Feinberg Forecast: 'The Odyssey' Leads Mid-October Oscar Predictions, per The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter's awards columnist Scott Feinberg has released the mid-October edition of his "Feinberg Forecast" standings, his latest assessment of the race for the 99th Academy Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Feinberg says the forecast reflects his best attempt to predict the behavior of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rather than his personal preferences, drawn from consultations with voters and awards strategists, analysis of marketing and campaigns, results of awards ceremonies that precede the Oscars, and the history of the Oscars itself, and it will be updated regularly as the season develops. Nominations for the 99th Oscars will be announced on January 21, 2027, and the ceremony will be held on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O'Brien.
In the best picture standings, Christopher Nolan's epic The Odyssey (Universal) sits at No. 1 and is described by Feinberg as "the clear frontrunner." Released in July, the film has grossed more than $1.6 billion worldwide and holds a 94 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Feinberg also notes that the film was warmly but not effusively received at its official Academy screening in Los Angeles, and that its principal talent did not appear for a post-screening Q&A, which did not help its cause. The other frontrunners, in order, are Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine (Searchlight), the sci-fi hit Project Hail Mary (Amazon MGM), directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling, the Spanish-language epic La Bola Negra (Netflix), Cristian Mungiu's Fjord (Neon), Olivia Wilde's The Invite (A24), Tender Loving Care (Bleecker Street), Danny Boyle's Ink (Netflix), James Gray's Paper Tiger (Neon), and Pixar's Toy Story 5. Major threats include Obsession, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, Fatherland, and All of a Sudden.
In the directing race, Nolan is the frontrunner, positioned for a possible repeat of his Oppenheimer triumph, with McDonagh, La Bola Negra co-directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, and Mungiu in the top tier. In the acting categories, the best actor focus falls on Matt Damon of The Odyssey and John Malkovich of Wild Horse Nine, who just won the best actor prize at the Venice Film Festival; Julianne Moore's performance in The Debut leads the best actress field; Paul Giamatti of The Debut and Sam Rockwell of Wild Horse Nine head the supporting actor race; and Anne Hathaway of The Odyssey and Penélope Cruz of La Bola Negra lead the supporting actress standings.
On the international and animation fronts, La Bola Negra — Spain's submission for best international feature, and a winner of the Toronto film festival's People's Choice Award — is regarded as one of the strongest contenders in that category, while Toy Story 5, which also cracks the best picture top 10, is favored to lead the animated feature race. With nominations voting not scheduled until January 11–15, 2027, and several major contenders still to open and precursor awards still to come, Feinberg's standings are expected to shift repeatedly before the nominations are set.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：洛杉矶（Los Angeles）杜比剧院内的奥斯卡颁奖典礼现场（资料图），第99届奥斯卡颁奖典礼将于2027年3月14日在此举行。Timothy A. Gonsalves 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（经 Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: Inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, home of the Academy Awards (file photo). By Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
