Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film “Oppenheimer” is poised to make history at the upcoming Oscars with a whopping 13 nominations. With its impressive box office success and a clean sweep of awards season, “Oppenheimer” is not only a strong contender for Best Picture but also has a chance to break the record for the most wins at the Oscars. As the 96th Academy Awards approaches, viewers can expect an earlier start time and a thrilling night of surprises and upsets.
The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday. The ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on various platforms including ABC.com, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and more. This year’s show will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who returns for his fourth time as the emcee. Kimmel’s wit and charm have made him a fan favorite in previous years, and his return promises an entertaining evening.
The nominees for the Oscars are chosen by members of the Academy, with each category’s corresponding branch selecting the nominees. However, the Best Picture nominees are decided by all voting members of the Academy. The winners in all 23 categories are then chosen by the full membership, with Best Picture being decided through a preferential ballot system.
Leading the pack of Best Picture contenders is Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a biopic about the architect of the atomic bomb. With its massive box office success and victories at every major precursor award show, “Oppenheimer” is the clear front-runner. Other films like “Poor Things” and “Anatomy of a Fall” have also garnered attention with their nominations and critical acclaim.
In the acting categories, Robert Downey Jr. is the favorite to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Oppenheimer,” while Da’Vine Joy Randolph is expected to take home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “The Holdovers.” The race for Best Actor is a close one, with Paul Giamatti and Cillian Murphy both winning major precursor awards. However, Murphy’s win at the SAG Awards solidified his front-runner status. The most exciting race is in the Best Actress category, where Emma Stone, Lily Gladstone, and others are vying for the coveted award.
Aside from the major categories, there are several other races to watch. “Anatomy of a Fall” is the front-runner for Best Original Screenplay, while “American Fiction” is expected to win Best Adapted Screenplay. The competition for Best Animated Feature is a toss-up between Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Additionally, Wes Anderson could win his first Oscar for Best Live-Action Short with “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”
For those looking to catch up on the Best Picture nominees, most of them are available on streaming platforms such as Peacock, Max, Apple TV Plus, Hulu, and Netflix. A few films are still in theaters or available to rent through various services.
The Oscars will also feature live performances of all five Best Song nominees, including performances by Jon Batiste, Becky G, Scott George and the Osage Singers, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, and Mark Ronson and Ryan Gosling. Additionally, there will be red carpet coverage hosted by Vanessa Hudgens and Julianne Hough on ABC, as well as coverage on E! with their “Brunch at the Oscars” and red carpet show.
As the 96th Academy Awards approaches, anticipation is building for what promises to be a historic night. With “Oppenheimer” leading the pack and several exciting races to watch, viewers can expect a thrilling evening of celebration and recognition of the best in film.
