Oscars odds: From Nosferatu to Wicked, who will reign supreme?

Imago

The 97th annual Academy Awards are on the horizon, and with the nominations in ahead of the ceremony on 2 March, or 3 March for those in the UK, let’s take a look at the favourites to take home an Oscar.

Best picture

The Brutalist is the runaway favourite to win best picture, at 8/11 with Betway, with Brady Corbet’s epic period drama film already picking up three Golden Globes, including one for best drama picture. 

Emilia Perez (7/2) is in at second place, and will not be helped by the controversy that surrounds its lead actress Karla Sofia Gascon, after old offensive tweets resurfaced, which she has since apologised for and deactivated her X account.

Want to play casino games or bet on sports? Check out the best UK online casinos and best UK bookmakers today!

Romantic comedy Anora (5/1) and thriller Conclave (6/1) are outside contenders to cause an upset, although director of the latter Edward Berger missing out on the best director will dent its chances.

A Complete Unknown (14/1) is being tipped as a genuine outsider after a strong performance on nominations morning, while the sheer popularity of Wicked (25/1) will always provide a shot of winning.

Best actor

Understandably, it is The Brutalist’s lead who holds the favourite tag for best actor, with Adrien Brody coming in at 8/13 after his performance as visionary architect Lazlo Toth.

Timothee Chalamet has had a busy year, with a big role in Dune: Part 2, but it’s his portrayal of Bob Dylan in a Complete Unknown (6/4) that could see the popular actor pick up his first Academy Award.

Ralph Fiennes (7/1) sits in the middle of the pack for his performance as Cardinal Lawrence, with the experienced actor also hoping for his first Oscar, to go alongside a Tony and British Film Academy awards.

Colman Domingo (20/1) and Sebastian Stan (20/1) both find themselves as outsiders for their roles in Sing Sing and The Apprentice, where they both portrayed true stories on different sides of fortune.

Best actress

Demi Moore leads the charge for best actress at 4/7, for her performance in The Substance, a body-horror film that has been described as potentially the American’s best to date.

Mikey Maddison (9/4) and Fernanda Torres (6/1)  are close contenders for their roles in Anora and I’m Still Here, which have both received plenty of praise for the performances of the lead actress’. 

Karla Sofia Gascon (10/1)  was a historical nomination, as she became the first out transgender woman to be nominated, but the aforementioned controversy surrounding her old social media posts may see her out of the running.

Cynthia Erivo is a long-shot at 33/1, but the fan fare for Wicked may see her emerge victorious at the Academy Awards.

Best director

It is no surprise considering the favourites for both best picture and best actor, that Brady Corbet is the bookies' choice to win best director, at 1/6.

Sean Baker (5/1) is next for Anora, for his movie that tells the story of a young sex worker falling in love with the son of a Russian oligarch, and everything that follows from that.

Jacques Audard (8/1) is nominated for Emilia Perez, which despite the controversy that surrounds it, has performed well in terms of opportunity to win.

Coralie Fargeat (20/1) and James Mangold (20/1) are definitely rank outsiders to pick up the win, although with both The Substance and a Complete Unknown up there for other awards, it could be a surprise winner.

Best supporting actor

The runaway favourite for best supporting actor comes from a film yet to be mentioned, as Kieran Culkin’s performance in a Real Pain sees him at 1/10.

It will not surprise anyone that a Brutalist is in the picture for another award, with Guy Pearce at 8/1, while Edward Norton is at 9/1 for his role in A Complete Unknown.

Yura Borisov (10/1) is in the mix for his performance as the aforementioned son of a Russian oligarch in the popular rom-com Anora, while Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Roy Cohn sees him as the outsider at 20/1.

Best supporting actress

Zoe Saldana (1/7) is by far and away the top contender for her performance in Emilia Perez, as she has managed to escape much of the surrounding issues with the film.

Ariana Grande (11/2) is without a doubt the biggest name on the list, with her and Erivo’s chemistry pushing the film into a popularity unmatched by other pictures in Wicked.

The Brutalist once again finds itself nominated, via Felicity Jones (12/1) with her role in the movie that has clearly left the biggest impression amongst the board.

Isabella Rossellini (14/1) and Monica Barbaro (20/1) are unlikely to leave with an Academy Award on this one, but strong performances in Conclave and A Complete Unknown respectively see them nominated.

Best animated feature

The Wild Robot, which stars the likes of Kit Connor and Pedro Pascal, has emerged as the favourite for 'best animated feature', at 8/13.

Flow is a close contender at 11/10, with the Latvian film based around a Cat that loses it’s home in a flood, and takes refuge in a boat surrounded by various species.

Inside Out 2 (20/1), and Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl (20/1), are both popular film series, that need no introduction, so it is no surprise to see them on the board.

At 33/1, Memoir of a Snail is not expected to win, with the drama/tragicomedy, produced and directed by Adam Elliot taking up the final spot on the list.

Best cinematography

With it’s nomination for almost every award that we have covered, The Brutalist once again leads the way, this time for best cinematography at 2/5.

Dune: Part 2 (5/2) sees itself back in the mix for it’s futuristic designs, and effortless use of VFX and CHI.

Nosferatu (6/1) use of shadows and unnerving images gave the audience plenty to look at and to be nervous about as well.

Emilia Perez (20/1) and Maria (25/1) are lower down on the list, with the former’s visual storytelling and the latter’s image based cinematography allowing them to be nominated.

Best costume design

Wicked is the front-runner for 1/6, with it’s incredible outfits for both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande making the film stand out.

Conclave (5/1) and Nosferatu (10/1) as the former’s richly decorated and multi-layered designs making it the second favourite, and the haunting realism of the latter making it an outside contender.

A Complete Unknown (20/1) portrays the story of Bob Dylan, realistically showcasing the outfits of Bob Dylan, while Gladiator 2 (33/1) came with plenty of expected gladiatorial designs based around the Roman era.

Best hair and make-up

Body-horror The Substance tops the odds for best hair and make up at 4/11, with the movie centering around visuals, making the success of the film an understandable favourite in this category.

Following on from their costume design nomination, Wicked (5/2) is certainly an expected contender to take home an Oscar here, although it is under tougher competition here.

Nosferatu (8/1) takes a different approach, with the gothic tone and unnerving looks certainly giving the viewer something to remember.

A Different Man (16/1) and Emilia Perez (20/1), with the former getting its first mention here and the latter finding itself listed for another award.

Odds are from Betway, and are correct at the time of writing.