And they’re off!
The official start of awards season has arrived with the announcement of the shortlists for the 97th Oscars across ten categories. Below, you can find the details released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Fifteen films are in the running for International Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Original Song, and Music Score, as well as Documentary, Animated, and Live Action Shorts. Moreover, ten films advanced in the categories of Sound, Visual Effects, and Makeup & Hairstyling.
Leading the pack is Emilia Pérez, which garnered a remarkable six nominations, only missing from the Visual Effects shortlist—an unlikely prospect. This positions Jacques Audiard’s film for a significant impact, with potential nominations for two Best Original Songs, uniquely featuring among the finalists.
Also having a strong showing is Wicked, which received four nominations—the maximum possible, given that none of its songs were original. It was recognized in Makeup & Hair, Score, Sound, and Visual Effects.
Universal and DreamWorks Animation are likely celebrating the recognition of their animated feature, The Wild Robot, which scored nominations for Score, Sound, and the song “Kiss the Sky,” surpassing their competitor Inside Out 2—this year’s highest-grossing film— which secured only a nod in Music Score.
Other noteworthy films that received multiple mentions include Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Nosferatu, Blitz, Better Man, Twisters, Mufasa: The Lion King, Will & Harper, and Kneecap, the Irish contender.
As expected, Diane Warren is once again in the mix, striving for her 17th nomination with “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight, one of four songs making the cut for Netflix.
Interestingly, Anora, considered a frontrunner, received no mentions—perhaps highlighting the unpredictable nature of these categories. In contrast, the relatively obscure Waltzing with Brando, featuring Billy Zane as Marlon Brando, garnered a nod for Makeup & Hair, possibly qualifying unnoticed.
And here are the comprehensive 2025 Oscar shortlists:
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
Vocabulary List:
- Nominations /ˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃənz/ (noun): The official suggestion or recommendation of someone for an award.
- Recognition /ˌrɛkəgˈnɪʃən/ (noun): The acknowledgment or identification of something as being valid or noteworthy.
- Contender /kənˈtɛndər/ (noun): A person or group competing for a position title or honor.
- Original /əˈrɪdʒ.ɪ.nəl/ (adjective): Not derived from something else; fresh and unique.
- Impact /ˈɪm.pækt/ (noun): The strong effect or influence that something has on a situation or person.
- Unlikely /ʌnˈlaɪkli/ (adjective): Not likely to happen; improbable.
How much do you know?
