Best Picture Predictions (October)

Much to no one’s surprise, Warner Bros. have now postponed Denis Villeneuve’s Dune to 2021, so you can scratch that off your predictions for this year’s Oscars race. With a litany of contenders from streaming services, it’s now looking highly likely one of them will capture Best Picture and another piece of history will be made at the Academy Awards. But which one will get there is still anybody’s guess.

After the trailer for David Fincher’s Mank sent Film Twitter into an absolute frenzy, could this finally be both Netflix’s year to snatch Best Picture for the first time and Fincher’s overdue coronation into the winner’s circle? We also got our first look at Paul Greengrass’ sprawling epic News of the World, which looks to be a strong contender across the board and potentially one of the few major studio pictures in the hunt.

And, finally, Disney announced their disappointing but understandable decision to adjust their theatrical plans for Pixar’s Soul, which will now bypass cinemas entirely and head straight to Disney+ on Christmas Day. The film recently had its world premiere at the London Film Festival where it received rave reviews. Could it be the rare animated film to break into the Best Picture race?

BEST PICTURE PREDICTIONS:
1. Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)
2. Mank (Netflix)
3. One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
4. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
5. Minari (A24)
6. Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
7. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
8. News of the World (Universal Pictures)
9. Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
10. Soul (Disney)

MAJOR CONTENDERS:
Ammonite (NEON)
The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)
Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)
I’m Your Woman (Amazon Studios)
On the Rocks (A24)
The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)
Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
Respect (United Artists Releasing) [Moved to August 2021]
Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Paramount Pictures)