After the conclusion of three major international film festivals — Venice, Telluride, and Toronto — several strong contenders for the Oscar 2025 have emerged. However, unlike the past two years, there isn’t a clear frontrunner dominating the race like Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) or last year’s Barbenheimer craze (Barbie and Oppenheimer).
This has resulted in an unpredictable Oscar season, leaving many experts unsure of who will come out on top.
Leading film outlets like Variety and IndieWire, along with critics from The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, have all been busy predicting which films might clinch the top prize in 2025.
Prominent Contenders Emerge
Kyle Buchanan from The New York Times highlights two standout films: Conclave and The Brutalist. Directed by Edward Berger (who won four Oscars for All Quiet on the Western Front), Conclave is expected to garner attention with its compelling narrative about a group of cardinals plotting to elect a new pope. Meanwhile, The Brutalist is praised for its grand storytelling and exceptional performances by actors Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones.
On the other hand, Variety places its bets on two films from the Cannes Film Festival: Anora and Emilia Pérez. Anora, winner of the Palme d’Or, is a romantic yet turbulent story of a relationship between a stripper and the son of a wealthy tycoon. Emilia Pérez, featuring an all-star female cast led by Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez, tells the story of a Mexican drug lord transitioning with the help of a lawyer.
Both films are generating significant buzz, with Emilia Pérez earning the Best Actress award for its three leads at Cannes.
Dark Horses and Surprises
Two films that flew under the radar during the festival season but are now seen as potential Oscar “dark horses” are September 5 and The Life of Chuck. The Life of Chuck caused a stir by winning the People’s Choice Award at Toronto, while September 5, a film dealing with the Gaza conflict, was recently acquired by Paramount and is now considered a strong candidate for Best Picture.
Intense Competition in Other Categories
In the acting categories, many Hollywood heavyweights are set to compete, including Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Adrien Brody, and Joaquin Phoenix. Notable performances from Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore in The Room Next Door, Nicole Kidman in Babygirl, and Vincent Lindon in The Quiet Son have already sparked Oscar buzz.
In the animated feature category, IndieWire predicts a fierce competition between three standout films: Flow, Inside Out 2, and The Wild Robot, the latter making waves at the Toronto Film Festival.
With half a year to go, it’s clear that the Oscar 2025 race is only just beginning, and more surprises are likely to unfold.
