Warner hits ‘Sinners’ and ‘One Battle’ tipped for Oscar nominations

Warner Bros might be on the market, but the studio’s distinguished films “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” are anticipated to lead in Oscar nominations when the Academy reveals its final list of nominees on Thursday.

Both films are projected to secure twelve or more nominations for the prestigious awards event — including categories like best picture, best actor, and the newly introduced best casting award.

The unique and desirable situation where a single Hollywood studio holds the two obvious Oscar frontrunners occurs ironically in what may be Warner Bros’ final year operating as an independent distributor.

A heated bidding conflict is currently taking place for Warner Bros, specifically between Paramount Skydance and Netflix.

Despite the challenges faced by its parent company Warner Bros Discovery, the legendary film studio has had a remarkable year, defying Hollywood’s fixation on sequels and supporting original content from visionary filmmakers.

“Sinners,” a horror film set in the segregated Southern United States, infused with blues, is directed by Ryan Coogler, who is known for “Black Panther.”

It is likely to receive a best actor nomination for Michael B. Jordan, who portrays two twin brothers confronting vampires and racists in 1930s Mississippi, along with various nominations in categories like screenplay and score.

Clayton Davis, an awards expert from Variety, suggests that “Sinners” might set a new all-time record for the highest number of nominations for a single film — the current record stands at 14, held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.”

Davis noted that Coogler is “completely redefining the statistics,” potentially reaching “a statistical level no filmmaker has previously achieved.”

However, throughout the current awards season, Paul Thomas Anderson — whose extensive, diverse film history includes titles from “Boogie Nights” to “There Will Be Blood” — has secured nearly all accolades for “One Battle After Another.”

This quirky thriller follows a retired revolutionary in search of his teenage daughter amidst a chaotic environment filled with radical violence, immigration actions, and white supremacists, and it set a new record for nominations by

Former Academy Award winner for Best Actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, is almost guaranteed to receive his seventh acting nomination from the Academy.

Netflix has several contenders with Guillermo del Toro’s horror movie “Frankenstein,” the heartbreaking Western drama “Train Dreams,” and the animated musical “KPop Demon Hunters.”

On the other hand, competitor Paramount appears to have a sparse lineup of contenders for awards.

– Best casting –
“Hamnet,” a sorrowful film adaptation that envisions William Shakespeare dealing with the loss of his child, is expected to earn numerous nominations.

Jessie Buckley, who portrays Shakespeare’s devoted wife Agnes, seems a strong candidate for a best actress nomination.

She may be accompanied by Emma Stone, who plays a potential alien in the conspiracy-filled drama “Bugonia,” and Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve in the critically acclaimed “Sentimental Value.”

Given the rapid growth of the Academy's international voter demographic, “Sentimental Value” stands out among three foreign-language films that may compete for best picture.

In addition to Persian-language Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just An Accident,” Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” also joins the list, although “space feels limited” for all three to be included, as noted by Davis.

“Secret Agent” star Wagner Moura, portraying a scientist escaping from Brazil’s dictatorship in the 1970s, is expected to compete with DiCaprio and Jordan for best actor.

However, the favorite for that category is Timothee Chalamet, whose performance as a talented, ambitious and spoiled ping pong player in 1950s New York in “Marty Supreme” has already earned a Golden Globe, a Critics Choice Award, and additional accolades.

This year marks the debut of a new Oscar category for best casting, which acknowledges the professionals who match actors with roles long before major films or independent projects go into production.

Without any prior examples, it remains uncertain what the voters will prioritize.

“Will it be star appeal? Group synergy? Identifying new talent?” posed Davis.

The announcement of the nominations will take place Thursday at 5:30 am (1330 GMT) in Los Angeles, leading up to the 98th Oscars ceremony scheduled for March 15.