Erik Anderson

FINAL Frontrunner Friday Oscar Predictions of the 2025/2026 Season Let's skip to the good part. Here are my final winner predictions in all 24 categories for the 98th Academy Awards, which will take place on March 15, live at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. Click on category title for further analysis. BEST PICTURE 1. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros)

FINAL Frontrunner Friday Oscar Predictions of the 2025/2026 Season

Let's skip to the good part.

Here are my final winner predictions in all 24 categories for the 98th Academy Awards. Click on category title for further analysis.

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR After a seemingly endless season where we have an abundance of riches in Best Picture, including a top two that have deep benches of passion and respect (and precursors), it's time to make a choice. Sinners began its outsider run even before it premiered. Being jockeyed around by Warner Bros, with dates moving to accommodate other films (including the Bong Joon-ho flop…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR

After a seemingly endless season where we have an abundance of riches in Best Picture, including a top two that have deep benches of passion and respect (and precursors), it's time to make a choice. Sinners began its outsider run even…

‘I Love Boosters’ Review: Boots Riley’s Dressed to Excess Cartoon Revolution is Too Much and Not Enough [B-] SXSW There’s often a romanticization of “breaking the rules” in filmmaking. It’s laudable when filmmakers color outside the lines and refuse to conform to typical standards you come to expect of filmmaking, whether in writing, design, or overall form. Boots Riley is a writer and director who seems never to have been made aware that a rulebook ever existed, directing his films with an unbridled, unregulated mentality, in which every stray idea, no matter how outlandish or detached from the core narrative, makes it to the screen.

‘I Love Boosters’ Review: Boots Riley’s Dressed to Excess Cartoon Revolution is Too Much and Not Enough [B-] SXSW

There’s often a romanticization of “breaking the rules” in filmmaking. It’s laudable when filmmakers color outside the lines and refuse to conform to typical standards you come to…

‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ Season One Review: Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer Momedy Hits the Mark [B+] What would you do for money? It’s an age old question passed down generations for people of all ages to ponder in different stages of life. The answer to the question entirely depends on one’s desperation for liquidity, which itself depends on one’s socioeconomic status. The necessity of capital in contemporary society can only be matched by the necessity of feeling understood.

‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ Season One Review: Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer Momedy Hits the Mark [B+]

What would you do for money? It’s an age old question passed down generations for people of all ages to ponder in different stages of life. The answer to the question entirely depends on…

2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Winners – Part Two Welcome to Part Two of my final predictions for the 98th Academy Awards. If you missed it, please check out Part One here. In the first release, I covered the races that appear pretty stable. The second edition is where the ground gets a whole lot more chaotic. These are the categories where the precursors start arguing with each other, where statistics point in different directions, and where the phrase “locked” has a habit of aging poorly.

2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Winners – Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of my final predictions for the 98th Academy Awards. If you missed it, please check out Part One here. In the first release, I covered the races that appear pretty stable. The second edition is where…

Satellite Awards Winners: ‘Hamnet, ‘Marty Supreme,’ ‘The White Lotus,’ Andor’ and More The 29th Satellite Awards winners have been announced by the International Press Academy (IPA) where the top film winners were Hamnet (Best Picture - Drama, Best Director and Best Actress Drama - Jessie Buckley), Marty Supreme (Best Picture - Comedy or Musical), Best Actor Comedy or Musical (Timothée Chalamet), The Secret Agent (Best International Film, Best Actor Drama - Wagner Moura) with…

Satellite Awards Winners: ‘Hamnet, ‘Marty Supreme,’ ‘The White Lotus,’ Andor’ and More

The 29th Satellite Awards winners have been announced by the International Press Academy (IPA) where the top film winners were Hamnet (Best Picture - Drama, Best Director and Best Actress Drama - Jessie…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST ACTOR What a roller coaster this category has been, right? Timothée Chalamet, who had long been the 'on paper' frontrunner for Best Actor for months, stormed out of the gate at with both Critics Choice and the Golden Globes in early January with wins for the table tennis pseudo biopic Marty Supreme. Everything was coming up Timmy. But in the weird world of Oscar campaigning, things can change on a dime, or in the case of this extra long season, unfold like a slow motion car accident.

