Awards Magnet Podcast's 2026 Best Picture Oscar Predictions

On their March 6th podcast, Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen made their incredibly early 2026 Oscar predictions for Best Picture.



Joyce's Best Picture picks include:

• After the Hunt: A college professor is forced to grapple with her own secretive past after one of her colleagues is faced with a serious accusation. It stars Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny. After the Hunt is scheduled to open in limited release in the United States on October 10, 2025, before expanding to wide release on October 17.
• Avatar Fire and Ash: It is scheduled to be released on December 19, 2025 by 20th Century Studios.
• The Ballad of a Small Player: A gambler and a con artist flee Britain for Macau. It stars Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton for Netflix.
• Deliver Me from Nowhere: Bruce Springsteen on his journey to make his sixth album (Nebraska), a departure from his previous work and one representing the Boss at his most stripped-down and personal. Jeremy Allen White will portray Bruce Springsteen.
• Hamnet: A fictional story about the life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes Shakespeare, following the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. It stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes and Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare.
• Jay Kelly: It's an upcoming coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach. It will star an ensemble cast, including George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Riley Keough and Billy Crudup. It is scheduled to be released by Netflix in fall 2025.
• Marty Supreme: The film was inspired by professional table tennis player Marty Reisman. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, the Creator, Odessa A'zion, Penn Jillette, Kevin O'Leary, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 25, 2025, by A24.
• One Battle After Another: It's confirmed to be a modern take on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel "Vineland." The film delves into themes of activism, civil rights, and political conflict. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, and Benicio del Toro. The film will be released on August 8, 2025, and will be the first of Anderson's films to be released in IMAX.
• Sentimental Value: The film is a drama that explores themes of family, memory, and reconciliation. It stars Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, and Cory Michael Smith. The possible release date is September 26, 2025.
• Wicked for Good: The film continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda, exploring their evolving relationship and their paths to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, respectively. It covers the second act of the Broadway musical, delving deeper into the political and social conflicts within the Land of Oz. The movie is scheduled to be released by Universal Pictures in the United States on November 21, 2025.

Rather than the Ballad of a Small Player and Deliver Me from Nowhere, Christopher's Best Picture picks include:

• Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein strives to restore life to the dead and succeeds in creating a horrific creature. The film stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Christian Convery, Charles Dance, Felix Kammerer, and Christoph Waltz. Frankenstein is scheduled to be released on Netflix in November 2025.
• History of Sound: It tells the story of two young men, Lionel and David, during World War I. They embark on a journey across rural America to record the voices, lives, and music of their fellow countrymen. It stars Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor in the lead roles.