"The Batman" leads the 2022 Saturn Award Nominations

by Nathaniel R

Nominations have been announced for the 50th annual Saturn Awards, which honor genre films and television. This year's nomination leader is The Batman (2022) though Nightmare Alley (2021) also showed up in a lot of places. While the Saturns have often made questionable choices in the past their expanded nominee lists these days -- divvying things up into even more subdivisions and then giving each category six or seven nomines prevent us from really having much to say about them since they nominate everything now, case in point the first category after the jump... 

FILM CATEGORIES

Who would you be voting for in these categories?

Superhero Film

• The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures / Marvel)
• The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)

The Saturn awards calendar typically summer to summer, in this case August 2021 (Suicide Squad) to July 2022 (Thor: Love and Thunder). So they barely had to make any choices here. The only other superhero movies we can recall opening in that window of time were Marvel's Eternals and Sony's Morbius.

Science Fiction Film

• Crimes of the Future (Neon)
• Dune (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Free Guy (20th Century Studios)
• Godzilla vs. Kong (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Jurassic World Dominion (Universal Pictures)
• Nope (Universal Pictures)

A bit of a surprise to see Crimes of the Future honored for 'one of these things is not like the other' reasons. But you know you have too many nominees per category when you're nominating Jurassic World Dominion for anything "Best" 

Fantasy Film

• Cruella (Walt Disney Studios)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Sony Pictures)
• The Green Knight (A24)
• The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate)

Horror Film

• A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount Pictures)
• The Black Phone (Universal Pictures)
• Last Night in Soho (Focus Features)
• The Night House (Searchlight Pictures)
• Scream (Paramount Pictures)
• X (A24)

They did have to make choices here since there are far more than 6 horror movies coming out each year -- try six per month. Some high profile misses then are The Cursed, Don't Breathe 2, Candyman, Fresh, Halloween Kills, and of course any non-English language foreign titles as the Saturn Awards rarely notice international films though they did in the next category which is a lovely surprise.

Action / Adventure Film

• RRR – Rise Roar Revolt (Sarigama Cinemas / Variance Films / Potentate)
• Death on the Nile (20th Century Studios)
• F9: The Fast Saga (Universal Pictures)
• No Time to Die (United Artists Releasing)
• Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)
• West Side Story (20th Century Studios)

Giggling at West Side Story being an "action/adventure" film. But does its inclusion (and the inclusion of Death on the Nile which almost no one seemed to enjoy) mean they just hated The Lost City ?

Thriller Film

• Ambulance (Universal Pictures)
• Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)
• The Northman (Focus Features)
• Old (Universal Pictures)
• The Outfit (Focus Features)
• Pig (Neon)

Actor in a Film

• Timothee Chalamet, Dune (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Tom Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)
• Idris Elba, The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Tom Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures / Marvel)
• Daniel Kaluuya, Nope (Universal Pictures)
• Simu Liu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Robert Pattinson, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Basically if you play a superhero, the Saturns love you. 

Actress in a Film

• Cate Blanchett, Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)
• Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount Pictures)
• Zoe Kravitz, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Keke Palmer, Nope (Universal Pictures)
• Emma Stone, Cruella (Walt Disney Studios)
• Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)
• Zendaya, Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures / Marvel)

Supporting Actor in a Film

• Paul Dano, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Colin Farrell, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Ethan Hawke, The Black Phone (Universal Pictures)
• Richard Jenkins, Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)
• Alfred Molina, Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures / Marvel)
• Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)
• Benedict Wong, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)

If you're going to include West Side Story in your nominated films -- even though it doesn't fit any genre you typically honor! -- than you basically have to include Mike Faist in this category or you have failed. In short: They failed!

Supporting Actress in a Film

• Awkwafina, Shang-Chi and the Legend Of the Ten Rings (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Jodie Comer, Free Guy (20th Century Studios)
• Carrie Coon, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Sony Pictures)
• Viola Davis, The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)
• Diana Rigg, Last Night in Soho (Focus Features)
• Marisa Tomei, Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures Marvel)

No Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All At Once  or Elizabeth Olsen for Doctor Strange in the multiverse of Madness? That's crazy talk. 

Younger Actor in a Film

• Noah Jupe, A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount Pictures)
• Madeleine McGraw, The Black Phone (Universal Pictures)
• Millicent Simmonds, A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount Pictures)
• Mason Thames, The Black Phone (Universal Pictures)
• Jacob Tremblay, Luca (Pixar / Walt Disney Studios)
• Finn Wolfhard, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Sony Pictures)

Film Direction

• Guillermo del Toro, Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)
• Joseph Kosinski, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)
• Jordan Peele, Nope (Universal Pictures)
• S. S. Rajamouli, RRR – Rise Roar Revolt (Sarigama Cinemas / Variance Films / Potentate)
• Matt Reeves, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Steve Spielberg, West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
• Jon Watts, Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures / Marvel)

Nice to see them honor something outside the US for a change with a nomination for the director of RRR. Well done, Saturn voters. Expand those horizons.