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST ACTOR

What a roller coaster this category has been, right? Timothée Chalamet, who had long been the 'on paper' frontrunner for Best Actor for months, stormed out of the gate at with both Critics Choice and the Golden Globes in early January with wins for the…

17th TCM Classic Film Festival to Open with ‘Barefoot in the Park,’ Tributes for Barbara Hershey, Paul Williams Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has announced programming highlights for the 17th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival, taking place April 30 through May 3, 2026 in the heart of Hollywood. This year’s theme, “The World Comes to Hollywood,” celebrates the fusion of global artistry and entrepreneurial vision that established the West Coast as the filmmaking capital of the world. The festival opens Thursday, April 30, with a special Opening Night Gala presentation of 

17th TCM Classic Film Festival to Open with ‘Barefoot in the Park,’ Tributes for Barbara Hershey, Paul Williams

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has announced programming highlights for the 17th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival, taking place April 30 through May 3, 2026 in the heart of Hollywood. This…

‘Scarpetta’ Season 1 Review: Nicole Kidman and the Case of the Explosion at the Wig Factory [C] Nicole Kidman is allergic to unemployment. It simply does not cross her mind to stay home when there are so many television projects deemed worth her time. In the past few years alone, Kidman can be found in Paramount+’s Lioness, Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, and Prime Video’s Expats. She’s also had movies, like…

‘Scarpetta’ Season 1 Review: Nicole Kidman and the Case of the Explosion at the Wig Factory [C]

Nicole Kidman is allergic to unemployment. It simply does not cross her mind to stay home when there are so many television projects deemed worth her time. In the past few years alone, Kidman can be…

AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 336 – Final Oscar Predictions for the 98th Academy Awards On episode 336 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributor Mark Johnson to give out their final Oscar winner predictions for the 98th Academy Awards. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 336 – Final Oscar Predictions for the 98th Academy Awards

On episode 336 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributor Mark Johnson to give out…

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Announces 2027 Gala Awards Date The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) announced today that it will hold its annual Gala Awards dinner on Tuesday, January 5, 2027 at TAO Downtown. David Rooney, chief film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, will serve as the 2026 Chair of the NYFCC and Stephen Garrett will continue as the group’s General Manager. This past year’s awards ceremony, also held at TAO Downtown, was another resounding success.

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Announces 2027 Gala Awards Date

The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) announced today that it will hold its annual Gala Awards dinner on Tuesday, January 5, 2027 at TAO Downtown. David Rooney, chief film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, will serve as the…

‘Project Hail Mary’ Review: Ryan Gosling is Stuck Between a Rocky and a Hard Place in Crowdpleasing Sci-Fi Buddy Movie Adventure [A-] Hollywood hasn't had a creative muse like Andy Weir in quite some time. Though not nearly as prolific, his combination of hard-science technical detailing imprinted onto hooky sci-fi concepts custom-built for big-budget film adaptations recalls the illustrious career of Michael Crichton. Weir has a long road ahead before producing source material that yields an adaptation as iconic as Jurassic Park…

‘Project Hail Mary’ Review: Ryan Gosling is Stuck Between a Rocky and a Hard Place in Crowdpleasing Sci-Fi Buddy Movie Adventure [A-]

Hollywood hasn't had a creative muse like Andy Weir in quite some time. Though not nearly as prolific, his combination of hard-science technical detailing imprinted…

True/False Film Fest Dispatch #3: ‘Barbara Forever,’ ‘Time and Water,’ ‘American Doctor’ The last day and a half of the 2026 True/False Film Fest saw the massive shift in the weather, from major thunderstorms and rain to a chilly cold front that made the coffee at all the local café’s taste even better. With heavy jackets and hoodies on, festival goers filled up the theaters even more, showing there is nothing better for cold weather, and losing an hour of sleep, than being in a movie theater watching the three films below.

True/False Film Fest Dispatch #3: ‘Barbara Forever,’ ‘Time and Water,’ ‘American Doctor’

The last day and a half of the 2026 True/False Film Fest saw the massive shift in the weather, from major thunderstorms and rain to a chilly cold front that made the coffee at all the local café’s taste even…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY and ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Two of the easiest categories to predict on Oscar night are right here, and have been months. Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is the first screenplay to sweep all precursors (Critics Choice, Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA plus USC) since 2010's The Social Network, which won Aaron Sorkin the Oscar. Ryan Coogler brings in BAFTA, Critics Choice and WGA for the original screenplay to…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY and ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Two of the easiest categories to predict on Oscar night are right here, and have been months. Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is the first screenplay to sweep all precursors (Critics Choice, Golden Globe,…

‘All That’s Left of You’ Review: Cherien Dabis’ Drama of Palestinian Origin and Struggle is a Generational Touchstone [A] It’s hard to describe the momentousness of Cherien Dabis’ All That’s Left of You in a way that captures it with the justice it deserves. For the average cinephile, this film may be described as a haunting and poignant intergenerational drama, but to Palestinians like myself, this film is so much more than that. Not only is it a cinematic masterpiece that deserves your attention, it is a groundbreaking moment for Palestinian storytelling that asks viewers to contemplate the ways they’ve been lied to for decades.

