While there was a mildly muted reaction to the premiere of Nightmare Alley, there was universal acclaim for its sumptuous 1940s noir production design. It sneaks into top position this month and could easily stay there for the rest of the season. Academy voters have awarded two of del Toro’s films in the past, so it’s clear they love the visual aesthetic he brings to every project.
In recent years, the Academy has favoured period designs over sci-fi creations (The Great Gatsby over Gravity, The Grand Budapest Hotel over Interstellar, The Shape of Water over Blade Runner 2049), so that certainly bodes well for Nightmare Alley against its main competitor Dune. That being said, Dune could still certainly sweep the technical categories.
The stark production design of The Tragedy of Macbeth is just one of the technical elements that make the film such a triumphant success. After working as an art director on Best Production Design nominees like Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, and Lincoln, Stefan Dechant could be looking at his first nomination as a production designer.
Keep an eye on Being the Ricardos. After hugely successful initial screenings, the film is firming as a major contender across the board. Its gorgeous recreation of 1950s Hollywood is definitely the kind of design work the Academy usually fawns over.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN PREDICTIONS:
1. Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)
Tamara Deverell (production designer), Shane Vieau (set decorator)
2. Dune (Warner Bros.)
Patrice Vermette (production designer), Richard Roberts and Zsuzsanna Sipos (set decorators)
3. The French Dispatch (Searchlight Pictures)
Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Rena DeAngelo (set decorator)
4. West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Rena DeAngelo (set decorator)
5. The Tragedy of Macbeth (A24/Apple TV+)
Stefan Dechant (production designer), Nancy Haigh (set decorator)
IN CONTENTION
Being the Ricardos (Amazon Studios)
Jon Hutman (production designer), Ellen Brill (set decorator)
Belfast (Focus Features)
Jim Clay (production designer), Claire Nia Richards (set decorator)
Cruella (Disney)
Fiona Crombie (production designer), Alice Felton (set decorator)
Cyrano (MGM)
Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Katie Spencer (set decorator)
House of Gucci (MGM)
Arthur Max (production designer), Letizia Santucci (set decorator)
The Last Duel (20th Century Studios)
Arthur Max (production designer), Judy Farr (set decorator)
Last Night in Soho (Focus Features)
Marcus Rowland (production designer), Judy Farr (set decorator)
Licorice Pizza (MGM)
Florencia Martin (production designer), Ryan Watson (set decorator)
The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
Grant Major (production designer), Amber Richards (set decorator)
Spencer (Neon)
Guy Hendrix Dyas (production designer), Yesim Zolan (set decorator)
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