2025 has already been an amazing year for film. From instant classics like Sinners to adrenaline-fueled racing movies like F1: The Movie, there have been many films that have performed well with both critics and audiences. With half of the year still remaining, there are tons of upcoming movies that are bound to be received well by viewers, which could eventually lead to Oscar nominations. Most films nominated for Best Picture premiere during a fall film festival or in the winter months. This strategy is done by film studios because the movies are likely fresh in Academy members’ minds compared to movies released in the earlier months of the year.
With major releases like Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked: For Good still to release, there looks to be a lot of heavy competition when it comes to this year’s Oscars. While the films here have not been released yet, they are bound to make some sort of impression on Academy voters.
Here are 10 potential Oscar contenders from the second half of 2025.
10
‘Marty Supreme’
Variety
Although the Safdie brothers’ films have yet to receive any Oscar nominations despite great reviews, Marty Supreme looks to be the film that changes that. With Josh Safdie going solo in this directing outing, the film has all the ingredients for a major Oscar contender: a Christmas release date, a multiple-time Oscar-nominated actor, and led by a highly respected filmmaker in the industry.
A24 clearly has a lot of confidence in the movie, it being one of the studio’s highest-budget movies and slating its release date over a year in advance. A film about a ping-pong player may not scream Oscars, but the team behind it is destined to make something entertaining and worthwhile for its audience.
Timothée Chalamet Is Arguably This Generation’s Biggest Movie Star
Timothée Chalamet is arguably the biggest movie star in the world right now. With his movies like Wonka doing incredible numbers at the box office as well as his last two movies receiving a Best Picture nomination, there aren’t many actors right now that are more celebrated than him. Awarding him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is more proof of his movie star status. Being the youngest Best Actor winner at the SAG awards, he is bound to receive his first Oscar win soon, and Marty Supreme could be the movie that does it for him.
9
‘After the Hunt’
Deadline
Luca Guadagnino’s last two efforts, Challengers and Queer, failed to receive any Oscar nominations, but his upcoming effort looks to be more obtainable to Academy voters. Taking a more straightforward approach to a drama, After the Hunt has an incredible filmmaking and acting ensemble that will be hard to ignore. Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edibiri all look to be eyeing acting nominations in the lead and supporting categories. With the film being one of Amazon MGM’s only contenders, it is difficult to see the Academy ignoring it.
Guadagnino Is Overdue for a Directing Nomination
In the past decade, Luca Guadagnino has made countless films that have had a major cultural impact. From cannibal romances like Bones and All to coming-of-age films like Call Me By Your Name, Guadagnino has built an incredible resume of films that generations of film fans will adore. Because of this, he is more than deserving of receiving an Oscar nomination for directing. After missing a nomination for Call Me By Your Name, Academy voters will likely want to reward him one for After the Hunt as long as it is the contender it appears to be.
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8
‘Bugonia’
Focus Features
Kinds of Kindness failed to make an impression on Oscar voters, but Bugonia looks to be Yorgos Lanthimos’ return to the Oscars. Like most of his films, it will probably be a little strange, but the central concept looks digestible enough for the average viewer that it likely won’t have much of an issue with the Academy. With a fall release date and Focus Features having a strong track record of receiving Oscar nominations, Bugonia is too big of a film to ignore by the end of the year.
Emma Stone Ditches Hollywood Films For Career-Best Work
Release Date
October 24, 2025
Writers
Will Tracy
Emma Stone became famous for films like Easy A and The Amazing Spider-Man films, but her recent set of movies is where her performances truly shined. Winning her second Oscar for Poor Things and appearing in Ari Aster’s upcoming western comedy Eddington, Stone is showing her range as an actress. Her Hollywood films may have more of an impact on the average moviegoer, but her recent run of indie films is where her acting is at its peak.
