Oscar voters lined up behind a classic studio blockbuster on Tuesday, giving 13 nominations to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ the most of any movie, and setting up the long-awaited coronation of Nolan as Hollywood’s leading filmmaker. It was a shift from recent years, when the academy fixated on unconventional art films unseen by most Americans.
Christopher Nolan’s latest hit ‘Oppenheimer’ has grabbed 13 nominations for Oscar 2024. This has marked the ever-deserving coronation of Nolan as Hollywood’ leading filmmaker. ‘Oppenheimer’ is a epic biographical thriller film which was released on November 22, 2023.
Christopher Nolan has never won the best picture and despite five nominations, the director has never won an Oscar. On Tuesday, Nolan earned his second directing nomination, the initial one being in 2018 for the intricate film “Dunkirk.” Additionally, he secured a nomination for his screenplay ‘Oppenheimer.’
The anticipation for recognition of “Oppenheimer” from Universal Pictures was met as expected. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brought surprises to other major categories.
Despite expectations, “Barbie” faced disappointments with no directing nomination for Greta Gerwig and no best actress nomination for Margot Robbie. On a positive note, “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) unexpectedly secured a spot in the supporting actress category, with America Ferrera earning her first nomination for her role as a stressed mother. The film received eight nominations overall, including best picture and the adapted screenplay by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.
Colman Domingo’s lead performance in “Rustin” was acknowledged, portraying a brilliant yet flawed political organizer, while seven-time nominee and one-time winner Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) was excluded from the best actor race. In the supporting actor category, Sterling K. Brown received his first nomination for his role as a disruptive cosmetic surgeon in “American Fiction,” while Willem Dafoe (“Poor Things”) missed out on a nomination.
Here are the key points to note:
After a challenging year for the movie industry due to strikes by writers and actors, ballots were cast from over 90 countries, and the Oscars will be broadcast on ABC. Last year’s Oscars saw improved viewership, reaching about 19 million, compared to the significantly lower 10.4 million for the pandemic-altered edition in 2021. The anticipation is that the success of “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” at the box office will contribute to higher viewership for this year’s telecast.