2025 Oscars Race Prediction
- pencil28 Feb 2025
- clock5 min read
Who will win, who should win, and who should have been nominated
This year’s Oscars race is definitely an interesting one. Dubbed by many as the most open race in recent history, it certainly has many controversies and unexpected twists when it comes to the winning potential of several contenders. From Emilia Pérez becoming this year’s Oscar villain to the controversial use of AI in front-running contenders like The Brutalist, many unknowns are up in the air especially when it comes to key categories. Nevertheless, the controversies certainly mark a start in a new era in how the long-prestigious award will and should tread the fine balance between the inevitably political nature of awards-giving business and the recognition of good quality art going forward.
Here are my predictions for some key categories.
Best Picture
Nominees
| Anora | The Brutalist |
| A Complete Unknown | Conclave |
| Dune: Part Two | Emilia Pérez |
| I'm Still Here | Nickel Boys |
| The Substance | Wicked |
- Will win: The Brutalist
- Should win: Dune: Part Two
- Should’ve been nominated: The Wild Robot
Best Director
Nominees
| Sean Baker for Anora | Brady Corbet for The Brutalist |
| James Mangold for A Complete Unknown | Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez |
| Coralie Fargeat for The Substance |
- Will win: Brady Corbet for The Brutalist
- Should win: Coralie Fargeat for The Substance
- Should’ve been nominated: Denis Villeneuve for Dune: Part Two
Best Actor
Nominees
| Adrien Brody for The Brutalist | Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown |
| Colman Domingo for Sing Sing | Ralph Fiennes for Conclave |
| Sebastian Stan for The Apprentice |
- Will win: Adrien Brody for The Brutalist
- Should win: Adrien Brody for The Brutalist
- Should’ve been nominated: Timothée Chalamet for Dune: Part Two
Best Actress
Nominees
| Cynthia Erivo for Wicked | Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez |
| Mikey Madison for Anora | Demi Moore for The Substance |
| Fernanda Torres for I'm Still Here |
- Will win: Demi Moore for The Substance
- Should win: Demi Moore for The Substance
- Should’ve been nominated: Lily-Rose Depp for Nosferatu
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees
| Yura Borisov for Anora | Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain |
| Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown | Guy Pearce for The Brutalist |
| Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice |
- Will win: Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain
- Should win: Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice
- Should’ve been nominated: Clarence Maclin for Sing Sing
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees
| Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown | Ariana Grande for Wicked |
| Felicity Jones for The Brutalist | Isabella Rossellini for Conclave |
| Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez |
- Will win: Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez
- Should win: Felicity Jones for The Brutalist
- Should’ve been nominated: Rebecca Ferguson for Dune: Part Two
Best Animated Feature
Nominees
| Flow | Inside Out 2 |
| Memoir of a Snail | Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl |
| The Wild Robot |
- Will win: Flow
- Should win: The Wild Robot
Best Original Screenplay
Nominees
| Anora - Sean Baker | The Brutalist - Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold |
| A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg | September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David |
| The Substance - Coralie Fargeat |
- Will win: Anora - Sean Baker
- Should win: The Substance - Coralie Fargeat
- Should’ve been nominated: Challengers - Justin Kuritzkes
Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominees
| A Complete Unknown - James Mangold, Jay Cocks | Conclave - Peter Straughan |
| Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard | Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes |
| Sing Sing - Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar |
- Will win: Conclave - Peter Straughan
- Should win: Conclave - Peter Straughan
- Should’ve been nominated: Dune: Part Two - Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts
Best Cinematography
Nominees
| The Brutalist - Lol Crawley | Dune: Part Two - Greig Fraser |
| Emilia Pérez -Paul Guilhaume | Maria - Ed Lachman |
| Nosferatu - Jarin Blaschke |
- Will win: The Brutalist - Lol Crawley
- Should win: The Brutalist - Lol Crawley
- Should’ve been nominated: Conclave - Stéphane Fontaine
Best Editing
Nominees
| Anora - Sean Baker | The Brutalist - David Jancso |
| Conclave - Nick Emerson | Emilia Pérez - Juliette Welfling |
| Wicked - Myron Kerstein |
- Will win: The Brutalist - David Jancso
- Should win: The Brutalist - David Jancso
- Should’ve been nominated: Challengers - Marco Costa
Best Production Design
Nominees
| The Brutalist | Conclave |
| Dune: Part Two | Nosferatu |
| Wicked |
- Will win: Wicked
- Should win: Dune: Part Two
- Should’ve been nominated: The Substance
Best Costume Design
Nominees
| A Complete Unknown - Arianne Phillips | Conclave - Lisy Christl |
| Gladiator II - Janty Yates, Dave Crossman | Nosferatu - Linda Muir |
| Wicked - Paul Tazewell |
- Will win: Wicked - Paul Tazewell
- Should win: Nosferatu - Linda Muir
- Should’ve been nominated: Dune: Part Two - Jacqueline West
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Nominees
| A Different Man | Emilia Pérez |
| Nosferatu | The Substance |
| Wicked |
- Will win: The Substance
- Should win: The Substance
- Should’ve been nominated: The Apprentice
Best Original Score
Nominees
| The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg | Conclave - Volker Bertelmann |
| Emilia Pérez - Clément Ducol and Camille | Wicked - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz |
| The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers |
- Will win: The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg
- Should win: The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg
- Should’ve been nominated: Challengers - Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor
Best Original Song
Nominees
| El Mal, from Emilia Pérez | The Journey, from The Six Triple Eight |
| Like A Bird, from Sing Sing | Mi Camino, from Emilia Pérez |
| Never Too Late, from Elton John: Never Too Late |
- Will win: El Mal, from Emilia Pérez
- Should win: El Mal, from Emilia Pérez
- Should’ve been nominated: Kiss the Sky, from The Wild Robot
Best Sound
Nominees
| A Complete Unknown | Dune: Part Two |
| Emilia Pérez | Wicked |
| The Wild Robot |
- Will win: Dune: Part Two
- Should win: Dune: Part Two
- Should’ve been nominated: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)