‘All That’s Left of You’ Review: Cherien Dabis’ Drama of Palestinian Origin and Struggle is a Generational Touchstone [A]

It’s hard to describe the momentousness of Cherien Dabis’ All That’s Left of You in a way that captures it with the justice it deserves. For the average cinephile, this film…

2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Winners – Part One And so we limp to the finish line of another awards season. Every year I tell myself it won’t feel quite this long. Every year it does. The takes get louder. The battle lines get sillier. The certainty gets more certain. And if this sounds familiar, it’s because I probably said this last year, and the year before that, and the year before that… And I’m sure that next year we’ll be insisting the 99th Academy Awards race is the most chaotic in history.

2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Winners – Part One

And so we limp to the finish line of another awards season. Every year I tell myself it won’t feel quite this long. Every year it does. The takes get louder. The battle lines get sillier. The certainty gets more certain.…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: CINEMATOGRAPHY With American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), BAFTA and British Society of Cinematographers (BSC), Michael Bauman has the goods to win the Oscar for .One Battle After Another. While Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners) made Oscar history as the first woman of color nominated for Best Cinematography, and earned the most overall critics wins for her work (yet, bizarrely, lost Critics Choice), when it came to the industry she needed at least ASC to give her a fighting chance with the Academy.

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: CINEMATOGRAPHY

With American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), BAFTA and British Society of Cinematographers (BSC), Michael Bauman has the goods to win the Oscar for .One Battle After Another. While Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners) made Oscar history as the first…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST SOUND A big weekend for sound awards with Cinema Audio Society (CAS) and Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), which offered us at least one little surprise to keeps things exciting. CAS, which awards sound mixing as a single category, went with F1 as largely expected. It now has Critics Choice, CAS, AMPS (Association of Motion Picture Sound) and BAFTA. The only films with that combo since 2013 have been…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST SOUND

A big weekend for sound awards with Cinema Audio Society (CAS) and Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), which offered us at least one little surprise to keeps things exciting. CAS, which awards sound mixing as a single category, went with F1 as largely…

Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards: ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Sinners’ Take Film Wins, ‘The Pitt’ Sweeps TV Winners of the 76th WGA Awards were announced in New York on Sunday where Oscar frontrunners One Battle After Another and Sinners won the top film prizes. Paul Thomas Anderson collected the adapted screenplay win for One Battle After Another after earning the BAFTA, Critics Choice and USC Scripter for adapted screenplay and the Golden Globe, which combines adapted and original screenplay.

Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards: ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Sinners’ Take Film Wins, ‘The Pitt’ Sweeps TV

Winners of the 76th WGA Awards were announced in New York on Sunday where Oscar frontrunners One Battle After Another and Sinners won the top film prizes. Paul Thomas Anderson…

True/False Film Fest Dispatch #2: ‘Phenomena,’ ‘Who Moves America,’ ‘Landscapes of Memory’ The 2026 True/False Film Fest was in full effect yesterday, with the streets of Columbia, Missouri filled with thousands of film enthusiasts ready to partake in a full weekend of documentaries. Before any functioning human being could sit down for a day jam-packed with screenings (which the festival provides at least an hour and a half buffer between screenings at every venue; take note every other film festival), one might need a cup, or two, or three of coffee.

True/False Film Fest Dispatch #2: ‘Phenomena,’ ‘Who Moves America,’ ‘Landscapes of Memory’

The 2026 True/False Film Fest was in full effect yesterday, with the streets of Columbia, Missouri filled with thousands of film enthusiasts ready to partake in a full weekend of documentaries. Before any…

Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Awards: ‘F1’ Takes Top Film Prize; ‘The Pitt,’ ‘The Studio,’ ‘Adolescence’ are TV Winners The 62nd Cinema Audio Society awards, which rewards achievement in sound mixing for film and television, were held Saturday night, where F1 took home the top film prize. The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) awards will be held tomorrow night, where Sinners and One Battle lead the nominations. Leading up to this weekend, F1 won both Critics Choice and the BAFTA for sound.

Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Awards: ‘F1’ Takes Top Film Prize; ‘The Pitt,’ ‘The Studio,’ ‘Adolescence’ are TV Winners

The 62nd Cinema Audio Society awards, which rewards achievement in sound mixing for film and television, were held Saturday night, where F1 took home the top film prize. The Motion…

Palm Springs International Film Festival Announces 2027 Dates The Palm Springs International Film Society has announced that the 38th Palm Springs International Film Festival will return Thursday, January 7 through Monday, January 18, 2027. The Film Awards, presented by Kering, will kick-off the festival on Thursday, January 7 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Film screenings will begin Friday, January 8 including the Opening Night presentation that evening, Closing Night on Sunday, January 17, and will conclude with Best of Fest and special programming on Monday, January 18.

