Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit THE COLLECTIVE.
2021 OSCARS PREDICTIONS:
BEST FILM EDITING
Chloé Zhao is playing multiple roles for impeccably crafted “Nomadland” and break some records if the film continues and builds the way it has following its TIFF and Venice debut. Alfonso Cuarón won editing the same year he also won best director for “Gravity.” There are legends in the mix this year to offer up a competitive landscape including frequent Spielberg collaborator Michael Kahn, pacemaking setter William Goldenberg and the gifted Kirk Baxter.
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
Photo provided by Amazon Studios
AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:
"Nomadland"(Searchlight Pictures)Chloé Zhao
"Mank"(Netflix)Kirk Baxter
"News of the World"(Universal Pictures)William Goldenberg
"West Side Story"(20th Century Studios)Sarah Broshar, Michael Kahn
"One Night in Miami..."(Amazon Studios)†Tariq Anwar
Photo courtesy of YouTube / Sony Pictures Classics
NEXT IN LINE CONTENDERS:
"Dune"(Warner Bros.)Joe Walker
"The Father"(Sony Pictures Classics)Yorgos Lamprinos
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"(Netflix)†Andrew Mondshein
"Judas and the Black Messiah"(Warner Bros.)†Kristan Sprague
"The Trial of the Chicago 7"(Netflix)Alan Baumgarten
Photo courtesy of A24
TOP-TIER AWARDS CONTENDERS:
"Minari"(A24)†Harry Yoon
"No Time to Die"(United Artists Releasing)Tom Cross, Elliot Graham
"Respect"(United Artists Releasing)Avril Beukes
"Eternals"(Marvel Studios)Dylan Tichenor, Craig Wood
"Tenet"(Warner Bros.)Jennifer Lame
"Promising Young Woman"(Focus Features)†Frédéric Thoraval
"The White Tiger"(Netflix)†Tim Streeto
"Herself"(Amazon Studios)†Rebecca Lloyd
"The United States vs. Billie Holiday"(Paramount Pictures)Jay Rabinowitz
"Da 5 Bloods"(Netflix)Adam Gough
Photo courtesy of A24 / Apple TV Plus
ALSO IN CONTENTION:
"On the Rocks"(A24/Apple TV Plus)Sally Flack
"Wonder Woman 1984"(Warner Bros.)Richard Pearson
"Mulan"(Walt Disney Pictures)David Coulson
"Hillbilly Elegy"(Netflix)†James Wilcox
"Ammonite"(Neon)Chris Wyatt
"French Exit"(Sony Pictures Classics)Hilda Rasula
"The Midnight Sky"(Netflix)†Stephen Mirrione
"Da 5 Bloods"(Netflix)Donna Berwick
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things"(Netflix)Robert Frazen
"Palm Springs"(Hulu/Neon)
Andrew Dickler, Matt Friedman
Photo by Rob Youngson
UNRANKED AWARDS CONTENDERS:
"Antlers"(Searchlight Pictures) – Dylan Tichenor"Arkansas"(Lionsgate) – Patrick J. Don Vito"Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn"(Warner Bros.) – Jay Cassidy, Evan Schiff"Black Widow"(Marvel Studios) – Leigh Folsom Boyd, Matthew Schmidt"The Card Counter"(Focus Features) – Benjamin Rodriguez, Jr.†"Death on the Nile"(20th Century Studios) – Úna Ní Dhonghaíle"Emma."(Focus Features) – Nick Emerson"Everybody's Talking About Jamie"(20th Century Studios) – Mark Everson"First Cow"(A24) – Kelly Reichardt"Free Guy"(20th Century Studios) – Dean Zimmerman"The Glorias"(Roadside Attractions) – Sabine Hoffman"Greyhound"(Apple TV Plus) – Mark Czyzewski, Sidney Wolinsky"Hamilton"(Disney Plus) – Jonah Moran†"The Humans"(A24) – Nick Houy†"The Invisible Man"(Universal Pictures) – Andy Canny"The King of Staten Island"(Universal Pictures) – Jay Cassidy"Let Them All Talk"(HBO Max) – Steven Soderbergh†"Never Rarely Sometimes Always"(Focus Features) – Scott Cummings"The Outpost"(Screen Media Films) – Michael J. Duthie"The Personal History of David Copperfield"(Searchlight Pictures) – Mick Audsley, Peter Lambert"The Prom"(Netflix) – Peggy Tachdjian, Danielle Wang"Sound of Metal"(Amazon Studios) – Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners are selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 17 branches are represented within the near 10,000 person membership. The branches are actors, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films and feature animation, sound, visual effects, and writers.