’s entry for Best International Feature Film and earning accolades elsewhere. There’s also the stop-motion features Memoir of a Snail and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and the anime The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim that could contend. Disney could try to get Moana 2 in the mix, while Pharrell’s Piece by Piece or Transformers One could also get voters.

14 Best International Feature Film

Winner: Emilia Pérez

The Best International Feature Film category is one that is subject to change drastically as the Academy’s selection process unfolds. For the time being, Emilia Pérez could be the favorite to win after France officially selected it. The movie could copy All Quiet on the Western Front by being an international contender with Netflix distribution, where it takes a win here instead of Best Picture. If not, then Germany’s The Seed of a Sacred Fig, Brazil’s I’m Still Here, and Denmark’s The Girl with the Needle could battle for the win.

13 Best Documentary Feature

Winner: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

The documentary branch of the Academy typically goes for documentary features that explore a little-known subject to the public. While movies like Daughters or Sugarcane fit that mold, Oscar voters could break away from what is expected and make Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story an Oscar winning documentary. Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, the exploration of Christopher Reeves’ life makes the doc a touching tribute to the talented star. Warner Bros. and DC Studios head James Gunn could help Super/Man get enough attention to win.

If it’s not Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, the 2025 Oscars winner for Best Documentary Feature could come down to Daughters and Will & Harper. The former has Netflix’s backing and explores the relationships between incarcerated men and their daughters through a beautiful story worthy of its 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, Will & Harper has major star power with Will Ferrell and a timely story about his friend coming out as a trans woman to win over voters too.

12 Best Documentary Short Subject

Check Back Soon

It is too early to predict the Best Documentary Short Subject nominees. This is because the Academy is still accepting submissions for the category and has yet to announce the shortlist of potential nominees. The deadline for submissions is October 10, 2024, and the actual shortlist for Best Documentary Short Subject will be announced on December 17, 2024.

11 Best Animated Short Film

Check Back Soon

The Best Animated Short Film category is not yet ready to predict nominees. Like the Documentary Short Subject category, Best Animated Short Film has until October 10, 2024 to accept submissions from desired contending shorts. The lineup will be announced on December 17, 2024 and provide a better understanding of which shorts are in contention.

10 Best Live-Action Short Film

Check Back Soon

The Best Live-Action Short Film category is also awaiting all submissions. With the October 10, 2024, deadline for submissions and the December 17, 2024, shortlist announcement, it will not be too long before eligible titles are known. It will then be possible to predict which short will win the Best Live-Action Short Film Oscar in 2025.

9 Best Original Song

Winner: Emilia Pérez

The Best Original Song category for the Oscars 2025 could go to Emilia Pérez for “Mi Camino.” The Wild Robot has a strong contender with “Kiss the Sky,” as does Sing Sing with “Like A Bird.” Dianne Warren could snag another Oscar nomination with “Relentless,” while Lin-Manuel Miranda will likely enter the race with Mufasa: The Lion King. There’s even a chance Moana 2‘s new songs could hit big, as well as some of Lady Gaga’s music from Joke: Folie à Deux. Even Twisters‘ soundtrack could gain recognition through “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” possibly.

8 Best Original Score

Winner: Dune: Part Two

Hans Zimmer is in a good position to win another Oscar thanks to Dune: Part Two. Since his work builds on and expands what he did for his Oscar-winning work on Dune, he’s leading the way right now. Momentum could shift towards Daniel Blumberg and The Brutalist once more people see it, and the same goes for Harry Gregson-Williams and Volker Bertelmann with Gladiator II and Conclave. As The Wild Robot picks up steam, it could find support here too. Any slippage from these titles opens the door for Challengers, Sing Sing, and others to emerge.

7 Best Sound

Winner: Dune: Part Two

Dune: Part Two can continue the success of the first movie in the below-the-line categories with a win in Best Sound. The sound team on Denis Villeneuve’s sequel did excellent work once again and should be recognized with a nomination at least. If another movie comes in to win the category, Gladiator II and Blitz are two strong contenders. The musical elements of A Complete Unknown and Wicked could also help them gain recognition. Still, the same could be said for Emilia Pérez and Joker: Folie à Deux if the Academy looks to recognize them further.

6 Best Visual Effects

Winner: Dune: Part Two

The Best Visual Effects Oscar can often go to a movie where the VFX is so good and so subtle that viewers don’t fully notice it as opposed to a title that is very clearly CGI heavy. That should work in Dune: Part Two‘s favor to win another Oscar in the same category as the original. Still, it would be nice for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to win here since the Planet of the Apes movies have never won a Best VFX Oscar despite their remarkable displays of motion and performance capture technology.

Gladiator II‘s CGI looks a bit shakier compared to the other two titles, while Mufasa: The Lion King has the results of the Oscar-nominated 2019 live-action remake to surpass. Robert Zemeckis’ Here could sneak in thanks to its de-aging story too. Otherwise, blockbusters like Wicked or Twisters could enter the race.

5 Best Film Editing

Winner: Anora

Best Film Editing can often be a precursor to the Best Picture winner, as roughly two thirds of Film Editing winners go on to win Best Picture. That trend could continue with Anora winning both categories as we’ve predicted. The Brutalist could pull an upset here thanks to how well the edit helps the three-and-a-half-hour drama fly by. Emilia Pérez‘s editing has also gained recognition, while Dune: Part Two hopes to follow Dune‘s win in the category. If Gladiator II is well-received, it could become a stronger contender and hold off movies like Blitz and Conclave.

4 Best Costume Design

Winner: Wicked

Costume Design could be a spot for the Academy to recognize Wicked at the 2025 Oscars. The costuming done to bring the characters in Oz to life are bright and detailed, and the intricate designs should catch the eyes of voters. Dune: Part Two has plenty of great costumes worth celebrating, such as Florence Pugh’s Irulan outfits, so the added work done in the sequel could be celebrated. The period-accurate costumes for Nosferatu and Blitz fit the Academy’s tendency to highlight less flashy work, while Beetlejuice Beetlejuice could get an Oscar nomination for its imaginative costumers.