Film Writing (Screenplay)

• The Batman, Matt Reeves, Peter Craig (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• The Black Phone, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill (Universal Pictures)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (A24)
• Nightmare Alley, Guillermo del Toro, Kim Morgan (Searchlight Pictures)
• Nope, Jordan Peele (Universal Pictures)
• Scream, James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick (Paramount Pictures)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers (Sony Pictures / Marvel)

Film Music (Composer)

• Nope, Michael Abels (Universal Pictures)
• Cruella, Nicholas Britell (Walt Disney Studios)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Danny Elman (Walt Disney Studios)
• The Batman, Michael Giacchino (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Nightmare Alley, Nathan Johnson (Searchlight Pictures)
• Crimes of the Future, Howard Shore (Neon)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend Of the Ten Rings, Joel P. West (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)

Film Editing

• Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jeffrey Ford, Leigh Folsom (Sony Pictures / Marvel)
• Top Gun: Maverick, Eddie Hamilton (Paramount Pictures)
• The Batman, William Hoy, Tyler Nelson (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Nightmare Alley, Cam McLauchin (Searchlight Pictures)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once, Paul Rogers (A24)
• Nope, Nicholas Monsour (Universal Pictures)
• Ambulance, Pietro Scalia, Doug Brandt, Calvin Wimmer (Universal Pictures) 

Film Production Designer

• Shang-Chi and the Legend Of the Ten Rings, Sue Chan (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• The Batman, James Chinlund (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Cruella, Fiona Crombie (Walt Disney Studios)
• Nightmare Alley, Tamara Deverell (Searchlight Pictures)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once, Jason Kisvarday (A24)
• Last Night in Soho, Marcus Rowland (Focus Features)
• Dune, Patrice Vermette (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Film Costume

• Shang-Chi and the Legend Of the Ten Rings, Kym Barrett (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Cruella, Jenny Beavan (Walt Disney Studios)
• The Batman, Jacqueline Durran, David Crossman, Glyn Dillon (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Dune, Robert Morgan, Jacqueline West (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Thor: Love and Thunder, Mayes C. Rubeo (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Nightmare Alley, Luis Sequeira (Searchlight Pictures)
• The Eternals, Sammy Sheldon (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)

Film Make-Up

• Crimes of the Future, Alexandra Anger, Monica Pavez, Evi Zafiropoulou (Neon)
• Nightmare Alley, Jo-Ann MacNeil, Mike Hill, Megan Many (Searchlight Pictures)
• The Batman, Mike Marino, Naomi Donne (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Dune, Donald Mowat, Love Larson, Eva Von Bahr (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Army of the Dead, Justin Raleigh, Ozzy Alvarez, Kevin Kirkpatrick, Victoria Down (Netflix)
• Thor: Love and Thunder, Matteo Silvi, Adam Johansen (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• The Suicide Squad, Heba Thorisdottir, Greg Funk, Brian Sipe (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Film Visual / Special Effects

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Jorundur Rafn Arnarson, Erik Winquist, Joe Letteri (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Sheena Duggal, Alessandro Ongaro (Sony Pictures)
• Godzilla vs. Kong, Kevin Andrew Smith (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Jurassic World Dominion, David Vickery (Universal Pictures)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend Of the Ten Rings, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker, Dan Oliver (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein, Dan Sudick (Sony Pictures / Marvel)
• Top Gun: Maverick, Scott R. Fisher, Ryan Tudhope (Paramount Pictures)

Independent Film

• Alice (Roadside Attractions/Vertical)
• Dream Horse (Bleecker Street)
• Dual (RLJE Films)
• Gold (Screen Media Films)
• Mass (Bleecker Street)
• Watcher (IFC Midnight)

Extremely strange category since they chucked their "genre" duties on a few of these and just picked some dramas and comedies. There are a ton of indie genre films each year so this is extremely lazy of them.

International Film

• RRR – Rise Roar Revolt (Sarigama Cinemas / Variance Films / Potentate)
• Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus Features)
• Eiffel (Blue Fox Entertainment)
• I’m Your Man (Bleecker Street)
• Riders of Justice (Magnolia / Magnet Releasing)
• Silent Night (RLJE Films)

Downton Abbey at the Saturns ???????????????????????????????????????????? I suppose it is "fantasy" in a way. But not the kind of fantasy they deal with.

