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The Ultimate 2025 Oscars Nominations Guide: Surprises, Snubs, and Must-Know Insights

Explore everything you need to know about this year’s Oscar contenders with our in-depth coverage of the 2025 nominations.

January 26, 2025

The Ultimate 2025 Oscars Nominations Guide: Surprises, Snubs, and Must-Know Insights

The Ultimate Guide to the 2025 Oscar Nominations

The 97th Academy Awards have arrived, and this year’s race might be one of the most exciting (and unpredictable) in recent history. From musicals dominating the field (two in the Best Picture lineup!) to a horror film scoring multiple major-category nods for the first time in decades, the nominations reflect a new willingness by the Academy to embrace diverse genres and stories.

On top of that, this year’s Oscars have been shaped by unexpected challenges, including devastating wildfires in Los Angeles that postponed the nominations announcement—proof that Hollywood’s biggest night doesn’t exist in a bubble.

Below, we’ll break down every key category, highlight the biggest surprises and snubs, and shed light on the major stories shaping this awards season. If you can’t get enough Oscars coverage, remember to keep an eye on What’s After the Movie, a comprehensive movie database similar to Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb, for movie quizzes, cast details, behind-the-scenes info, and more. This post will also be featured on the official What’s After the Movie Blog.


1. Key Dates and How to Watch

  • Date & Venue: The Oscars take place on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.
  • Host: The ceremony will be hosted by Emmy Award–winning comedian Conan O’Brien for the first time.
  • Start Time: Red carpet coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main show airing at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
  • How to Watch: Tune in on your local ABC station or stream via services like Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, or FuboTV.

Due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the nomination window was extended and announcements delayed. However, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang reaffirmed that the show must go on, dedicating this Oscars to solidarity and community support.


2. Best Picture

This year’s Best Picture lineup spans genres, languages, and styles. Two musicals, a horror thriller, a sci-fi sequel, and a hard-hitting drama are all in contention. Here are the nominees:

  1. Anora

    • Director: Sean Baker
    • A powerful social drama about an isolated community fighting environmental injustice.
    • Fun fact: What’s After the Movie has a dedicated Anora page featuring plot summaries, cast quizzes, and links to external reviews.
  2. The Brutalist

    • Director: Brady Corbet
    • Follows Hungarian refugees in post–World War II America, starring Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones.
    • Controversial for its AI-based dialect coaching, but lauded for its striking cinematography.
  3. A Complete Unknown

    • Director: James Mangold
    • Stars Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in a sprawling biopic.
    • Nominated in multiple categories, including Best Actor (Chalamet) and Adapted Screenplay.
  4. Conclave

    • Director: Edward Berger (produced/directed?), actual credits from references say: Ralph Fiennes as leading star, Peter Straughan writer.
    • A thriller set in the inner halls of the Vatican.
    • Rich production design immerses viewers in the secretive world of papal elections.
  5. Dune: Part Two

    • Director: Denis Villeneuve
    • The epic follow-up to 2021’s Dune.
    • Despite major hype, it landed fewer nominations (five total) than expected—still a Best Picture contender.
  6. Emilia Pérez

    • Director: Jacques Audiard
    • Leads with a staggering 13 nominations. A Spanish-language musical crime drama about a cartel kingpin who comes out as a trans woman.
    • Karla Sofía Gascón (in her first Oscar nomination) made history as the first openly trans actress nominated.
  7. I’m Still Here

    • A Brazilian film from director? (not explicitly cited, but we know it’s Brazil’s submission).
    • Surprised many with a Best Picture nod, also nominated for Best International Feature.
    • Fernanda Torres is in the running for Best Actress.
  8. Nickel Boys

    • Director: RaMell Ross? (co-writer).
    • Adapted from Colson Whitehead’s novel about a reform school in Jim Crow–era Florida.
    • Praised for its powerful narrative and emotional core.
  9. The Substance

    • Director: Coralie Fargeat
    • Horror-thriller starring Demi Moore as Elizabeth Sparkle.
    • Historic achievement for a genre film with major nominations, including Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture.
  10. Wicked

    • Director: Jon M. Chu
    • Adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, starring Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda).
    • Ties with The Brutalist for 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress (Erivo).

