Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” currently leads the early contenders for the 2026 Oscars, followed by films presented at the Cannes Film Festival and upcoming festival premieres. Several actors, including Ryan Gosling and Matt Damon, are potential nominees.
The film year has already begun with Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” released in July, being considered a strong best picture contender. In May, the Cannes Film Festival showcased “Fjord,” the Netflix-acquired Spanish-language film “La Bola Negra,” and the Russian drama “Minotaur,” all of which are expected to remain in contention through the fall.
“Project Hail Mary,” an adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel starring Ryan Gosling, could earn Gosling another Oscar nomination. The film also marks a live-action sci-fi venture for Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, known for “The Lego Movie” and “21 Jump Street.” Oscar history shows few directing partnerships have been nominated, with the Daniels (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) being a recent example. Amazon MGM Studios may focus its campaign on Lord and Miller’s partnership.
Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is seen as a strong contender, aligning with the Academy’s preference for ambitious directorial feats. The film features a “mythic source material, a starry ensemble and a theatrical approach.” Nolan, fresh off his first directing Oscar and best picture win for “Oppenheimer,” enters the campaign with significant Academy goodwill. Matt Damon’s performance as Odysseus could also put him in contention for an actor Oscar, nearly 30 years after winning a screenwriting Oscar for “Good Will Hunting.” Supporting actors John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Morton are also potential nominees.
The film “Michael,” a biopic about Michael Jackson, is anticipated to appeal to the Academy’s populist wing, similar to how the best picture field was expanded to 10 slots after the “Dark Knight” snub. Despite receiving a 38% Rotten Tomatoes score, it has a 97% Certified Fresh rating, indicating audience appeal.
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