Entertainment
The Hollywood Reporter publishes initial forecast for 2026–2027 Oscar season
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey leads early predictions as major fall film festivals begin.
The short version
- The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg released the first installment of his forecast for the 2026–2027 Academy Awards race.
- Universal Pictures' The Odyssey was ranked as the early frontrunner for Best Picture, with Christopher Nolan leading the Best Director predictions.
- The initial rankings factor in theatrical releases, earlier festival debuts, and upcoming premieres across Venice, Telluride, Toronto, and New York.
Key facts
- The Hollywood Reporter published its initial Feinberg Forecast evaluating contenders across all 24 Academy Awards categories as the fall festival circuit began.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- The forecast ranked Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which grossed $1.6 billion worldwide, as the top contender for Best Picture and Nolan as the leading candidate for Best Director.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- Other top Best Picture contenders listed in the initial forecast include Project Hail Mary, Wild Horse Nine, La Bola Negra, Fjord, and The Invite.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- The forecast methodology excludes any films that the author has not personally screened.[The Hollywood Reporter]
What remains uncertain
- How upcoming fall festival premieres and unreleased films—including DIGGER, Artificial, and Dune: Part Three—will reshape the awards race remains to be seen.[The Hollywood Reporter]
Sources
- Oscar Predictions via Feinberg Forecast: Scott’s First Read of the RaceThe Hollywood Reporter metered