Oscars Shortlist Announced in 10 Categories: ‘Emilia Pérez’ and ‘Wicked’ Lead the Charge; Strong Showings for ‘Dune 2’ and ‘Gladiator 2’

If the Oscars shortlist is the equivalent of mid-term exams for awards contenders, then Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez” and Universal Pictures’ “Wicked” just received passing grades.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists in 10 categories for the upcoming 97th Oscars ceremony.

“Emilia Pérez” landed six mentions overall, including makeup, sound, original score, international feature, and two for original song (“El Mal” and “Mi Camino”). The musical was followed another behometh in the race, Universal Pictures’ “Wicked,” which landed four.

The preliminary voting applies to animated short film, documentary feature, documentary short, international feature, live action short, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound and visual effects.

Oscar voting to determine the nominees in all 23 categories opens on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and concludes on Sunday, Jan. 12. Nominations will be announced on Friday, Jan. 17.

There are five 2024 Student Academy Award-winning films shortlisted: “Keeper” (documentary short), “Au Revoir Mon Monde” and “Origami” (animated short) and “The Compatriot” and “Crust” (live action short). The designated nominees are still to be determined in the shortlisted categories.

Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscars ceremony, which will take place on March 2.

The complete list of films on the shortlist is below.

Documentary Feature

Among the surprises that made the lineup was Alexis Bloom’s “The Bibi Files,” an inside look into the corruption charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gary Hustwit’s “Eno,” a generative doc about musician Brian Eno. Among the omissions were HBO’s “The Commandant’s Shadow,” Magnolia’s “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” and Together Films’ “Mediha,” which have been said to be very popular with branch members. While not necessarily surprising but still notable, Morgan Neville’s “Piece by Piece,” an intimate look at the life of Pharrell Williams in the form of Lego animation, was nowhere to be found.

Fifteen films will advance to the next round of the 169 that were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch will vote on which five films will become nominees.

International Feature

Representing a kaleidoscope of various cultural perspectives, emotional depths and bold storytelling, these 15 films — selected from 85 eligible submissions — offer voters (and audiences) a rare opportunity to engage with global cinema.

From the poetic minimalism of Latvia’s animated “Flow” to the audacious musical hybrid of France’s “Emilia Pérez,” this year’s slate will be among the most competitive in recent memory, especially since many of them stand a very good chance of landing additional nominations outside the category. Among the other prominent inclusions are Ireland’s “Kneecap,” a rebellious biopic of the eponymous rap group, Brazil’s hopeful and tragic “I’m Still Here,” and Germany’s timely, politically charged thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,”

Some notable snubs include Portugal’s “Grand Tour,” which won best director for Miguel Gomes at the Cannes Film Festival last year, in addition to Mexico’s “Sujo” and India’s “Lucky Ladies.” Many felt the country should have selected the Cannes runner-up “All We Imagine as Light,” which will compete in all other categories including best picture.

Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting. They must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.

Makeup and Hairstyling

This lineup is overflowing with transformations — physical, emotional, and downright otherworldly. Ten films made the cut, and while some inclusions were expected, others shocked even the most seasoned awards watchers. From fantastical creatures to real-world icons, this year’s contenders prove that artistry with a brush and a prosthetic can be just as integral to storytelling as any camera or script.

Sebastian Stan appears on the shortlist twice this year, and for good reason. Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man” required a jarring yet seamless visual transformation, using prosthetics to explore themes of identity and self-loathing. And while It’s not every day you see Donald Trump on the Oscars shortlist, Stan’s striking transformation into the young real estate mogul under the direction of Ali Abbasi has generated plenty of buzz — and controversy. AMPAS voters did not shy away from it.

After its puzzling absence from the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild nominations, Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel “Dune: Part Two” came roaring back, along with Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic “Maria” and Robert Eggers’ gothic horror drama “Nosferatu.”

The most shocking addition, Bill Fishman’s “Waltzing with Brando,” appeared out of nowhere. The film stars Billy Zane as the iconic movie star Marlon Brando, and the makeup work here strikes an impressive balance between mimicry and authenticity. The biggest surprise? Few even knew the film had a U.S.-qualifying release, as it was conspicuously absent from Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and BAFTA viewing portals for consideration. Whether it’s a genuine dark horse or an industry curiosity, its inclusion sparks some intrigue.

Some of the omissions from the lineup included Reinaldo Marcus Green’s music biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” and Nathan and David Zellner’s absurdist fantasy “Sasquatch Sunset,” both rumored to have strong support in the branch.

Sound

It’s a musical bonanza!

