Oscars Predictions: Best Visual Effects – Could the Effects of ‘Avatar’ Repeat or Will ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s’ Practical Shots Be More Enticing?

Rank Film Visual effects team Distributor 1 “Top Gun: Maverick” Ryan Tudhope (visual effects supervisor), Scott R. Fisher (special effects coordinator), Seth Hill (visual effects supervisor), Bryan Litson (visual effects supervisor) Paramount Pictures After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it. 2 “Avatar: The Way of Water” To be added 20th Century Studios Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet. 3 “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” To be added Marvel Studios The nation of Wakanda is pitted against intervening world powers as they mourn the loss of their king T’Challa. 4 “The Batman” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands (visual effects supervisors), Dominic Tuohy (special effects supervisor) Warner Bros. When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption and question his family’s involvement. 5 “Good Night Oppy” Ivan Busquets, Abishek Nair (visual effects supervisor), Marko Chulev, Steven Nichols (digital supervisors) Amazon Studios The film follows Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover affectionately dubbed Oppy by her creators and scientists at NASA. Oppy was originally expected to live for only 90 days but she ultimately explored Mars for nearly 15 years. Next in Line 6 “Everything Everywhere All at Once” To be added A24 An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led. 7 “Jurassic World: Dominion” To be added Universal Pictures Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, Biosyn operatives attempt to track down Maisie Lockwood, while Dr Ellie Sattler investigates a genetically engineered swarm of giant insects. 8 “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” To be added Netflix Doctor Strange teams up with a mysterious teenage girl from his dreams who can travel across multiverses, to battle multiple threats, including other-universe versions of himself, which threaten to wipe out millions across the multiverse. They seek help from Wanda the Scarlet Witch, Wong and others. 9 “RRR” To be added Variance Films A fictitious story about two legendary revolutionaries and their journey away from home before they started fighting for their country in the 1920s. 10 “Beast” To be added Universal Pictures A father and his two teenage daughters find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the Savanna has but one apex predator. Other Top-Tier Contenders 11 “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” To be added Warner Bros. 12 “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” Joseph Bauer, Glenn Melenhorst Sony Pictures 13 “Nope” To be added Universal Pictures 14 “Thor: Love and Thunder” To be added Marvel Studios 15 “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” To be added Netflix 16 “Black Adam” Warner Bros. 17 “Men” A24 18 “The Northman” Focus Features 19 “Three Thousand Years of Longing” MGM/United Artists Releasing 20 “The Woman King” Sara Bennett, Andy Morley, David Sadler-Coppard, Cordell McQueen Sony Pictures Also In Contention 21 “Elvis” Tom Wood, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds (visual effects supervisors), Adam Hammond (digital effects supervisor) Warner Bros. 22 “Nanny” Ari Rubenstein (sr. VFX supervisor), David Schnee (compositing supervisor), Josh Clos (CG artist), Chris Halstead (compositor) Amazon Studios 23 “Thirteen Lives” Jason Billington (visual effects supervisor), Brian Cox (special effects supervisor), Bruce Bright (special effects assistant supervisor) Amazon Studios/MGM 24 “Bullet Train” To be added Sony Pictures 25 “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” To be added Paramount Pictures 26 “Dog” Joe Pancake (special effects supervisor) MGM/United Artists Releasing 27 “Uncharted” To be added Sony Pictures 28 “Smile” To be added Universal Pictures 29 “Barbarian” To be added 20th Century Studios 30 “Bodies Bodies Bodies” To be added A24 All Contenders Listed (Unranked-Alphabetical) — “Matilda” To be added Netflix — “Nanny” Ari Rubenstein (sr. VFX supervisor), David Schnee (compositing supervisor), Josh Clos (CG artist), Chris Halstead (compositor) Amazon Studios — “Thirteen Lives” Jason Billington (visual effects supervisor), Brian Cox (special effects supervisor), Bruce Bright (special effects assistant supervisor) Amazon Studios/MGM — “Good Night Oppy” Ivan Busquets, Abishek Nair (visual effects supervisor), Marko Chulev, Steven Nichols (digital supervisors) Amazon Studios — “Breaking” Michael R. Currie (visual effects supervisor) Bleecker Street — “A Love Song” Alexey Platonov (visual effects supervisor) Bleecker Street — “Women Talking” Kevin Chandon (visual effects supervisor) MGM/United Artists Releasing — “Bones and All” Davide Luchetti (VFX executive producer), Fabio Cerrito (head of department), Virginia Cefaly (VFX producer) MGM/United Artists Releasing — “Till” Christian Wood (special effects supervisor) Orion/United Artists Releasing — “Dog” Joe Pancake (special effects supervisor) MGM/United Artists Releasing — “Top Gun: Maverick” Ryan Tudhope (visual effects supervisor), Scott R. Fisher (special effects coordinator), Seth Hill (visual effects supervisor), Bryan Litson (visual effects supervisor) Paramount Pictures — “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” Joseph Bauer, Glenn Melenhorst Sony Pictures — “The Woman King” Sara Bennett, Andy Morley, David Sadler-Coppard, Cordell McQueen Sony Pictures — “Elvis” Tom Wood, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds (visual effects supervisors), Adam Hammond (digital effects supervisor) Warner Bros. — “The Batman” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands (visual effects supervisors), Dominic Tuohy (special effects supervisor) Warner Bros. — “Don’t Worry Darling” Dan Schrecker (visual effects supervisor), Mathieu Raynault, Sylvain Theroux (visual effects by), Jeremy D. Hays (special effects supervisor) Warner Bros. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —