The trailer for Ridley Scott's House of Gucci made a splash on the internet. The Lady Gaga vehicle, which tells the infamous story of Maurizio Gucci's murder ordered by his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani, is shaping up to be a major contender during the 2022 awards season. After losing her bid in 2019, a Best Actress Oscar could be in the cards for Gaga.
The road will not be easy, though. Even under the current circumstances, plenty of worthy films hope to become Oscar darlings. With the fall festivals announcing their line-ups, the 2022 awards season is beginning to take shape, and several films are already emerging as the frontrunners in the race.
House Of Gucci
Ridley Scott has not one but two potential players for the 2022 Oscar season. However, House of Gucci looks more promising than The Last Duel, if only for the talent involved. After Gaga's successful transition from pop legend to film star, the singer is back with a fury and could win her first Oscar for Best Actress.
The overall cast is also award season fodder, particularly Jared Leto buried under piles of prosthetic make-up. Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino, and Salma Hayek could also crash the ing categories if the movie overperforms. Lastly, the film will likely excel in below-the-line categories like Costumes, Production Design, and the previously mentioned Make-Up.
The Humans
The Humans feels like this year's The Father. The movie, also based on a play and directed and adapted by the original playwright, tells the story of a Thanksgiving family gathering that becomes volatile.
The movie has a splendid cast, including last year's Best Actor nominee Steven Yeun alongside ing nominees Richard Jenkins and June Squibb. Beanie Feldstein and Amy Schummer round up the troupe. The Humans has SAG Ensemble written all over it, which might improve its Best Picture chances. Richard Jenkins is also getting plenty of buzz for his performance and might well be the current frontrunner to win ing Actor.
Mass
Ever since premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, Mass has been one of the movies to watch for the 2022 awards season. The film follows the meeting between the parents of both the perpetrator and the victim after a tragic shooting.
Mass seems poised for Oscar glory, catapulted by the towering performances of its formidable cast. The decision to submit all four actors in ing proved controversial because voters might not want to include two nominees from the same movie in a single category. For now, Jason Isaacs and Ann Dowd are the film's surest bets for Oscar glory.
West Side Story
On paper, a West Side Story remake helmed by Steven Spielberg seemed Oscar-bound. However, delays provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic and male lead currently swarmed by controversy seem to have tarnished the movie's prestige.
Still, Spielberg's West Side Story will sneak into the below-the-line categories. How could it not? Costumes, Production Design, Sound, and perhaps even Editing and Cinematography seem to be likely possibilities. History could also repeat itself with a ing Actress nomination for Ariana DeBose, playing the same role that earned Rita Moreno the Oscar fifty years ago. As for Spielberg? He could make it to Best Director, but the field might prove too crowded.
Tick, Tick... Boom!
Lin Manuel Miranda tries his hand at directing with this Netflix adaptation of Jonathan Larson's semi-autobiographical musical of the same name. The movie follows an aspiring theatre composer who faces a midlife crisis on the cusp of his thirtieth birthday.
Starring Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield, tick, tick... BOOM!'s trailer provoked strong reactions on social media. The movie has since gathered increasing buzz, and the recent announcement that it will premiere during the 2021 AFI Fest cemented its place as an Academy contender. If all goes well, Miranda and Garfield might find themselves at the Kodak on Oscar night.
The Tragedy Of Macbeth
Four-time Oscar-winner Joel Coen teams up with three-time Oscar winner s McDormand and two-time Oscar-winner Denzel Washington for The Tragedy of Macbeth. The movie is a black-and-white adaptation of Shakespeare's seminal play, with Washington playing the titular role and McDormand as his wife, the infamous Lady Macbeth.
Chances are, this movie will dominate the ceremony. Aside from the expected Picture and Director nominations, both Washington and McDormand will probably receive mentions. The question is, will McDormand go Lead or ing, considering Lady Macbeth's role can go either way? The movie's cinematography, production design, score, and maybe even editing might also receive mentions.
Don't Look Up
If history has proven anything, it's that it's never safe to bet against Adam McKay. After Vice, McKay has a reputation as an Academy favorite, and his movie Don't Look Up will probably cement it. For starters, the casting is superb. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence lead an ensemble that includes Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Thimothée Chalamet, Matthew Perry, Chris Evans, Ariana Grande, and Meryl Streep herself.
McKay's screenplay might be a safer bet than his directing, but there's a strong possibility that he'll get in on both. As for the actors, DiCaprio is a favorite, and Meryl Streep could go for nomination number 22. Lawrence and Hill's categories are a tad more crowded, but nothing is impossible.
Dune
Is there a more hotly anticipated movie than Dune? After the underwhelming performance of Dune has fans both anxious and excited, but the cast and director are worth the price of ission.
There's no doubt that Dune will be a prominent contender at the Oscars; the only question is, how far will it go. Its presence in the below-the-line categories is a sure bet, but how about the ceremony's centerpieces? It will probably get a Best Picture nod, but can Villeneuve get into Best Director? Can the ambitious filmmaker finally win after years of consistent and critically acclaimed work? Right now, the answer would be a firm maybe.
Nightmare Alley
It's still uncertain if Nightmare Alley will indeed premiere this year. Its current release date is December 3rd, but the fact that it skipped most fall festivals is telling. If it does come out this year, it will be a contender in multiple categories for sure. Acclaimed director and monster lover Guillermo Del Toro could receive his second Best Director nomination, even though a win seems uncertain. Perennial Oscar bridesmaid Bradley Cooper has two horses in the race, but Soggy Bottom seems like a ing performance, and Nightmare Alley is definitely lead.
As for Cate Blanchett, her character's role was also ing in the original 1947 film, but the studio might campaign her in Lead to avoid competition with the movie's other ing players, Rooney Mara and Toni Collette. In the below-the-lines, Nightmare Alley will be Oscar fodder, and it might end up being the most nominated movie of the ceremony.
The Power Of The Dog
If any project has what it takes to become this year's Nomadland, it's The Power of the Dog. Directed by Oscar nominee Jane Campion, this Netflix film, based on the novel of the same name, tells the story of a sadistic ranch owner who launches a campaign against a young widow who recently married his brother.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, and Jesse Plemmons, The Power of the Dog has everything it takes to go all the way. The film will premiere at the 78th Venice Film Festival and serve as the centerpiece screening for the 2021 New York Film Festival. Cumberbatch, Dunst, and Plemmons will surely be prominent players in the Actor, ing Actress, and ing Actor categories. And Jane Campion could follow Chloe Zhao's historic win last year and become the third woman to win Best Director.