Each of these films has an individual page on What’s After the Movie for those who want more in-depth coverage, including summaries, quizzes, and links to other movie information providers (such as Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Metacritic).


3. Acting Categories

Best Actor

Nominees:

  • Adrien BrodyThe Brutalist
  • Timothée ChalametA Complete Unknown
  • Colman DomingoSing Sing
  • Ralph FiennesConclave
  • Sebastian StanThe Apprentice

Surprise: Daniel Craig (Queer) was widely predicted to land a nomination, but ultimately missed out. Sebastian Stan’s turn as Donald Trump in The Apprentice soared despite the film’s tepid reception in the U.S.

Best Actress

Nominees:

  • Cynthia ErivoWicked
  • Karla Sofía GascónEmilia Pérez
  • Mikey MadisonAnora
  • Demi MooreThe Substance
  • Fernanda TorresI’m Still Here

History Made: Karla Sofía Gascón becomes the first openly trans actress to earn an Oscar nomination. Meanwhile, Demi Moore breaks the horror stigma with her monstrous (and comedic) role in The Substance.

Best Supporting Actress

Nominees:

  • Monica BarbaroA Complete Unknown
  • Ariana GrandeWicked
  • Felicity JonesThe Brutalist
  • Isabella RosselliniConclave
  • Zoe SaldañaEmilia Pérez

Fun Fact: Ariana Grande’s performance as Glinda marks her first-ever Oscar nomination. Zoe Saldaña—long a fan-favorite in franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy—celebrates her first nod as well.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees:

  • Yura BorisovAnora
  • Kieran CulkinA Real Pain
  • Edward NortonA Complete Unknown
  • Guy PearceThe Brutalist
  • Jeremy StrongThe Apprentice

Standout: Kieran Culkin picks up his first Oscar nomination for playing a jaded American abroad in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain.


4. Best Director

Nominees:

  • Jacques AudiardEmilia Pérez
  • Sean BakerAnora
  • Brady CorbetThe Brutalist
  • Coralie FargeatThe Substance
  • James MangoldA Complete Unknown

Notable Snubs: Jon M. Chu (Wicked) and Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) were sidelined from the Best Director race, despite both of their films earning Best Picture nods.


5. Screenplay Categories

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • A Complete Unknown – Jay Cocks & James Mangold
  • Conclave – Peter Straughan
  • Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
  • Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
  • Sing Sing – Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

Best Original Screenplay

  • Anora – Sean Baker
  • The Brutalist – Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold
  • A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
  • September 5 – Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
  • The Substance – Coralie Fargeat

6. Music Categories

Best Original Song

  • Never Too LateElton John: Never Too Late
  • El MalEmilia Pérez
  • Mi CaminoEmilia Pérez
  • Like a BirdSing Sing
  • The JourneyThe Six Triple Eight

Best Original Score

  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

7. Other Major Races

Best International Feature

  • I’m Still Here (Brazil)
  • The Girl with the Needle (Denmark)
  • Emilia Pérez (France)
  • The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)
  • Flow (Latvia)

Notable: Emilia Pérez represents France, further illustrating its massive international support. Meanwhile, I’m Still Here gains momentum as a dual Best Picture and Best International Feature nominee.

Best Animated Feature

  • Flow
  • Inside Out 2
  • Memoir of a Snail
  • Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
  • The Wild Robot

Surprise: Flow, the Latvian darling, also features in the International Feature category, making it the first Latvian film ever to earn an Oscar nomination (actually, two nominations!).

Best Documentary Feature

  • Black Box Diaries
  • No Other Land
  • Porcelain War
  • Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
  • Sugarcane

8. Craft and Technical Categories

Best Costume Design

  • Wicked
  • Nosferatu
  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Gladiator II

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

  • A Different Man
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nosferatu
  • The Substance
  • Wicked

Best Production Design

  • Wicked
  • The Brutalist
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Nosferatu
  • Conclave

Best Sound

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

Best Film Editing

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked

Best Cinematography

  • The Brutalist
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Maria
  • Nosferatu

Best Visual Effects

  • Alien: Romulus
  • Better Man
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
  • Wicked

9. Short Film Categories

Best Live Action Short

  • Anuja
  • I’m Not a Robot
  • The Last Ranger
  • A Lien
  • The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best Animated Short

  • Beautiful Men
  • In the Shadow of the Cypress
  • Magic Candies
  • Wander to Wonder
  • Yuck!

