What's next for key players from Oscar season?

by Nathaniel R

Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer in the forthcoming series MARGOT'S GOT MONEY TROUBLE

Let's gently segueway now to a new year in film. When Cláudio reminded us that  Timothée Chalamet has high profile projects coming up in the wake of two consecutive years of 'close-but-no-cigar' Best Actor runs, it got me to thinking about what's next for each of this year's nominees. We're skipping anything we already covered in the  first 2026 previews we did (Dune Part Three, Digger, The Odyssey, The Weight, etc) So herewith 20 enticing projects from film, tv, and stage featuring one or more of the players who were just up for Oscar gold. Will they return to the Oscar stage and, if so, how soon? The projects are listed in rough ascending order of current interest though that could obviously change once we see stills, trailers, or hear more buzz...

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Split Decision: "Sinners"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, LYNN LEE and NICK TAYLOR discuss Sinners.

NICK: Lynn, I think you’re one of the only people on this site - maybe in the entire world - whose opinion on Sinners I don’t know. The most nominated film in Oscar’s history deserves a volley before the big night! For my part, I think Ryan Coogler’s ambition is off the charts, and I genuinely can’t wait to see what he and his team are going to do with their blank check. The execution of that ambition, from plotting to formal execution, is very uneven to me, and I have a hard time reconciling what’s so exciting with what’s undernourished. But before I continue, please tell me what you think of Sinners!!

LYNN: Funny, I feel like I've been singing the praises of Sinners so much lately, I'm finding it difficult to avoid repeating myself!  It was my #1 movie of 2025, and I think it deserved many, if not most, of its Oscar nominations...

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Split Decision: "Bugonia"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, ERIC BLUME and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss Bugonia...

ERIC: Cláudio, a friendship is nothing without honesty, so I'll honor our friendship by saying I've been putting off our conversation on Bugonia, because it's a film that brought me such perverse joy and basic movie-movie satisfaction...and I know you are not a big fan of Lanthimos' aesthetic and style, his partnership with Emma Stone, and some of Stone's key performances.  They all mean a lot to me, so diving into this pit seems a bit challenging. 

But what is the purpose of being a passionate cinephile if you can't dive into the pit, right?  I'll start by saying that I think Bugonia is great, crazy, zany fun, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.  That's just basic-level movie audience talk, but it's true, and I can't say that about a lot of movies, not even a few that I rank higher in my top ten list this year!  Now, proceed, my friend.

CLÁUDIO: For the record, I'm not anti-Lanthimos nor am I anti-Stone…

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“Sinners” and “Wicked” lead the Oscar shortlists

by Cláudio Alves

Despite poor reviews WICKED: FOR GOOD is beloved by the industry. | © Universal Pictures

The Oscar shortlists announcement is an occasion that many a pundit anticipates, sometimes fears. Because it’s a day when narratives change, some consolidate, some emerge, while others crumble into nothingness. Three years ago, the shortlists were the first hint of just how big All Quiet on the Western Front was about to become, for example. For the 98th Academy Awards, there is no surprise champion, as Sinners and Wicked: For Good earn the most categories in a year when Casting and Cinematography are also among the shortlisted races. More surprisingly is Sirât’s surge, a cinematography selection full of antithetical picks and a Best International Film race where ten out of fifteen finalists arrive from outside of Europe, a rarity that should be celebrated.

Without further ado, here are the Oscar shortlists with some commentary…

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Eligible Original Songs & Scores for the 98th Oscars

by Nathaniel R

Both of the following massive lists will be narrowed down to fifteen contenders on December 16 when the Academy reveals the shortlists in all the categories that use multiple ballots. But for now all the composers can all imagine golden statues in their future...

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