Animated Film

• The Addams Family 2 (United Artists)
• Encanto (Walt Disney Studios)
• Lightyear (Pixar / Walt Disney Studios)
• Luca (Pixar / Walt Disney Studios)
• Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24)
• Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal Pictures)

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Science Fiction Television Series: Network / Cable

• The Flash (The CW)
• The Man Who Fell to Earth (Showtime)
• Supergirl (The CW)
• Superman & Lois (The CW)
• Resident Alien (SyFy / Universal)
• Westworld (HBO)

Fantasy Television Series: Network / Cable

• DC’s Stargirl (The CW)
• Doctor Who (BBC America)
• Ghosts (CBS)
• La Brea (NBC)
• Riverdale (The CW)
• Shining Vale (Starz)

Horror Television Series: Network / Cable

• American Horror Story: Double Feature (FX)
• Chucky (SyFy / Universal)
• Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
• From (EPIX)
• The Walking Dead (AMC)
• What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Action / Thriller Series: Network / Cable

• Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Big Sky (ABC)
• The Blacklist (NBC)
• Dexter: New Blood (Showtime)
• Dark Winds (AMC)
• Outlander (Starz)
• Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Actor in a Network / Cable Series

• Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Man Who Fell to Earth (Showtime)
• Tyler Hoechlin, Superman & Lois (The CW)
• Coleman Domingo, Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
• Harold Perrineau, From (EPIX)
• Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Michael C. Hall, Dexter: New Blood (Showtime)
• Sam Heughan, Outlander (Starz)

Actress in a Network / Cable Series

• Caitriona Balfe, Outlander (Starz)
• Kylie Bunbury, Big Sky (ABC)
• Courteney Cox, Shining Vale (Starz)
• Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets (Showtime)
• Rose McIver, Ghosts (CBS)
• Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Elizabeth Tulloch, Superman & Lois (The CW)

Supporting Actor in a Network / Cable Series

• Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Tony Dalton, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Patrick Fabian, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Harvey Guillen, What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
• Michael James Shaw, The Walking Dead (AMC)
• Michael Mando, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Brandon Scott Jones, Ghosts (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Network / Cable Series 

• Emmanuelle Chriqui, Superman & Lois (The CW)
• Lauren Cohan, The Walking Dead (AMC)
• Janina Gavankar, Big Sky (ABC)
• Julia Jones, Dexter: New Blood (Showtime)
• Melissa McBride, The Walking Dead (AMC)
• Danielle Panabaker, The Flash (The CW)
• Sophie Skelton, Outlander (Starz)

Performance by a Younger Actor: Network / Cable Series

• Jack Alcott, Dexter: New Blood (Showtime)
• Zackary Arthur, Chucky (SyFy / Universal)
• Brec Bassinger, Stargirl (The CW)
• Gus Birney, Shining Vale (Starz)
• Jordan Elsass, Superman & Lois (The CW)
• Alex Garfin, Superman & Lois (The CW)

Just a day before this nomination was announced, came news that Jordan Elsass was leaving Superman & Lois for "personal reasons" and his role was being recast. It's a big deal to leave a popular TV show before it wraps given how much stability they provide actors (an otherwise very erratic profession) so we hope he's okay.

Guest-Starring Performance: Network / Cable Series

• Michael Biehn, The Walking Dead (AMC)
• Rachael Harris, Ghosts (CBS)
• Jessie James Keitel, Big Sky (ABC)
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan, The Walking Dead (AMC)
• Fisher Stevens, The Blacklist (NBC)
• Jennifer Tilly, Chucky (SyFy / Universal)
• Aisha Tyler, Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)

Animated Series

• Arcane (Netflix)
• Blade Runner: Black Lotus (Crunchyroll / Adult Swim)
• The Boys Presents: Diabolical (Amazon)
• Invincible (Amazon)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• What If? (Disney+ / Marvel)

Science Fiction Series (Streaming)

• The Expanse (Amazon)
• For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
• Lost in Space (Netflix)
• The Mandalorian (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• The Orville: New Horizons (Hulu)
• Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)

Fantasy Series (Streaming)

• Loki (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Russian Doll (Netflix)
• Schmigadoon (Apple TV+)
• WandaVision (Disney+ / Marvel)
• The Wheel of Time (Amazon)
• The Witcher (Netflix)

Extremely late to the party here but recently finished watching Wheel of Time. Strong show!

