Academy AwardsReel Talk Inc

Final Predictions: 97th Academy Awards

After two consecutive years of Oscar seasons that were rich of dominating Best Picture winners in the form of Everything Everywhere All At Once and Oppenheimer, this year’s Oscar season offered a different perspective and set itself up as one of the most unpredictable seasons in quite some time.

As always, there are some categories that feel like locked however, there are sure to be some surprises that will shock and awe on Hollywood’s biggest night. Here are my final predictions for who will win and who could win in each category at tonight’s 97th Academy Awards.

Best Picture

  • Will Win: Anora
  • Could Win: Conclave

Best Director

  • Will Win: Sean Baker (Anora)
  • Could Win: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)

Best Actor

  • Will Win: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
  • Could Win: Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)

Best Actress

  • Will Win: Demi Moore (The Substance)
  • Could Win: Mikey Madison (Anora)

Best Supporting Actor

  • Will Win: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Supporting Actress

  • Will Win: Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez)
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Original Screenplay

  • Will Win: Anora 
  • Could Win: A Real Pain

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • Will Win: Conclave
  • Could Win: No One ( It’s A Sweep)

Best Animated Feature

  • Will Win: The Wild Robot
  • Could Win: Flow

Best International Feature

  • Will Win: I’m Still Here
  • Could Win: Emilia Perez

Best Documentary Feature

  • Will Win: Porcelan War
  • Could Win: No Other Land

Best Cinematography

  • Will Win: The Brutalist
  • Could Win: Nosferatu

Best Film Editing

  • Will Win: Conclave
  • Could Win: Anora

Best Production Design

  • Will Win: Wicked
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Costume Design

  • Will Win: Wicked
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

  • Will Win: The Substance
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Visual Effects

  • Will Win: Dune: Part II
  • Could Win: No One (It’s A Sweep)

Best Sound

  • Will Win: Dune Part II
  • Could Win: Wicked

Best Original Score

  • Will Win: The Brutalist
  • Could Win: The Wild Robot

Best Original Song

  • Will Win: El Mal – Emilia Perez
  • Could Win: The Journey – The Six Triple Eight

Best Live Action Short

  • Will Win: A Lien
  • Could Win: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best Animated Short

  • Will Win: Yuck!
  • Could Win: Wander To Wonder

Best Documentary Short

  • Will Win: The Only Girl In The Orchestra
  • Could Win: I Am Ready, Warden

David Gonzalez
David Gonzalez is the founder and chief film critic of The Cinematic Reel (formally Reel Talk Inc.) and host of the Reel Chronicles and Chop Talk podcasts. As a Cuban American independent film critic, David writes fair and diverse criticism covering movies of all genres and spotlighting minority voices through Reel Talk. David has covered and reviewed films at Tribeca, TIFF, NYFF, Sundance, SXSW, and several other film festivals. He is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-Approved Critic and a member of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA), New York Film Critics Online, Hollywood Film Critics Association, the North American Film Critic Association and the International Film Society Critics Association. As an avid film collector and awards watcher, David's finger is always on the industry's pulse. David informs and educates with knowledgeable and exciting content and has become a trusted resource for readers and listeners alike. Email him at david@reeltalkinc.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram @reeltalkinc.

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