In a year without a clear-cut front-runner for best picture, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce nominations Tuesday for the 94th Oscars, with the visually striking “Dune” and the musical remake “West Side Story” likely to be among the top nominees.
Both films are likely to land among the 10 nominees for best picture, along with films including “Belfast,” “Tick, Tick…Boom!,” “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “The Power of the Dog,” “King Richard” and “Licorice Pizza.”
Other contenders to land in the category are “Drive My Car” — which was named best picture by both the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Circle, “Being the Ricardos” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
With many of Hollywood’s entertainment guilds delaying their awards ceremonies due to COVID-19, there has yet to be a strong groundswell of support behind any particular film. “Dune” and “West Side Story” figure to collect large numbers of nominations, largely thanks to their technical merit and likely best-director nominees — Denis Villeneuve and Steven Spielberg, respectively.
Both were previously nominated for the top film prize by the Directors Guild of America, which typically — but not always — predicts success on Oscar night. The DGA also nominated Kenneth Branagh for “Belfast,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “Licorice Pizza” and Jane Campion for “The Power of the Dog.” But Ryusuke Hamaguchi could slip into the Oscar list for “Drive My Car.” Guillermo Del Toro also has an outside shot for “Nightmare Alley.”
In the acting categories, Lady Gaga has emerged as a favorite, as her fans hope she lands a nomination for best actress for her work in “House of Gucci.” But the competition is still, with Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”) and Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”) likely to snare nods, while Jessica Chastain is a possible contender for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Penelope Cruz for “Parallel Mothers” and Kristen Stewart for “Spencer.”
Will Smith is a sure-fire nominee for best actor for playing the father of Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard,” while Andrew Garfield and Benedict Cumberbatch also likely to score nods for their respective work in “Tick, Tick…Boom!” and “The Power of the Dog.” Other contenders include Denzel Washington for “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and Javier Bardem for “Being the Ricardos.”
The Oscar nominations in all 23 categories will be announced at 5:18 a.m. on the Academy’s websites and social medial platforms. The nominations will be announced by performers Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan.
Ross is best known for her work on ABC’s “black-ish,” but also appeared in the 2020 film “The High Note.” Jordan currently appears in the Fox sitcom “Call Me Kat,” but also appeared in the series “Will & Grace” and the 2011 film “The Help.”
To qualify for Oscar consideration, a film must have either opened between March 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2021, and run for seven consecutive days in a theater in Los Angeles County, New York City, the Bay Area, Chicago, Miami or Atlanta. Drive-in theaters are considered qualifying venues.
A film can also qualify if it debuted on a streaming or on-demand service, if it was also made available through the Academy Screening Room member site within 60 days.
A total of 276 feature films have met the criteria, according to the Academy.
The Oscar ceremony is set for March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The ceremony is expected to have a host again this year, for the first time since 2018, when Jimmy Kimmel led the telecast.
The Academy has not yet announced who will host this year’s event.