Horror / Thriller Series (Streaming)

• Creepshow (Shudder)
• Evil (Paramount+)
• Servant (Apple TV+)
• Severance (Apple TV+)
• Squid Game (Netflix)
• Stranger Things (Netflix)

Action / Adventure Series (Streaming)

• Bosch: Legacy (FreeVee)
• The Boys (Amazon)
• Cobra Kai (Netflix)
• Leverage: Redemption (FreeVee)
• Peacemaker (HBOMax / DC)
• Reacher (Amazon)
• Umbrella Academy (Netflix)

Limited Event Series (Streaming)

• The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Hawkeye (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Midnight Mass (Netflix)
• Ms. Marvel (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Moon Knight (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)

Actor in a Streaming Series

• Tom Hiddleston, Loki (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Anthony Mackie, Falcon & The Winter Soldier (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Anson Mount, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
• Adam Scott, Severance (Apple TV+)
• Antony Starr, The Boys (Amazon)

No Hamesh Linklater in Midnight Mass? Extremely strange omission.

Actress in a Streaming Series

• Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Britt Lower, Severance (Apple TV+)
• Erin Moriarty, The Boys (Amazon)
• Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Beth Riesgraf, Leverage: Redemption (FreeVee)
• Kate Siegel, Midnight Mass (Netflix)
• Ming-Na Wen, The Book of Boba Fett (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)

Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series

• Zach Cherry, Severance (Apple TV+)
• Ethan Hawke, Moon Knight (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Joel Kinnaman, For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
• Elliot Page, Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
• Ethan Peck, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
• Joseph Quinn, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• John Turturro, Severance (Apple TV+)

No Zach Gilford in Midnight Mass is certainly a choice. (I'm not even a fan of Midnight Mass so it's weird to have to defend it in the acting categories).

Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series

• Patricia Arquette, Severance (Apple TV+)
• Danielle Brooks, Peacemaker (HBOMax)
• Jess Bush, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
• Nell Tiger, Free Servant (Apple TV+)
• Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Moses Ingram, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Aleyse Shannon, Leverage: Redemption (FreeVee)

Performance by a Younger Actor (Streaming)

• Vivien Lyra Blair, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Maxwell Jenkins, Lost in Space (Netflix)
• Gaten Matarazzo, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Sadie Sink, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Hailee Steinfeld, Hawkeye (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Iman Vellani, Ms. Marvel (Disney+ / Marvel)

Guest Performance in a Streaming Series

• Jensen Ackles, The Boys (Amazon)
• Levar Burton, Leverage: Redemption (FreeVee)
• Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Rosario Dawson, The Mandalorian (Disney+ / Lucasfilm)
• Robert Englund, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Tony Dalton, Hawkeye (Disney+ / Marvel)
• Jonathan Majors, Loki (Disney+ / Marvel)

HOME ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORIES

Classic Film Release

• The Incredible Shrinking Man (Criterion)
• Master of the World (Special Edition) (Kino Lorber)
• The Secret of the Blue Room (Kino Lorber)
• Theatre of Blood (Kino Lorber)
• Village of the Giants (Kino Lorber)
• The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (Warner Archive)

Television Series Release

• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Season 1 & 2 (MPI Home Video)
• Chucky, Season 1 (Universal)
• Creepshow, Season 2 (RLJ Entertainment)
• Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Complete Series (Kino Lorber)
• Night Gallery: Season One (Kino Lorber)
• The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Series (Shout Factory)

Film Collection Release

• The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection Volume 2 (Universal)
• The Ghost Ship / Bedlam Double Feature (Warner Archive)
• Francis The Talking Mule 7 Film Collection (Kino Lorber)
• The Godfather Trilogy 4K (Paramount)
• Shawscope, Volume One (Arrow)
• Universal Classic Monsters – Icons of Horror Collection 4K (Universal)

4K Special Edition Film Release

• Blood for Dracula (Severin)
• Everything, Everywhere All at Once (Lionsgate)
• A Fistful of Dollars (Kino Lorber)
• Flesh for Frankenstein (Vinegar Syndrome)
• For a Few Dollars More (Kino Lorber)
• The Great Escape (Kino Lorber)
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kino Lorber)

Comments

[Travis C]

And given that ETERNALS was better than any of the other Marvel (MCU and non) movies of that period, my general lack of interest in these awards is maintained.

[CALonBway92]

How are WandaVision (premiered Jan 2021), FatWS (March 2021) and Loki (June 2021) even eligible?

[thevoid99]

Go Ms. Marvel!!!!!!!

[Finbar McBride]

Hmm. No nods for the actors of Squid Game?

[Lillie Fishel]

One nomination is better than no nominations! I feel that several notables among The Orville production team and actors/actresses were nomination worthy as well, as compared to their competition this year, but nonetheless at least the show was nominated!

In any case, congrats to The Orville for reddit essay family on their nomination!

[Grasy Fry]

I can't see him as Batman. It's clearly not his.