The 2025 Oscars may seem like a while off yet, however, the lead up to the nominations is the most exciting part for many. There’s no doubt about it – 2024 has been an impressive year for cinema. With a mix of blockbuster movies that managed to land big with critics, and a plethora of indie movies that premiered to a warm reception, the coveted Best Picture category is looking stacked with potential candidates.
While many movies have not made their way to audiences yet, some of them have debuted at film festivals, giving moviegoers and critics a starting point to guess what movie will make the cut in 2025. Will blockbusters prevail or will indie streaming movies triumph? Let’s take a look and break down the early contenders.
10. Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two is a rare yet shining example of a sequel that surpassed its mighty predecessor. By April 2024, it had grossed $700 million at the box office, eclipsing the first movie’s total haul of $433.8 million globally. Typically, sci-fi movies don’t fare too well with the tough-to-impress voters at the Academy, however, it would be hard for them to ignore the movie’s massive cultural impact and glaring reviews from critics. Furthermore, Dune: Part One came home with 6 Oscars, so history could surely repeat itself.
9. The Piano Lesson
The Piano Lesson won’t land on Netflix until November 22, 2024. Prior to this, the film will get a limited theatrical release on November 8. So, there’s no way of knowing what audiences think just yet. However, critics got first dibs when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival at the Princess of Wales Theater. As of writing, this Samuel L. Jackson-led drama has a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, and The Guardian hailed the picture “soulful” before praising the “fantastic performances” from Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L Jackson.
8. Conclave
Conclave has been whispered in the 2025 Oscars chatter ever since it was first announced. The thriller by Edward Berger centres on Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who is entrusted with overseeing the most ancient and clandestine ritual in the world: the election of a new Pope. However, he soon finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that has the potential to upend The Church itself. Movies that delve into supposed flaws in religion often land well with Oscar voters despite any controversy that comes with them, revealing themselves as daring works of art. Couple that with the movie’s powerhouse cast and direction from previous Oscar-nominee Berger, Conclave could easily makes its way to the 2025 Oscars.
7. A Complete Unknown
Biopics about musicians often strike a chord with the Oscars – take Ray for example – which saw Jamie Foxx nab the gold for Best Actor in 2005. A Complete Unknown is a docudrama that charts the early life of Bob Dylan, one of the most inspirational singer-songwriters of all time. With the rapidly ascending Timothée Chalamet starring as Dylan, and Oscar-nominee James Mangold at the helm, it’s easy to see why many pundits are betting on A Complete Unknown as a major contender for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars.
6. Blitz
War movies rarely fail to land big at the Oscars, and Steve McQueen‘s Blitz is a war movie that tells a story of the people fighting the war at home while they raise their children and face the ever-growing fear and dread of British capital bombing. McQueen is no stranger to the Oscars, finding himself nominated for Best Director in 2014 and taking home Best Picture for 12 Years a Slave. Blitz is an Apple TV+ Original that will land on the streaming platform on November 22, 2024. However, in order to be in awards contention, it will premiere in theaters on November 1, 2024. The star-studded cast includes Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, and Paul Weller in his first-ever movie role.
5. The Room Next Door
The Room Next Door features Oscar favorites Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, who have each won an Oscar in the past. In fact, Moore has been nominated a staggering five times. The film follows Ingrid and Martha, two women who were close friends in their youth. After falling out of touch and not seeing one another for years, they rekindle their bond through an extreme but oddly sweet situation. With Oscar-winner Pedro Almodóvar (The Skin I Live In) behind the pen and lens, and Moore and Swinton delivering critically acclaimed chemistry, The Room Next Door is a strong contender for the 2025 Oscars Best Picture category.
4. The Brutalist
As proven time and time again, the voters at the Academy love a comeback performance, and it appears Adrien Brody has provided one with The Brutalist. Previously taking home the Best Actor trophy for his mesmerizing lead role in The Pianist, Brody has slipped off the radar somewhat in recent years, starring in straight-to-DVD action movies and low-budget thrillers. However, his performance in The Brutalist is being lauded as “superb”. As of writing, this post-war drama has a 98% Critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The narrative centres on visionary architect László Toth (Brody) and his spouse Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), who escape post-World War II Europe in order to reconstruct their legacy and see the emergence of contemporary America.
3. Anora
Anora is a romantic comedy-drama from Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project). The story focuses on Anora (Mikey Madison), a young sex worker from Brooklyn who meets a young man named Ivan who comes from a very wealthy Russian family. After falling head over heels for each other, they get married on an impulse. However, their fairytale is threatened as Ivan’s parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. Sean Baker is a name that has been thrown around many times come awards season ever since he wowed audiences and critics with Tangerine, a character driven drama that was shot on an iPhone. While he hasn’t been nominated yet, Anora could be his time to shine after the movie took top awards at 2024’s Cannes Film Festival. As of writing, Anora has a 97% Tomatometer, based on 73 critic reviews.
2. Emilia Pérez
Emilia Pérez is a genre-bending crime thriller with undertones of comedy and musical elements. The plot follows Rita (Zoe Saldana), a young lawyer who feels she is wasting her talents working for a large firm who revel in the whitewashing of criminal garbage rather than serving justice. However, an unexpected way out is offered to her when she is asked to assist the feared cartel boss Juan “Little Hands” Del Monte. Emilia Pérez comes from two-time Bafta-winning French filmmaker, Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, The Sisters Brothers). It has been met with gleaming reviews and is standing as one of 2024’s biggest films that is exploring themes of gender fluidity in a much-needed social commentary – something that will surely put it in good standing with Oscar voters.
1. Gladiator II
Ridley Scott‘s highly-anticipated Gladiator II is shaping up to be a surefire Best Picture contender for the 2025 Oscars for several compelling reasons. Firstly, it’s a rarity in contemporary cinema to see the same visionary director return to a groundbreaking project that became a cultural phenomenon; Scott’s return promises to revive the epic storytelling that captivated audiences over two decades ago. Additionally, after the mixed critical reception of 2021’a House of Gucci, the Academy often embraces narratives of artistic resurgence, creating a perfect backdrop for Scott to reclaim his cinematic stature. Moreover, the original Gladiator made an indelible mark by sweeping five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, setting a high standard that audiences and critics alike will eagerly anticipate.
With these elements converging, Gladiator II seems poised to not only rekindle the magic of its predecessor but also to make a significant impact in the awards race. However, as of yet, there is no critical consensus. Gladiator II lands in movie theaters on November 15, 2024. With original star Russell Crowe not involved in the picture, it’s possible that moviegoers and critics could feel his absence. Yet, there are many acclaimed actors boarding the movie who have proven popular with the Academy in the past – namely two-time Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and rising star and Oscar-nominee Paul Mescal.
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