Oscar Predictions


The 98th Academy Awards will—finally—take place on Sunday, March 15. That will put an end, officially, to the 2025 Movie Year. It’s a fascinating slate of films. Below are my fearless predictions for Sunday’s ceremony. I also wanted to add a twist of what would win if I alone, based on personal taste and preference, were voting. So, the “Will Win” is my official selection. Whereas “Matt’s Winner” is me voting with my heart. Enjoy the picks below and we’ll see what happens on Sunday night!

Best Picture

Bugonia

Frankenstein

F1

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another 

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners 

Train Dreams


Will Win: Sinners. I think the tide has turned.

Matt’s Winner: Sentimental Value. I’ve thought about it a lot. I just loved this film.


Best Actor

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon

Michael B Jordan – Sinners 

Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Michael B. Jordan. He’s been my favorite for months, now he seems to be surging!


Best Actress

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue

Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value

Emma Stone – Bugonia


Will Win: Jessie Buckley. She’s a steamroller.

Matt’s Winner: Renate Reinsve. She has been my favorite all season.


Best Supporting Actress

Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan – Weapons 

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners

Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another


Will Win: Wunmi Mosaku. I feel Sinners is surging.

Matt’s Winner: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Again, I just loved the film.


Best Supporting Actor

Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein

Delroy Lindo – Sinners

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another

Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sean Penn. He’s been a force this season, and in the film.


Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another 

Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value

Chloé Zhao – Hamnet


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson. This film was an achievement.


Best Adapted Screenplay

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

Train Dreams


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: One Battle After Another. It’s a tough category, but this stood out.


Best Original Screenplay

Blue Moon

It Was Just an Accident

Marty Supreme

Sentimental Value

Sinners 


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sinners. What Coogler did is amazing.


Best Original Song

Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless

Golden – KPop Demon Hunters 

I Lied to You – Sinners

Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi!

Train Dreams – Train Dreams


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Golden. This song is kind of a banger.


Best Original Score

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

Sinners 


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sinners. This had a great score.


Best international feature

It Was Just an Accident

Sentimental Value 

Sirât

The Secret Agent

The Voice of Hind Rajab


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sentimental Value. I think I’ve made clear this is my movie.


Best Animated Feature

Arco

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters 

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2


Will Win: KPop Demon Hunters. It’s been a phenomenon.

Matt’s Winner: Elio. I might be the only one, but I loved Elio.


Best Documentary Feature

Come See Me in the Good Light

Cutting Through the Rocks

Mr. Nobody Against Putin

The Alabama Solution

The Perfect Neighbor 


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: The Perfect Neighbor. It was the best documentary I saw in 2025.


Best Costume Design

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Frankenstein 

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

Sinners


Will Win: Frankenstein. I think it picks up craft awards.

Matt’s Winner: Sinners. I liked the period look.


Best Make-up and Hairstyling

Frankenstein 

Kokuho

Sinners

The Smashing Machine

The Ugly Stepsister


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Frankenstein. It is a worthy winner here.


Best Production Design

Frankenstein 

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners


Will Win: Frankenstein. Probably the last win for the monster movie.

Matt’s Winner: Sinners. Again, I loved the period look.


Best Sound

Frankenstein

F1

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Sirât


Will Win: F1. Probably it’s one win.

Matt’s Winner: Sinners. The sound design is great.


Best Film Editing

F1

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sinners. I think Sinners wins a lot.


Best Cinematography

Frankenstein

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

Train Dreams


Will Win: One Battle After Another. This could be Sinners, I’m torn.

Matt’s Winner: Train Dreams. The best shot film of the last year.


Best Visual Effects

Avatar: Fire and Ash 

F1

Jurassic World Rebirth

Sinners

The Lost Bus


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash. This is probably the Avatar category.


Best Live-action Short

A Friend of Dorothy

Butcher’s Stain

Jane Austen’s Period Drama

The Singers

Two People Exchanging Saliva


Will Win: The Singers. I just have a feeling.

Matt’s Winner: Jan Austen’s Period Drama. This was amazing.


Best Animated Short

Butterfly

Forevergreen

Retirement Plan

The Girl Who Cried Pearls 

The Three Sisters


Will Win: Butterfly

Matt’s Winner: Forevergreen. This was beautiful


Best Documentary Short

All the Empty Rooms 

Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud

Children No More: Were and Are Gone

The Devil Is Busy

Perfectly a Strangeness


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: All the Empty Rooms. Devastating film.


Best Casting

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sinners

The Secret Agent


Will Win/Matt’s Winner: Sinners. This has an amazing cast.


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