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Oscars 2020: 'The Irishman' joins ranks of the most-snubbed movies ever

'The Irishman'. (Credit: Netflix)
The Irishman (Netflix)

Netflix set its own Oscars record in 2020, earning 24 nominations – the most for any single studio this year.

However, the streaming service scored just two wins in total on the night: the Obama-produced American Factory won best Documentary Feature and Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress for Marriage Story.

The streaming studio also set its own unwanted record: Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman became one of the most overlooked films in Academy Awards history.

With zero wins from 10 nominations, the mob drama joins Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York, the Coen Brothers’ True Grit and David O Russell’s American Hustle in the rankings of most nods without wins.

Read more: Shock win for Parasite

The most-snubbed films of all time are Steven Spielberg’s The Colour Purple in 1986 and 1977’s The Turning Point, starring Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft. Both films received 11 Oscar nominations but no wins.

THE OSCARS® - The 92nd Oscars® broadcasts live on Sunday, Feb. 9,2020 at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood and will be televised live on The ABC Television Network at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.  (ARTURO HOLMES via Getty Images) DAPHNA KASTNER, MARTIN SCORSESE, HARVEY KEITEL, ROBERT DENIRO
Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro catch up with their The Irishman director at the Oscars. (Arturo Holmes via Getty Images)

Scorsese’s film, starring Robert De Niro in the title role, came out of the gate as an early Oscar contender, but it failed to maintain its momentum that had initially propelled it to 10 nominations.

It was in the running for:

  • Best Picture – Lost to Parasite

  • Best Director – Lost to Parasite

  • Best Supporting Actor twice for Al Pacino and Joe Pesci – Lost to Brad Pitt, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

  • Adapted Screenplay – Lost to Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit

  • Production Design – Lost to Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood

  • Cinematography – Lost to 1917

  • Costume Design – Lost to Little Women

  • Film Editing – Lost to Ford v Ferrari (Le Mans ‘66)

  • Visual Effects – Lost to 1917

Scorsese’s only Oscar win remains Best Director for The Departed in 2007. That crime thriller, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg, won four Academy Awards in total.