PriyankaThe highly anticipated 97th annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, will be broadcasted live on ABC on Sunday, March 2, 2025, from its iconic location, the Dolby Theater. The race towards Oscar glory begins much earlier, with nominations set to be revealed on January 17, 2025. For those of us at Gold Derby, it’s never too early to start speculating about potential Best Picture nominees. Here, we present a detailed list of films we believe could be strong contenders for the coveted Best Picture award, along with essential information about each one.
To qualify for the 2025 Oscars, films must have been released theatrically between January 1 and December 31 of 2024. Our predictions for Best Picture contenders are updated regularly, so keep an eye out as new films enter the race.
Film festivals play a crucial role in unveiling Oscar hopefuls. Many early contenders made their debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January and Cannes in May. Upcoming festivals in Telluride, Venice, Toronto, and New York will further expand the pool of potential nominees. However, the ongoing writers and actors strikes might impact the visibility of some of these films.
Key dates to remember include voting for the 10 shortlisted categories, which runs from December 9 to 13, with semi-finalists announced on December 17. Nominations voting begins on January 8, 2025, lasting five days, and final voting kicks off on February 11 for an eight-day period.
Our predictions for Best Picture take into account several factors: the reputation and track record of the filmmakers, critical reception of their previous work, box office performance, and the studios backing them.
### Key Contenders
**Conclave (Focus Features)**
– **Release Date:** November 1, 2024
– **Director:** Edward Berger
– **Writer:** Peter Straughan
– **Cast:** Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini
– **Plot:** Cardinal Lawrence leads the secretive and ancient event of selecting a new Pope while navigating a conspiracy that threatens the Church’s very foundation.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.)**
– **Release Date:** March 1, 2024
– **Director:** Denis Villeneuve
– **Writers:** Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve
– **Cast:** Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler
– **Plot:** Paul Atreides allies with Chani and the Fremen to seek vengeance against those who destroyed his family.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 92%
– **Metacritic Score:** 79
**Gladiator II (Paramount+)**
– **Release Date:** November 22, 2024
– **Director:** Ridley Scott
– **Writer:** David Scarpa
– **Cast:** Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn
– **Plot:** The film follows Lucius, son of Maximus’s love Lucilla, after Maximus’s death.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Here (Sony Pictures)**
– **Release Date:** November 15, 2024
– **Director:** Robert Zemeckis
– **Writers:** Eric Roth and Robert Zemeckis
– **Cast:** Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly
– **Plot:** From the team behind Forrest Gump (1994), this film explores multiple families and a special place they inhabit across generations.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.)**
– **Release Date:** October 4, 2024
– **Director:** Todd Phillips
– **Writers:** Scott Silver and Todd Phillips
– **Cast:** Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Catherine Keener
– **Plot:** Arthur Fleck’s journey continues as he meets Harleen Quinzel in Arkham State Hospital and they fall into a shared delusional love.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM Studios)**
– **Release Date:** October 25, 2024
– **Director:** RaMell Ross
– **Writers:** RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
– **Cast:** Aunjanue Ellis, Ethan Herisse, Fred Hechinger, Hamish Linklater
– **Plot:** Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this film chronicles the friendship of two young African American men enduring reform school in Florida.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Nightbitch (Searchlight)**
– **Release Date:** December 6, 2024
– **Director/Writer:** Marielle Heller
– **Cast:** Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Mary Holland, Jessica Harper
– **Plot:** A stay-at-home mom’s life takes a surreal turn as her domestic routine becomes increasingly bizarre.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**The Piano Lesson (Netflix)**
– **Release Date:** TBC
– **Director:** Malcolm Washington
– **Writers:** Virgil Williams and Malcolm Washington
– **Cast:** John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler
– **Plot:** The Charles family grapples with their legacy and what to do with a precious heirloom—the family piano.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**The Room Next Door (Warner Bros.)**
– **Release Date:** October 18, 2024
– **Director/Writer:** Pedro Almodóvar
– **Cast:** Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola
– **Plot:** Martha’s relationship with her mother deteriorates after a misunderstanding; their mutual friend Ingrid tries to mediate.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** TBC
– **Metacritic Score:** TBC
**Sing Sing (A24)**
– **Release Date:** July 12, 2024
– **Director/Writer:** Greg Kwedar
– **Writer:** Clint Bentley
– **Cast:** Colman Domingo, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Sean San José, Paul Raci
– **Plot:** Divine G finds purpose through a theater group while imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 97%
– **Metacritic Score:** 84
**Wicked (Universal)**
– **Release Date:** November 22, 2024
– **Director:** Jon M. Chu
– **Writer:** Winnie Holzman
– **Cast:** Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh
– **Plot:** The beloved musical makes its cinematic debut as a two-part event showcasing the story of Elphaba and Glinda.
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score: TBC**
– **Metacritic Score: TBC**
### Strong Contenders
**Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios/Warner Bros.)**
– **Release Date: TBD**
– **Director: Luca Guadagnino**
– **Writer: Justin Kuritzkes**
– **Cast: Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, Hailey Gates**
– **Plot: Former tennis prodigy Tashi turns her husband into a champion but faces challenges when he must compete against her ex-boyfriend.**
– **Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%**
– **Metacritic Score: 82**
**Emilia Pérez (Netflix)**
– **Release Date: August 21, 2024**
– **Director/Writer: Jacques Audiard**
– **Cast: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Édgar Ramírez**
– **Plot: Lawyer Rita helps a feared cartel boss transform into the woman he’s always dreamed of being.**
-** Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%**
-** Metacritic Score: 70**
**The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios)**
-** Release Date: December 25, 2024**
-** Director: Rachel Morrison**
-** Writer: Barry Jenkins**
-** Cast: Ryan Destiny, Judy Greer, Brian Tyree Henry, Oluniké Adeliyi**
-** Plot: Chronicles Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields’ journey to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.**
**Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)**
-** Release Date: October 18, 2024**
-** Director/Writer: Mike Leigh**
-** Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, David Webber, Elliot Edusah**
-** Plot: A tragicomic exploration of human strengths and weaknesses in the contemporary world.**
**Inside Out 2 (Disney)**
-** Release Date: June 14, 2024**
-** Director: Kelsey Mann**
-** Writers: Kelsey Mann, Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein**
-** Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Maya Hawke, Tony Hale**
-** Plot: Riley navigates puberty and new emotions while her old emotions struggle to adapt.**
-** Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%**
-** Metacritic Score: 73**
### Possible Contenders
**A Different Man (A24)**
-** Release Date: January 20, 2024**
-** Director/Writer: Aaron Schimberg**
-** Cast: Sebastian Stan, Adam Pearson, Renate Reinsve, C. Mason Wells**
-** Plot: After facial reconstructive surgery, Edward becomes obsessed with an actor portraying his former life.**
**All We Imagine as Light (Condor Entertainment/September Film)**
-** Release Date: May 23, 2024**
-** Director/Writer: Payal Kapadia**
-** Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam,Hridhu Haroon**
-** Plot: Nurse Prabha’s life is disrupted by an unexpected gift from her estranged husband.**
Stay tuned to Gold Derby for the latest updates and predictions for the Best Picture category at the upcoming Oscars. Download our app for Apple/iPhone or Android devices to compete with other fans and experts. Join our forums to share your opinions and predictions!
