Something Wicked?
The 2025 Academy Awards are shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent years, with a mix of major Hollywood blockbusters and international indie darlings vying for the top honors.
Best Picture Race
Among the front-runners for Best Picture are Conclave, Dune: Part Two, The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, and A Complete Unknown. These films span a range of genres, from sci-fi epics to biopics and historical dramas. Conclave, a Vatican-set thriller, has been gaining strong momentum, while Dune: Part Two looks to continue the Academy’s recent trend of honoring large-scale spectacles (Oppenheimer, Dune). Meanwhile, The Brutalist, a gripping drama which just won the Golden Globe, and Emilia Pérez, a genre-defying musical, add diversity to the competition. Conclave just won best picture at the BAFTAS and comes into the Oscar race an early favorite.
Best Director Showdown
For the first time since 1997, all five Best Director nominees are first-time contenders. Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) leads the pack after his Golden Globe and BAFTA wins, which have historically been a strong predictor for the Oscars. Other nominees include Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Sean Baker (Anora), and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown). While Corbet is favored, an upset from Fargeat or Baker remains possible.
Movie Trivia from Ohio Goes to the Movies
Hosting an Oscar party? Ohio Goes to the Movies, has a few trivia questions to add a little more fun,!
Doris Day (Cincinnati) introduced the Oscar-winning song “Que sera, sera” in this 1956 thriller produced and directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock.
In 1940, Phillip Barry’s play “The Philadelphia Story” was adapted for George Cukor’s film version starring Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart. The film earned six Oscar nominations, including two winners: James Stewart for Best Actor and what Ohio for Best Adapted Screenplay?
This year marks the 111th anniversary of the birth of screen legend Tyrone Power (Cincinnati). In 1939, Power starred in “The Rains Came,” based on a best-selling novel by Louis Bromfield (Mansfield). In what country is the story set?
Who was the first person to decline an Academy Award and why?
. Paul Newman (Shaker Heights) played a pool shark named Fast Eddie Felson in what 1986 sports film?
Answers below!
Ohio Goes to the Movies is signature event of the America 250-Ohio celebration. The unprecedented statewide celebration of Ohio film will run statewide in 2026, with movie events featuring Ohio and Ohioans from past and present. It’s currently looking for theaters in all 88 counties to program. More at ohiogoestothemovies.org.
Acting Categories
Best Actor is shaping up to be a tight race, with Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) gaining late momentum for his portrayal of Bob Dylan. However, he faces strong competition from Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) who just won the Golden Globe and BAFTA, Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice). Chalamet’s performance in a music biopic could give him an edge, similar to past winners in the genre
Best Actress is one of the most unpredictable categories, with Golden Globe (comedy) winner Demi Moore (The Substance), BAFTA winner Mikey Madison (Anora), Golden Globe winner (drama) Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) all in contention. Moore’s career comeback narrative may give her an advantage, but Madison’s powerful and emotional performance could make this a tight race
Best Supporting Actor appears to have a clear frontrunner in BAFTA winner Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), following his Golden Globe win. Other nominees include Yura Borisov (Anora), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice)
Best Supporting Actress features Ariana Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), and BAFTA and Golden Globe winner Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez). Grande’s nomination is a major moment for the pop star, but Felicity Jones and Zoe Saldaña could prove strong competitors
Technical Categories & Other Highlights
Dune: Part Two is expected to dominate in Best Visual Effects, where it competes against Wicked, Alien: Romulus, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Best Animated Feature sees Inside Out 2 competing against Flow, The Wild Robot, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and Memoir of a Snail.
The Best International Feature Film category is particularly strong this year, with I’m Still Here (Brazil) and Emilia Pérez (France) leading the charge
What to Watch For
With a mix of prestige dramas, blockbuster spectacles, and surprise indie hits, the 2025 Oscars could see a wide range of winners. While The Brutalist and Conclave are early favorites, upsets from Emilia Pérez or Anora could shake up the night. Additionally, the acting races are highly competitive, with the possibility of major surprises.
The ceremony will take place on March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast on ABC. Get your popcorn ready!
– Betsy Ross
Answers1. “The Man Who Knew Too Much”2. Donald Ogden Stewart (Columbus)3. India4. Dudley Nichols (Wapakoneta) was the first person to decline an Oscar for Best Screenplay in 1936 for his work on “The Informer.” Nichols was a founder of the Screen Writers’ Guild, and he refused the award to protest the Academy's refusal to acknowledge the guild and other unions. He did accept it in 1938 and went on to be nominated for three more screenwriting awards.5. “The Color of Money,” based on the novel by Walter Tevis, who taught at Ohio University. Newman won the Best Actor Oscar.