Oscar Nomination Voting Officially Opens in Year Without a Clear Frontrunner – Variety

By

Clayton Davis
Senior Awards Editor
Update: The Academy has extended the nomination voting period by two days to Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 5 p.m. PT. As a result, this year’s nominations for the 97th Oscars will be revealed on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Oscar nomination voting is now officially open.
As of 9 a.m. PT, members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences can officially cast their ballots for the 2024 Oscar nominations. With voting open for the next five days, every twist, turn, and headline in the awards race will be magnified in what’s shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory.

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The nearly 10,000 eligible Academy members now face the daunting task of sifting through a year brimming with cinematic achievements. From box office blockbusters to festival darlings, the race offers no shortage of contenders—and no single film has emerged as the definitive frontrunner.

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Adding to the excitement, voting opened on the same day the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced its nominations, with “Wicked” leading the pack at five nods, including for its star-studded cast. Meanwhile, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) lineup is expected to drop imminently, further fueling speculation and strategy among voters.
Notably, for the first time in recent history, Oscar nomination voting will conclude on a weekend day: ballots close Sunday, Jan. 12, at 5 p.m. PT. The timing coincides with the Critics Choice Awards, which could influence last-minute decision-making as voters weigh their choices in real-time while watching how the night unfolds.
The 2024 Oscar race has drawn a rich pool of films representing a variety of genres, styles, and storytelling approaches. Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” has kept audiences buzzing since its release and is poised to make a strong showing across technical and artistic categories. Brady Corbet’s historical epic “The Brutalist” has also generated critical acclaim with its sprawling narrative and powerhouse performances. Meanwhile, Sean Baker’s “Anora” has turned heads with its vibrant energy and biting humor, cementing Baker’s reputation for capturing life’s raw and unvarnished edges. With its mix of emotional heft and crowd-pleasing charm, it’s a film voters won’t soon forget.

In December, the Academy unveiled its shortlists in 10 artisan categories, setting the stage for some heated competition. Among the most mentioned titles on the shortlists are Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez” and Universal Pictures’ “Wicked,” both of which have garnered buzz for their technical achievements and overall cinematic ambition.
Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscars ceremony, which will take place on March 2.
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars
Best Picture“All We Imagine as Light”“Anora” “The Brutalist”“A Complete Unknown”“Conclave” “Dune: Part Two” “Emilia Pérez” “Nickel Boys”“The Substance”“Wicked”
DirectorJacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez” Sean Baker, “Anora”Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”Payal Kapadia, “All We Imagine as Light”James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
ActorAdrien Brody, “The Brutalist” Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
ActressCynthia Erivo, “Wicked”Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”Mikey Madison, “Anora”Demi Moore, “The Substance”Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Supporting ActorYura Borisov, “Anora”Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”
Supporting ActressMonica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”Jamie Lee Curtis, “The Last Showgirl”Ariana Grande, “Wicked”Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”
Original Screenplay“All We Imagine as Light”“Anora”“The Brutalist” “A Real Pain” “The Substance”
Adapted Screenplay“A Complete Unknown”“Conclave”“Emilia Pérez” “Nickel Boys” “Wicked”
Animated Feature“Flow”“Inside Out 2”“Memoir of a Snail”“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”“The Wild Robot”
Production Design“The Brutalist”“A Complete Unknown”“Dune: Part Two”“Nosferatu”“Wicked”
Cinematography“The Brutalist”“A Complete Unknown”“Conclave”“Maria”“Nosferatu”
Costume Design“A Complete Unknown”“Dune: Part Two”“Gladiator II”“Nosferatu”“Wicked”
Film Editing“Anora”“A Complete Unknown”“Conclave”“Dune: Part Two”“Emilia Pérez”
Makeup and Hairstyling“The Apprentice”“A Different Man”“Emilia Pérez”“The Substance”“Wicked”

Sound“Alien: Romulus”“A Complete Unknown”“Dune: Part Two”“Emilia Pérez”“Wicked”
Visual Effects“Alien: Romulus”“Deadpool & Wolverine”“Dune: Part Two”“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”“Wicked”
Original Score“The Brutalist”“Challengers”“Conclave”“Emilia Pérez”“The Wild Robot”
Original Song“Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez”“Sick in the Head” from “Kneecap”“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”“Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot”
Documentary Feature“Black Box Diaries”“Daughters”“No Other Land”“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”“Union”
International Feature“Emilia Pérez” from France“Flow” from Latvia”“I’m Still Here” from Brazil“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” from Germany“Vermiglio” from Italy
Animated Short“Au Revoir Mon Monde”“Beautiful Men”“A Crab in the Pool”“Maybe Elephants”“Yuck!”
Documentary Short“Chasing Roo”“I Am Ready, Warden”“Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World”“Once Upon a Time in Ukraine”“A Swim Lesson”
Live Action Short“Anuja”“Dovecote”“A Lien”“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”“The Masterpiece”
Cast Ensemble: “Wicked”Actor: Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”)Actress: Demi Moore (“The Substance”)Supporting Actor: Edward Norton (“A Complete Unknown”)Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (“Wicked”)Stunt Ensemble: “The Fall Guy”
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Source: https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/academy-awards-nominations-voting-opens-2025-1236269727/