With wins at the BAFTAs, the Critics Choice Awards, and domination of the Visual Effects Society Awards, Avatar: Fire and Ash has sailed through this season unchallenged and seems destined to make it 3/3 Oscar wins for Best Visual Effects for this franchise.
Is there the possibility of franchise fatigue leading to Academy members looking elsewhere this year? It’s plausible, particularly for those members who were around to award both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. The fact that F1 landed a Best Picture nod shows there’s plenty of love out there for that film, so that could be the upset waiting in the wings.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS PREDICTIONS:
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios) – BAFTA, CCA, VES
2. F1 (Apple Original Films) – BAFTA, CCA, VES
3. Sinners (Warner Bros.) – CCA, VES
4. The Lost Bus (Apple Original Films) – BAFTA, VES
5. Jurassic World Rebirth (Universal Pictures) – VES
Will win: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Should win: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Possible upset: F1