7
‘Wicked: For Good’
Universal Pictures
The first Wicked took the world by storm, being one of the highest-grossing films of 2024 as well as earning 10 Oscar nominations. While sequels rarely perform on par with their predecessors when it comes to Oscar nominations, Wicked: For Good is going to be impossible to ignore. Filming back-to-back with the first film, there will likely be very little difference in its production elements, which won awards in Production and Costume Design. With normal audiences still high on the first film, it is hard to see Wicked: For Good performing much worse than its predecessor.
Can Ariana and Cynthia Win Oscars for ‘Wicked: For Good’?
Release Date
November 21, 2025
Writers
Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
Producers
Marc Platt
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo earned the acclaim of their careers for their performances as Galinda and Elphaba. While they did not win any Oscars for their work, one wonders if they can score a win for their roles in the second part. Very rarely do actors win an Oscar for reprising a role, with one of the only examples being Paul Newman in The Color of Money. That being said, the Academy may be more apt to award one of them for missing out on wins for the first film, but that can only happen if the film is as big of a contender as the first one.
6
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
James Cameron returns once again to the Avatar universe with Avatar: Fire and Ash, but this time with a much smaller gap between films. With Avatar: The Way of Water becoming the number three highest-grossing movie of all time, there’s no denying that the upcoming sequel will make loads of money. The real question is if it can score another best picture nomination. A trilogy of films receiving a Best Picture nomination is unheard of, with The Lord of the Rings films being the last series to do so. Even if the film doesn’t receive a Best Picture nomination, it is all but guaranteed to receive a win in Best Visual Effects.
WIll ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Gross $2 billion?
There’s no question that Avatar: Fire and Ash will make over $1 billion, but the real question is if it can make $2 billion like the last two films. Avatar: The Way of Water had an advantage due to building hype for 13 years, but with Fire and Ash coming out just three years after the last film, one can wonder if the hype level is still the same. It is almost guaranteed that the film will deliver on the visual spectacle like its predecessors, but being the third film in a franchise to reach $2 billion would be unheard of, and likely would never happen again.
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5
‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’
20th Century Studios
The widespread love of A Complete Unknown at the Oscars proves that they aren’t tired of recognizing the music biopic. With the Michael Jackson film being delayed due to reshoots and reedits, it paves the way for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere to do extremely well. Coming from a director whose films have won Oscars in the past, the film looks to be another dissection of a beloved music figure played by one of the most popular television actors, Jeremy Allen White. With other prospects like Stephen Graham and Jeremy Strong in the supporting actor categories, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere would have to be a complete failure to not be recognized by the end of the year.
Television Actors Transition Into Film Seamlessly
Whenever an acclaimed television actor attempts to go into the film world, it almost always leads to success. Just last year, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin received their first Oscar nominations right after Succession ended, with the latter winning the award. Rami Malek also won an Oscar after receiving acclaim for his work in Mr. Robot. It’s safe to say Jeremy Allen White will do the same, as his multiple Emmy wins for his work in The Bear will be on people’s minds as he portrays Bruce Springsteen, one of the biggest rock singers of his generation. If there is one performance that is the most likely to receive an Oscar nomination this year, it’s Jeremy Allen White for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
4
‘Sentimental Value’
Neon
After winning the Grand Prix prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Sentimental Value looks to be the big international hit of 2025. After receiving a surprise Best Original Screenplay nomination for The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier has built an incredible name for himself. With multiple acting prospects for the film, including Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, and Elle Fanning in the lead and supporting categories, as well as the filmmaker’s recent track record at the Oscars, this family drama will likely have a major impact on awards voters.
Cannes Premieres Always Receive Oscar Nominations
Release Date
August 20, 2025
Runtime
132 Minutes
Director
Joachim Trier
Writers
Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Producers
Nathanaël Karmitz, Maria Ekerhovd, Elisha Karmitz, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar
-
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
Agnes
Throughout the past couple of years, films that premiered at Cannes have almost always wound up being nominated for or winning Oscars. Last year’s Best Director line-up had three Cannes premieres, with Sean Baker winning the award as well as Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress. When it comes to the Best Picture line-up, it is best to pick at least one film from Cannes to be included, and Sentimental Value looks to be the most likely film of the Cannes premieres due to its stellar critical acclaim and the filmmaker’s past films being recognized by the Academy.
