Oscars 2018 - The frontrunners revealed

It’s going to be a close Oscar race if the predictors are to be believed. With every outlet in almost complete agreement about the most likely contenders in all the major categories, this year’s Academy Awards nomination announcement ceremony (which takes place next week, on the 23rd) is going to be very interesting indeed.

We’ve compiled the nominations from two trades and one pop culture magazine, all of which regularly cover the major film festivals, so they’re best placed to make accurate guesses as to what the Academy will pull out of the hat next week.

Did you favourite make the list? Don’t worry if it didn’t, there’s always room for wildcards – maybe mother! will surprise everyone and invade every category, perhaps A Ghost Story could loom in from the wilderness, or maybe Wonder Woman could swoop in to save the day for superhero awards credibility.

Best Picture

Three Billboards
Three Billboards

The three outlets are in almost complete agreement on Best Picture, with rogue elements I, Tonya, Darkest Hour, The Big Sick and Battle of the Sexes adding a bit of variety.

Variety

Call Me by Your Name
Dunkirk
The Florida Project
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Hollywood Reporter

Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Darkest Hour
The Florida Project
Lady Bird
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Get Out
Battle of the Sexes
Call Me By Your Name
The Big Sick

Slant Magazine

Call Me by Your Name
Dunkirk
The Florida Project
Get Out
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Director

Too close to call here, with only Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Joe Wright (Darkest Hour) as true outliers.

Variety

Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan
The Florida Project – Sean Baker
Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig
The Shape of Water – Guillermo del Toro
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Martin McDonagh

Hollywood Reporter

Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk)
Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
Joe Wright (Darkest Hour)
Jordan Peele (Get Out)
Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)

Slant

Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Sean Baker, The Florida Project
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape Of Water

Best Actor

Variety and Slant are in complete agreement for this category, with Hollywood Reporter going for wildcards Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger).

Variety

Timothée Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
James Franco – The Disaster Artist
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
Gary Oldman – Darkest Hour

Hollywood Reporter

Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)
Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger)
Robert Pattinson (Good Time)

Slant

Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
James Franco, The Disaster Artist
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Best Actress

<span><br>It’s a far more open race in the Best Actress section – our money’s on Meryl.</span>

It’s a far more open race in the Best Actress section – our money’s on Meryl.

Variety

Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie – I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird
Meryl Streep – The Post

Hollywood Reporter

Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game)
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)
Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)

Slant

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post

Best Supporting Actor

Call Me By Your Name and Three Billboards dominate this category – surprising that Christopher Plummer isn’t more tipped for his miraculous role in All The Money In The World.

Variety

Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer – All the Money in the World
Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Hollywood Reporter

Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)
Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name)
Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name)
Mark Rylance (Dunkirk)

Slant

Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name

Best Supporting Actress

Arguably the most impressive of all the acting categories – the Best Supporting Actress contenders contain some truly powerhouse performance this year, it’ll be very tough to pick a winner.

Variety

Mary J. Blige – Mudbound
Hong Chau- Downsizing
Holly Hunter – The Big Sick
Allison Janney – I, Tonya
Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird

Hollywood Reporter

Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
Holly Hunter (The Big Sick)
Mary J. Blige (Mudbound)
Andrea Riseborough (Battle of the Sexes)

Slant

Hong Chau, Downsizing
Holly Hunter, The Big Sick
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water


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