Palm Springs International Film Festival Announces 2027 Dates

The Palm Springs International Film Society has announced that the 38th Palm Springs International Film Festival will return Thursday, January 7 through Monday, January 18, 2027. The Film Awards, presented by Kering, will kick-off the…

2026 True/False Film Fest Dispatch #1: ‘The Oldest Person in the World,’ ‘Broken English’ This time last year, I received an email about attending a mid-size film festival showcasing, celebrating the best of domestic and international nonfiction cinema. Though I was unable to attend the festivities last year, it fueled me to want to make the trip in 2026; therefore, when I got the email again to fly out to True/False Film Fest for a weekend of artistic discovery within all forms of powerful, moving, fascinating documentaries, as well as local music, art installations, and other creative events, my response was a resounding yes.

2026 True/False Film Fest Dispatch #1: ‘The Oldest Person in the World,’ ‘Broken English’

This time last year, I received an email about attending a mid-size film festival showcasing, celebrating the best of domestic and international nonfiction cinema. Though I was unable to attend the…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST CASTING The first new category at the Oscars in two decades and even with three available precursors the results are impacted by everything from inconsistent competition to winners that aren't nominated here. We'll start with Casting Society (CSA), which has been around for 41 years and has no less than six live action feature film categories and a membership requirement for a nomination.

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST CASTING

The first new category at the Oscars in two decades and even with three available precursors the results are impacted by everything from inconsistent competition to winners that aren't nominated here. We'll start with Casting Society (CSA), which has been…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: FILM EDITING With ACE and BAFTA, One Battle After Another has the edge over Sinners and F1 in film editing, a crucial connector to the Best Picture race. All three films went head to head to head at Critics Choice, where F1 won, then BAFTA where One Battle won. American Cinema Editors (ACE) split their categories between drama and comedy where Sinners…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: FILM EDITING

With ACE and BAFTA, One Battle After Another has the edge over Sinners and F1 in film editing, a crucial connector to the Best Picture race. All three films went head to head to head at Critics Choice, where F1 won, then BAFTA where One Battle won.…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: VISUAL EFFECTS I guess it's sort of a forgone conclusion that if an Avatar film is up for visual effects, congrats to everyone else on their nomination. It's hard, impossible really, to see something topple it so until we do, the winner this year will be Avatar: Fire and Ash. If, and it's a big if, there was going to be an upset, it would come from the extensive vfx done in concert with live action that both…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: VISUAL EFFECTS

I guess it's sort of a forgone conclusion that if an Avatar film is up for visual effects, congrats to everyone else on their nomination. It's hard, impossible really, to see something topple it so until we do, the winner this year will be Avatar: Fire…

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: ANIMATED FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY FEATURE, INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM The worldwide phenomenon that is KPop Demon Hunters and its dominance in the critics and precursor races--save BAFTA where it wasn't eligible--makes for one of the easiest predictions of the season. Documentary Feature seems a bit more tricky as The Perfect Neighbor finds itself as an incredibly weak frontrunner. While it's the only nominee to BAFTA, DGA and PGA, it lost all of them.

FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: ANIMATED FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY FEATURE, INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

The worldwide phenomenon that is KPop Demon Hunters and its dominance in the critics and precursor races--save BAFTA where it wasn't eligible--makes for one of the easiest predictions of the season.…

Predictions for Sound (CAS, MPSE), Cinematography (ASC) and Writers Guilds (WGA) It's a big weekend of major guilds with Cinema Audio Society (CAS), American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) all revealing their winners the weekend before the Oscars. This slate of guilds could be the stage for Sinners that SAG set last weekend as it challenges F1 in sound categories and…

Predictions for Sound (CAS, MPSE), Cinematography (ASC) and Writers Guilds (WGA)

It's a big weekend of major guilds with Cinema Audio Society (CAS), American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) all revealing their winners…

Interview: Shawn Hatosy on Directing ‘The Pitt,’ Camera Choreography, and Being Online Since its first season premiered last January, The Pitt has been on a steep climb to being the best drama on television. Acting as a true ensemble show, every character gets their moment, however small it may feel in the moment. A sprawling cast that characterizes nurses, doctors, security guards, clerks, and patients seems unwieldy to handle, but Emmy winner Pitt actor Shawn Hatosy chose to direct an episode on top of being a guest star in the series.

Interview: Shawn Hatosy on Directing ‘The Pitt,’ Camera Choreography, and Being Online

Since its first season premiered last January, The Pitt has been on a steep climb to being the best drama on television. Acting as a true ensemble show, every character gets their moment, however small it may…

Director Watch Ep. 142 ‘The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp’ (Powell and Pressburger, 1943) with Special Guest Bilge Ebiri On episode 142 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic Bilge Ebiri discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs.

Director Watch Ep. 142 ‘The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp’ (Powell and Pressburger, 1943) with Special Guest Bilge Ebiri

On episode 142 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic Bilge Ebiri discuss the latest film in their Powell and…