3
‘Jay Kelly’
Netflix
Noah Baumbach’s last film, White Noise, was nowhere close to receiving any Oscar nominations, but his upcoming film Jay Kelly looks to be a return to form for the acclaimed director. Harkening back to his past family dramas like Marriage Story and The Squid in the Whale, his 2025 film is looking to be a heartfelt and emotional film that will work wonders for a general audience. With George Clooney, Adam Sandler and Laura Dern looking like potential Oscar candidates as well as being one of Netflix’s biggest contenders, a lot would have to go wrong for Jay Kelly to miss Academy Awards nominations.
Will Adam Sandler Finally Be Awarded by the Academy?
Release Date
November 14, 2025
Director
Noah Baumbach
Writers
Emily Mortimer, Noah Baumbach
Producers
David Heyman, Noah Baumbach, Amy Pascal
Adam Sandler was brutally snubbed for his tour-de-force performance in Uncut Gems. As well as delivering excellent performances in films like Punch Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories, it is a shame that he has yet to receive any nominations from the Academy. Jay Kelly has the potential to change that, as early word from test screenings is that Sandler is the clear standout of the film and deserving of a nomination, if not a win. If Sandler ends up receiving a nomination by the end of the year, millions of people will rejoice.
2
‘One Battle After Another’
Warner Bros. Pictures
A Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio collaboration is a match made in heaven for the Academy. With Paul Thomas Anderson having 11 Oscar nominations and DiCaprio’s last five films being nominated for Best Picture, it is hard to see One Battle After Another being a failure. Although thrillers have had a hard time breaking into the Best Picture race in the past, the strong filmmaking team will likely allow Oscar voters to overlook the genre barriers. Having a $130 million budget, this looks to be one of Anderson’s most ambitious projects to date, and it is hard to see the Academy ignoring it.
No One Is More Overdue Than Paul Thomas Anderson for an Oscar Win
Paul Thomas Anderson has made multiple classic films, but he has yet to receive an Oscar win for any of them. Having multiple nominations in the writing, directing, and producing categories, it is shocking that he hasn’t won a major award for them. One Battle After Another looks to be a film that could change that, as the film is his biggest scale yet with a plot that is bound to keep viewers interested. Even if the film does not receive as great of reviews as films like There Will Be Blood and Licorice Pizza, the Academy still may want to give him an award solely on a career narrative.
1
‘Frankenstein’
Netflix
Guillermo del Toro has had an amazing track record with the Academy. Winning Best Picture and Best Director for The Shape of Water and a recent win in the Best Animated Feature category, the Oscars are bound to recognize his work in one or more categories. His adaptation of Frankenstein is highly anticipated, with its first trailer leaving a massive impact on viewers. Although previous monster movies like 2024’s Nosferatu and Bram Stoker’s Dracula failed to break into the above-the-line categories, del Toro’s name could be enough to push the film into the Best Picture lineup.
Netflix Should Release Their Movies in Theaters
The trailer for del Toro’s Frankenstein showcased its heavy ambition and large scope. Sadly, the film will likely never see a theatrical run as Netflix is keen on content being exclusive to the streaming platform. Movie theaters are one of the main reasons why the film industry is still alive today, and to see a production company so against what makes films so special is extremely sad. Not only would playing Netflix films in theaters benefit the movie industry, but it would boost the popularity of their content and likely make others want to watch their films. With streaming platforms taking a dive with Disney+ slowing down on MCU shows and the Warner Bros. split, let’s hope that Netflix changes their mind on their exclusivity.
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