The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its shortlists for the 98th Oscars, putting several high-profile films in the spotlight for the upcoming awards.
Shortlist Highlights for Song, Casting, and International Film
The Academy released shortlists for 12 categories, including best song, score, international feature, documentary, cinematography and the new casting award. Two films dominated the lists: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and the musical adaptation Wicked: For Good. Each earned eight mentions across categories such as makeup and hair, sound, visual effects, score, casting and cinematography.
Both movies also advanced two original songs. For Wicked: For Good, Stephen Schwartz’s “The Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home” were selected. Sinners featured Ludwig Göransson, Miles Caton and Alice Smith’s “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” and Göransson and Raphael Saadiq’s “I Lied to You.”
The Netflix series KPop Demon Hunters secured a spot in the song shortlist with “Golden,” performed by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick. Other notable entries include:
- Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner for “Train Dreams”
- John Mayer, Ed Sheeran and Blake Slatkin for the “F1” anthem “Drive”
- Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile and Andrea Gibson for “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me In the Good Light
- Miley Cyrus, Simon Franglen, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for “Dream as One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash
Diane Warren may earn a 17th nomination with “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless.
International Feature Shortlist
Fifteen films were named in the international feature category, showcasing a global range of storytelling:
- Sentimental Value (Norway)
- Sirât (Spain)
- No Other Choice (South Korea)
- The Secret Agent (Brazil)
- It Was Just an Accident (France)
- The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
- Sound of Falling (Germany)
- The President’s Cake (Iraq)
Documentary Shortlist
The documentary lists highlighted the following titles:
- My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
- The Perfect Neighbor
- The Alabama Solution
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cover-Up
- 2000 Meters to Andriivka, a co-production between The Associated Press and PBS Frontline
Casting Shortlist
The new casting award saw ten films shortlisted for the five nomination slots:
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Sirāt
- Weapons
- Wicked: For Good
Jay Kelly and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery were not included.
Score Shortlist
Five composers were highlighted for their work on feature scores:
- Ludwig Göransson for Sinners
- Jonny Greenwood for One Battle After Another
- Max Richter for Hamnet
- Alexandre Desplat for Frankenstein
- Kangding Ray for Sirāt
Other Craft Shortlists
The Academy also released lists for categories that celebrate behind-the-scenes craftsmanship:
- Hair and makeup: The Alto Knights earned a mention.
- Visual effects: Tron: Ares and The Electric State were shortlisted.
- Tron: Ares also appeared in the score and song categories with Nine Inch Nails’ “As Alive As You Need Me To Be.”
Process and Upcoming Dates
Shortlists are typically decided by members within each branch, with some categories using committees or minimum viewing requirements. The lists will be narrowed to five nominees when the final nominations are announced on Jan. 22. The 98th Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air live on ABC on March 15 at 7 p.m. ET.
Key Takeaways
- Sinners and Wicked: For Good lead the song and casting shortlists with eight category mentions each.
- The international feature shortlist spans eight countries, highlighting the Academy’s global reach.
- The new casting award introduces a fresh craft category, featuring ten films vying for five spots.
The Academy’s release of these shortlists signals a diverse slate of contenders across the spectrum of filmmaking, setting the stage for a compelling awards season.
