Manny the Movie Guy's Complete Oscar Predictions in All Categories

The 97th Academy Awards will go down in history as one of the most unpredictable Oscars.  Many thought “Emilia Perez” had it in the bag after setting a record for the most nods for an international feature film.  But then came the scandals.  “Emilia Perez” is not alone in this predicament.  “The Brutalist” has its own. 

Which probably explains why late in the game, Sean Baker’s “Anora” surged topping both Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America awards.  And let’s not forget Mikey Madison’s win at BAFTA.

Speaking of BAFTA, “Conclave” emerged as the Best Picture with Adrien Brody for actor for “The Brutalist.”  The only ones that have been consistent throughout are Kieran Culkin for supporting actor in “A Real Pain” and Zoe Saldaña for supporting actress in “Emilia Perez.” 

So clearly, there is no frontrunner.   

Oscar night will be nailbiter. 

But like any other year, I try my darndest to predict the Academy Awards.  After consulting my trusted crystal ball, here’s my complete Oscar predictions in all 23 categories.  And just like any other year it comes with a warning:  Don’t blame me if you lose on your Oscar pool.    

Best Picture
“Anora”
“The Brutalist”
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“I’m Still Here”
“Nickel Boys”
“The Substance”
“Wicked”

WILL WIN: Anora

COULD WIN: Conclave

SHOULD WIN:  The Brutalist

Best Director
Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”
Sean Baker, “Anora”
Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”

WILL WIN:  Sean Baker

COULD WIN:  Brady Corbet

SHOULD WIN:  Coralie Fargeat

Best Actress
Mikey Madison, “Anora”
Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
Demi Moore, “The Substance”
Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”

WILL WIN:  Demi Moore

COULD WIN:  Mikey Madison

SHOULD WIN:  Fernanda Torres

Best Actor
Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man”

WILL WIN:  Adrien Brody

COULD WIN:  Timothee Chalamet

SHOULD WIN:  Ralph Fiennes

Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”

WILL WIN:  Zoe Saldaña

COULD WIN:  Isabella Rossellini

SHOULD WIN:  Ariana Granda

Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov, “Anora”
Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”
Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”
Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”
Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”

WILL WIN:  Kieran Culkin

COULD WIN:  Guy Pearce

SHOULD WIN:  Yura Borisov

Best Original Screenplay
“Anora”
“The Brutalist”
“A Real Pain”
“The Substance”
“September 5”

WILL WIN:  Anora

COULD WIN:  A Real Pain

SHOULD WIN:  Anora

Best Adapted Screenplay
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nickel Boys”
“Sing Sing”

WILL WIN:  Conclave

COULD WIN:  Nickel Boys

SHOULD WIN:  Sing Sing

Best Animated Feature
“Flow”
“Inside Out 2”
“Memoir of a Snail”
“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
“The Wild Robot”

WILL WIN:  The Wild Robot

COULD WIN:  Flow

SHOULD WIN:  The Wild Robot

Best Animated Short
“In the Shadow of Cypress”
“Wander to Wonder”
“Yuck”
“Magic Candies”
“Beautiful Men”

WILL WIN:  Yuck

COULD WIN:  Wander to Wonder

SHOULD WIN:  In the Shadow of Cypress

Best Cinematography
“The Brutalist”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Maria”
“Nosferatu”

WILL WIN:  The Brutalist

COULD WIN:  Maria

SHOULD WIN:  Dune: Part Two

Best Costume Design
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Gladiator II”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked”

WILL WIN:  Wicked

COULD WIN:  Nosferatu

SHOULD WIN:  Wicked

Best Film Editing
“Anora”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
“The Brutalist”

WILL WIN:  Conclave

COULD WIN:  The Brutalist

SHOULD WIN:  Anora

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
“A Different Man”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nosferatu”
“The Substance”
“Wicked”

WILL WIN:  The Substance

COULD WIN:  Wicked

SHOULD WIN:  The Substance

Best Live Action Short
“Anuja”
“The Last Ranger”
“A Lien”
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
“I’m Not a Robot”

WILL WIN:  The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

COULD WIN:  Anuja

SHOULD WIN:  A Lien

Best Original Score
Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”
Volker Bertelmann, “Conclave”
John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, “Wicked”
Clément Ducol and Camille, “Emilia Pérez”
Kris Bowers, “The Wild Robot”

WILL WIN:  The Brutalist

COULD WIN:  Conclave

SHOULD WIN:  The Wild Robot

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez”
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing”

WILL WIN:  “Emilia Perez” (“El Mal”)

COULD WIN:  “The Six Triple Eight”

SHOULD WIN:  “Emilia Perez” (“El Mal”)

Best Documentary Feature
“Black Box Diaries”
“No Other Land”
“Porcelain War”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Sugarcane”

WILL WIN:  No Other Land

COULD WIN:  Porcelain War

SHOULD WIN:  Blackbox Diaries

Best Documentary Short
“Death by Numbers”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”

WILL WIN:  I Am Ready, Warden

COULD WIN:  The Only Girl in the Orchestra

SHOULD WIN:  Instruments of a Beating Heart

Best International Feature
“I’m Still Here”
“The Girl with the Needle”
“Emilia Pérez”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
“Flow”

WILL WIN:  I’m Still Here

COULD WIN:  Emilia Perez

SHOULD WIN:  The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Best Production Design
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked”

WILL WIN:  Wicked

COULD WIN:  The Brutalist

SHOULD WIN:  Wicked

Best Sound
“A Complete Unknown”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Wicked”
“Emilia Perez”
“The Wild Robot”

WILL WIN:  Dune: Part Two

COULD WIN:  Wicked

SHOULD WIN:  Dune: Part Two

Best Visual Effects
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Wicked”

WILL WIN:  Dune: Part Two

COULD WIN:  Dune: Part Two

SHOULD WIN:  Dune: Part Two