Best Documentary Short

  • Death by Numbers
  • I Am Ready, Warden
  • Incident
  • Instruments of a Beating Heart
  • The Only Girl in the Orchestra

10. Biggest Surprises, Snubs, and Controversies

  • Snub – Challengers: Luca Guadagnino’s sexy tennis drama was once considered a shoo-in for cinematography and music but ended up with zero Oscar nominations.
  • Missing Director Nods: Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) and Jon M. Chu (Wicked) were locked out of Best Director, though their films are up for Best Picture.
  • Daniel Craig for Queer: Early predictions placed him in the Best Actor race, but the Academy veered toward Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Donald Trump.
  • Early Release Blues: Dune: Part Two had a March release—some experts suggest this “older” timeline cost it momentum among voters (though it still snagged Best Picture).

11. The Horror Breakthrough: The Substance

A Horror Oscar Contender?

Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror satire The Substance managed five nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Demi Moore. Many have drawn parallels to 1973’s The Exorcist in terms of mainstream awards recognition for horror.

Awards Season Journey

  • Premiered at Cannes (2024), landed a Palme d’Or nomination.
  • Swept Golden Globes in multiple categories.
  • Racked up nods at BAFTAs and Critics Choice.

This wave of success indicates horror’s acceptance on the Oscar stage may be growing—despite Nosferatu mainly finding love in technical categories.


12. Spotlight on Nosferatu

  • Technical Nods: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup & Hairstyling.
  • Overlooked Performances: Stars Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, and Nicholas Hoult missed out, even though critics praised their committed reimagining of the classic horror roles.

Fans argue that director Robert Eggers’ vision deserved broader recognition, but the Academy’s horror hesitance still lingers.


13. Flow: A Milestone for Latvia

Gints Zilbalodis’s Flow scored Latvia’s first-ever Academy Award nominations:

  • Best Animated Feature
  • Best International Feature

Following its triumphant screenings at Cannes, Annecy, and Toronto, Flow’s success illustrates how innovative animation from smaller countries can garner major awards attention—and how the Academy increasingly values unique storytelling approaches.


14. Behind the Scenes: Fires in Los Angeles

The 2025 Oscars come at a challenging time for the film industry. Wildfires ravaged Los Angeles, threatening iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl, TCL Chinese Theatre, and even the Dolby Theatre itself.

  • Delayed Announcements: The Academy extended voting deadlines.
  • Relief Efforts: Academy leadership pledged solidarity with frontline workers, with the ceremony likely featuring tributes to those impacted by the fires.

This real-world context underlines the resilience and unity of Hollywood’s filmmaking community—and will likely shape the tone of the event.


15. Closing Thoughts

The 97th Oscars are full of game-changing storylines:

  • Two musicals contending for Best Picture (Emilia Pérez and Wicked).
  • A horror film (The Substance) crossing genre barriers to claim top nods.
  • Dune: Part Two underscoring the challenges of sustaining awards momentum over a long release window.
  • A record-breaking year for trans representation with Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez.
  • International animation scoring big with Flow.

Whether you’re rooting for blockbusters, underdogs, or brand-new faces, there’s no doubt the 2025 Oscars will be a ceremony to remember.

If you want deeper dives into each film—from actor profiles to exclusive quizzes to review roundupsWhat’s After the Movie has you covered. Head over to the site’s dedicated pages for these nominees and more, and be sure to keep an eye on the WATM Blog for continued award-season updates.

Who will walk away with the statuettes? We’ll find out on March 2, with Conan O’Brien guiding us through Hollywood’s biggest night. Until then, enjoy the films, debate the snubs, and get your final predictions in for the 2025 Oscars—it’s going to be a show you won’t want to miss!


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