Oscars 2024 Nominations: Barbenheimer, Killers Of The Flower Moon Frontrunners For Best Picture

Many deserving films will be dealt a poor hand when the Oscar nominations are revealed on January 23. Before nominations for Hollywood's biggest awards night are out, here are the current contenders with the strongest chance of winning a Best Picture nod. 

Oppenheimer

Right now, the likelihood of Oppenheimer winning Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards is quite high. Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film to date is the biopic of J Robert Oppenheimer. Like Scorsese, a Nolan movie has never won Best Picture, but his movies have only received nominations twice before. It is a given that Oppenheimer will be on the list of nominees. 

Killers of the Flower Moon

The play on the Osage murders by Martin Scorsese has left critics in droves. Team Killers has handled the controversy surrounding Scorsese's presentation of this specific subject by acknowledging legitimate criticism and emphasizing his attempts to give the Osage viewpoint more weight. Prioritizing Lily Gladstone has served as a protective shield against these criticisms.

Barbie

There's no doubt that the Barbie craze will last until awards season is over. It might not win the title, but it looks like it will be nominated and has a strong chance of winning in some other categories. The Margot Robbie starrer was the largest box office success of 2023, and it's permeated pop culture to a degree that very few films manage.

Poor Things 

Emma Stone’s Poor Things took home the Golden Lion at Venice in 2023 and immediately became a contender for the Oscars. Stone, along with her supporting cast members Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo, were able to compete for up to three acting nominations, and the film might also receive a tonne of nominations for its exquisite costumes, production design, photography, and visual effects. 

Past Lives

The box office and critical darling Past Lives might also get a nod at the 2024 Oscars. Directed by Korean-American playwright-turned-director Celine Song, the film revolves around a married New York writer (Greta Lee) who reunites with her Korean childhood sweetheart (Teo Yoo). It's not easy to surpass $10 million at the American box office these days, but the movie has done so.

Maestro

Bradley Cooper's biopic of the renowned composer Leonard Bernstein is also expected to duplicate the awards success of his directorial debut, A Star is Born. Maestro was always expected to be a contender for an Oscar, but after its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the top prize, the Golden Lion, its chances of being nominated for Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars have skyrocketed.

American Fiction

American Fiction, Cord Jefferson's feature debut, began its awards season with a win at the Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Award, one of the most important Oscar precursors. After that, American Fiction shot to prominence as an Oscar contender and has only gained momentum during awards season.

The Holdovers

Positive reviews for Da'Vine Joy Randolph's have helped The Holdovers continue to roll along, and this kind of endearing film usually does well on the preference ballot. However, it is yet to be seen if the campaign can persuade voters that it merits more than a prize for Supporting Actress.

Additionally, Anatomy of a Fall, May December, The Zone of Interest and The Color Purple are other contenders for the Best Picture nominee at Oscars 2024.