Oscar predictions 2018

Every year my work colleagues and I attempt to predict who will take home the Oscars in the ten “main” categories.  I usually – but by no means always – do reasonably well, so here are my predictions for 2018’s awards ceremony.

Remember, these are who I think will win, not who I think should win!

Best picture – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

I think that after picking up the Critics’ Choice award, The Shape of Water could be the dark horse … but I think Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the one to beat.

Other nominees:
Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water

Best actress – Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

With a clean sweep at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTAs and Critics’ Choice Awards, Frances McDormand seems certain to take home the Oscar.

Other nominees:
Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water
Margot Robbie – I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird
Meryl Streep – The Post

Best actor – Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

One of Britain’s greatest actors playing one of Britain’s greatest historical figures, this one feels like it’s Gary Oldman’s to lose…

Other nominees:
Timothee Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
Denzel Washington – Roman J Israel, Esq

Best supporting actress – Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

After another clean sweep at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, SAG Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards, Allison Janney seems to pretty much be a shoo-in for the Oscar.

Other nominees:
Mary J Blige – Mudbound
Lesley Manville – Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer – The Shape of Water

Best supporting actor – Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

The momentum certainly seems to be behind Sam Rockwell at the moment, and given that he’s never one a Oscar before, it feels like it’s his moment.

Other nominees:
Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water
Christopher Plummer – All the Money in the World

Best director – Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water)

Having picked up nearly every major directing award so far this season, surely Guillermo Del Toro is the favourite to take the Oscar home?

Other nominees:
Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan
Get Out – Jordan Peele
Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig
Phantom Thread – Paul Thomas Anderson

Best adapted screenplay – Call Me By Your Name (James Ivory)

There’s no question that I would love for Logan to win in this category, but I don’t see that realistically happening, and Call Me By Your Name is probably the front-runner out of the others.

Other nominees:
The Disaster Artist – Scott Neustadter & Michael H Weber
Logan – Scott Frank, James Mangold & Michael Green
Molly's Game – Aaron Sorkin
Mudbound – Virgil Williams & Dee Rees

Best original screenplay – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Martin McDonagh)

I think this is the hardest category to call this year – I could see the Oscar potentially going to Get Out, The Big Sick, The Shape of Water or Three Billboards….!

Other nominees:
The Big Sick – Emily V Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
Get Out – Jordan Peele
Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig
The Shape of Water – Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor

Best cinematography – Blade Runner 2049 (Roger Deakins)

Roger Deakins is unquestionably one of the greatest cinematographers of the last thirty years, and has been Oscar nominated a staggering 14 times without having ever won – so this must be his year!

Other nominees:
Darkest Hour – Bruno Delbonnel
Dunkirk – Hoyte van Hoytema
Mudbound – Rachel Morrison
The Shape of Water – Dan Laustsen

Best costume design – Phantom Thread (Mark Bridges)

Surely the costume designer in a film about a fashion designer has a head start over the other nominees?

Other nominees:
Beauty and the Beast – Jacqueline Durran
Darkest Hour – Jacqueline Durran
The Shape of Water – Luis Sequeira
Victoria and Abdul – Consolata Boyle

So there you have it – come back after the Oscars on 4 March to see how I did!  Last year I got 8/10, which could be tough to beat this year…