The 2027 Oscars may feel like a long a way off, but conversations start early. 2026 was a monumental year for the Oscars, with Sinners landing 16 nominations – the most ever for any movie. One Battle After Another walked away with six wins, including the top prize of Best Picture, seeing Paul Thomas Anderson finally bag himself some gold after 11 prior nominations.
While much of the chitchat is surrounding these two massive feats, certain snubs and losses are stirring up early hypothesises for the 2027 Oscars. People shut out this year could make a name for themselves in 2027. So, here’s a premature look at the movies we believe may be in contention at the 2027 Oscars, and the stars and filmmakers behind them.
‘Ink’
After drifting slightly from the mainstream limelight following his breakout in 2014 with Unbroken, Jack O’Connell made a massive comeback in 2025 into 2026. Excelling as a menacing villain in both Sinners and the 28 Years Later movies, Ink will see him take on the role of iconic tabloid editor Larry Lamb. Although O’Connell lost on a nomination for Sinners in 2026, he could be in good standing with Ink thanks to its Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle.
O’Connell will be sharing the screen with Oscar-nominee Guy Pearce, who made waves in 2025 for his role in The Brutalist. So, if Pearce comes back for the statue in 2027 with Ink, chances are O’Connell could get the Supporting Actor nod. It’s also worth mentioning that the last time Danny Boyle helmed a workplace drama with Steve Jobs, he led Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet to Oscar nominations. But O’Connell and Pearce might not be the only ones looking at nods, Boyle is already a favourite with the voters at the Academy and directed to Slumdog Millionaire to the coveted Best Picture award in 2009.
‘The Social Reckoning’
The Social Reckoning is spearheaded by Oscar, Bafta, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Aaron Sorkin. That alone feels like a recipe for success at the 2027 Oscars. However, where the film’s chances ramp up further is with the star-studded cast. Although Jesse Eisenberg isn’t returning to play Mark Zuckerberg, Oscar-nominee Jeremy Strong will step into the social media mogul’s shoes instead.
Strong will be joined by what reads like a who’s who of rising A-list thespians, including Oscar-winner Mikey Madison (Anora), Oscar-nominee Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), and Primetime Emmy Winner Jeremy Allen White (The Bear). While not a direct sequel to David Fincher‘s The Social Network, Sorkin’s step behind the lens is described as a “companion piece“ that centres on Facebook’s most tumultuous period when whistleblower Frances Haugen challenged the site on its impact on politics and youth.
‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth’
The Adventures of Cliff Booth entered the 2027 Oscars chat as soon as it was greenlit in Spring, 2025. This $200 million budget Netflix original represents the first time since 1996 that Quentin Tarantino has allowed another director to take charge of his scripted material. By trading Aaron Sorkin’s Facebook sequel for Tarantino’s 1970s “Hollywood fixer” tale, David Fincher has created the most anticipated directorial collaboration in decades, merging his clinical technical precision with Tarantino’s iconic, dialogue-heavy world-building.
The first (and slightly obvious) major contender is lead star Brad Pitt, who reprises the cool-headed stuntman role that earned him his first acting Oscar. To ensure the film is treated as a prestige cinematic event rather than just streaming content, Netflix is implementing a robust theatrical window before the movie lands on its platform. This strategy is specifically designed to court the Academy’s traditionalist voters, positioning the film as a frontrunner for Best Picture and Best Director. Between Pitt’s return to an iconic character and the rare fusion of two filmmaking titans, The Adventures of Cliff Booth is already feeling like the film to beat for the 2027 Oscars.
The Odyssey
Whenever Christopher Nolan suits up and steps behind a camera, the Academy take notice before they’ve even seen the first trailer. The British filmmaker’s movies are true event cinema – blockbusters with mind and tremendous heart. Like the other film’s on this list, The Odyssey is absolutely star-studded – packed full of previous Oscar winners and nominees.
Nolan’s take on The Odyssey is described as a “mythic action epic” that follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his perilous decade-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Rather than a standard historical drama, Nolan is reportedly utilizing brand-new IMAX technology to blend visceral action with the psychological depth of Homer’s foundational text – something that went down well at the 2026 Oscars for Sinners. As his direct follow-up to Oppenheimer – the absolute juggernaut that swept the 2023-24 season with seven wins – The Odyssey enters the 2027 Oscars race with a cocksure stride.
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