The first installment of Jon M. Chu’s blockbuster “Wicked” brings all the dazzling aural greatness from the stage show and builds upon it, befitting Oz’s vibrant, magical world. And then there’s Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical that perfectly complements its genre-bending storyline with audacious mixes and impressive vocals.

Some surprises presented themselves in the lineup with Fede Álvarez’s blockbuster “Alien: Romulus” (perhaps this year’s “The Creator?”), Shawn Levy’s superhero summer hit “Deadpool & Wolverine” and Todd Phillips’ box office blunder “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Hats off to the Sound Branch for including an animated feature in the 10 finalists, Chris Sanders’ “The Wild Robot,” which boosts its campaign significantly.

All eligible members of the Sound Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from each shortlisted film beginning Jan. 9 in the San Francisco Bay area, followed by London, Los Angeles and New York on Jan. 11.  Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

Visual Effects

Variety exclusively reported the internal top 20 finalists shared among the branch members. The branch didn’t fall in line for artificial intelligence and de-aging with Sony Pictures’ “Here” or the sandy effects of Warner Bros’ “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” Instead, they opted for the grim reality of Alex Garland’s “Civil War” and the devastating tornados of Lee Isaac Chung’s “Twisters.”

The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist.  All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each shortlisted film on Jan. 11. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

Original Score

It wasn’t just a matter of which melodies made the cut — it was a celebration of the extraordinary diversity, innovation, and the occasional curveball these categories can reliably deliver. With the shortlist for score expanding from 15 to 20 for the first time, the room for surprises was well taken by the branch members. Meanwhile, in the original song, the race brought its usual mix of blockbuster crowd-pleasers, indie gems, and, of course, Diane Warren.

What immediately stood out in score? Women composers — too often overlooked in this category — claimed a striking presence this year. Chanda Dancy (“Blink Twice”), Camille (“Emilia Pérez”), Tamar-kali (“The Fire Inside”), Andrea Datzman (“Inside Out 2”) and Amelia Warner (“Young Woman and the Sea”) are among the five still in the running.

Cristobal Tapia de Veer, fresh off the success of “The White Lotus,” landed a slot for his unsettling and experimental “Babygirl.” At the same time, Benjamin Wallfisch’s channeling of suspense and dread in “Alien: Romulus” had a very impressive showing.

Yet heavyweights like Oscar winners Alan Silvestri’s “Here,” Alexandre Desplat’s “The Piano Lesson,” and Jon Batiste’s “Saturday Night” were shockingly left out. Two buzzy indie darlings — “Nickel Boys” and “The Substance” — also missed the cut, despite whispers of potential breakouts.

With 145 eligible contenders this year, narrowing the list to 20 was never easy, and now five will be even more difficult.

Original Song

The original song list, streamlined to 15 titles, delivered its usual Disney hits, and the inclusion of under-the-radar gems like “Sick in the Head” from SPC’s “Kneecap” and “Like a Bird” from A24’s “Sing Sing,” made for a refreshingly eclectic list.

“Emilia Pérez” stakes its claim with two original songs that reflect its musical roots and is the only movie to land two slots in the lineup. A throwback country-tinged anthem from the action sequel “Twisters” put the Grammy-nominated song one step closer to Oscar’s attention.

We are also closer to possible EGOT status for Lin-Manuel Miranda, who penned the “Tell Me It’s You” from Disney’s prequel “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

Fifteen songs emerged from 89 eligible contenders, a competitive crop. The inclusion of documentary tracks like “Piece By Piece” from “Piece by Piece” and “Harper and Will Go West” from “Will & Harper” adds an interesting sensibility. Among the snubs, unfortunately, is Miley Cyrus’ “Beautiful That Way” from Roadside Attraction’s “The Last Showgirl.” Next time, Miley.

Animated Short Film

Fifteen films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards — 88 films qualified in the category.  Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.

In the nominations round, Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.

“Au Revoir Mon Monde”
“A Bear Named Wojtek”
“Beautiful Men”
“Bottle George”
“A Crab in the Pool”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Maybe Elephants”
“Me”
“Origami”
“Percebes”
“The 21”
“Wander to Wonder”
“The Wild-Tempered Clavier”
“Yuck!”

Documentary Short Film

Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred four films qualified in the category.  Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

“Chasing Roo”
“Death by Numbers”
“Eternal Father”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“Keeper”
“Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World”
“Once upon a Time in Ukraine”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
“Planetwalker”
“The Quilters”
“Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr”
“A Swim Lesson”
“Until He’s Back”

Live Action Short Film

Fifteen films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards.  One hundred eighty films qualified in the category.  Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting. They must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.

In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.