It’s going to be difficult to write these monthly pieces and attempt to make the race for Best Original Score sound even remotely interesting. Is there really anything standing in the way of Hans Zimmer winning for Dune? Look, probably not. Voter exhaustion rarely affects the technical categories like it does the bigger awards, so it’s fairly likely Zimmer will just steamroll through the entirety of the season.
That being said, there’s still some intrigue and mystery around what four composers will join Zimmer in the final five nominees list. It’s fairly safe to presume Jonny Greenwood will be a double nominee with nods for both The Power of the Dog and Spencer. He’s the main contender to possibly steal Zimmer’s thunder, but dual nominations won’t exactly help his cause.
If there is a dark horse waiting in the wings to really steal this thing, it’s two-time nominee Nicholas Britell. To be frank, Britell should be a two-time winner for his impeccable scores of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, so he already feels mildly overdue. I still can’t shake the feeling Don’t Look Up isn’t a major contender across the board, but Britell’s score is one of the undeniably brilliant aspects of the film, so keep an eye on him in this race.
Also, keep an eye on Daniel Pemberton for Being the Ricardos. After strong early screenings, the film is growing in strength as a potential contender in the major categories. Pemberton could be pulled along for the ride and nab his first scoring nod.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE PREDICTIONS:
1. Dune – Hans Zimmer (Warner Bros.)
2. The Power of the Dog – Jonny Greenwood (Netflix)
3. Spencer – Jonny Greenwood (Neon)
4. The French Dispatch – Alexandre Desplat (Searchlight Pictures)
5. Don’t Look Up – Nicholas Britell (Netflix)
IN CONTENTION
Being the Ricardos – Daniel Pemberton (Amazon Studios)
Cyrano – Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner (Sony Pictures Classics)
Encanto – Germaine Franco (Disney)
House of Gucci – Harry Gregson-Williams (MGM)
King Richard – Kris Bowers (Warner Bros.)
Licorice Pizza – Jonny Greenwood (MGM)
Luca – Dan Rohmer (Disney/Pixar)
Nightmare Alley – Nathan Johnson (Searchlight Pictures)
No Time to Die – Hans Zimmer (MGM)
The Tragedy of Macbeth – Carter Burwell (A24/Apple TV+)
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