Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
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Best Original Score Commentary (Updated Dec. 18, 2024): It wasn’t just a matter of which melodies made the cut — it was a celebration of the extraordinary diversity, innovation, and the occasional curveball these categories can reliably deliver. With the shortlist for score expanding from 15 to 20 for the first time, the room for surprises was well taken by the branch members. Meanwhile, in the original song, the race brought its usual mix of blockbuster crowd-pleasers, indie gems, and, of course, Diane Warren.
What immediately stood out in score? Women composers — too often overlooked in this category — claimed a striking presence this year. Chanda Dancy (“Blink Twice”), Camille (“Emilia Pérez”), Tamar-kali (“The Fire Inside”), Andrea Datzman (“Inside Out 2”) and Amelia Warner (“Young Woman and the Sea”) are among the five still in the running.
Cristobal Tapia de Veer, fresh off the success of “The White Lotus,” landed a slot for his unsettling and experimental “Babygirl.” At the same time, Benjamin Wallfisch’s channeling of suspense and dread in “Alien: Romulus” had a very impressive showing.
Considering the legends attached– Stephen Sondheim and John Powell, one wonders if “Wicked” can crack the eventual lineup. It’s certainly in the running.
Yet heavyweights like Oscar winners Alan Silvestri’s “Here,” Alexandre Desplat’s “The Piano Lesson,” and Jon Batiste’s “Saturday Night” were shockingly left out. Two buzzy indie darlings — “Nickel Boys” and “The Substance” — also missed the cut, despite whispers of potential breakouts.
With 145 eligible contenders this year, narrowing the list to 20 was never easy, and now five will be even more difficult.
The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2. All movie listings, titles, distributors, and credited artisans are not final and are subject to change.
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Image Credit: ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett
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Image Credit: ©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Image Credit: Warner Bros.
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More Information (Oscars: Original Score)
2024 category winner: “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ludwig Göransson Variety via Getty Images
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About the Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners have been selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Nineteen branches are represented within the nearly 11,000-person membership. The branches are actors, animators, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films, sound, visual effects and writers.
English (US) ·