The Best Picture Oscar Looks Even More Certain After The Golden Globes

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This year’s awards season is proving to be particularly competitive. With the Golden Globes already handed out last weekend, all eyes are now on the upcoming SAG Awards. Historically, the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards have been strong indicators of Oscar success, and this year is expected to be no different.

Okay, so the Oscar race just got a lot more interesting. After the Golden Globes, I’m realizing the acting categories are wide open. We saw some real surprises, and honestly, it feels like several actors could legitimately win in each category – and deserve it! The Globes often give us a hint of what’s to come at the Oscars, though the Screen Actors Guild Awards definitely throw a wrench in things too. It’s shaping up to be a genuinely unpredictable year, and that’s exciting!

Although the acting categories are shaping up to be a close contest, the Best Picture race feels pretty much decided after the Golden Globes. Usually, an unexpected win would make things more competitive, but in this case, it seems to have sealed the deal. It’s now very clear which film is going to win Best Picture.

Hamnet Won The Best Picture Golden Globe For Drama

Like every year, the Golden Globes separated the nominated films into two main groups: dramas and comedies/musicals. Usually, people argue about which movies fit into the comedy category, but this year, that wasn’t the biggest discussion. Instead, the main debate centered around which film should win the award for Best Drama.

Now that Hamnet has won the Golden Globe for Best Picture, its Oscar prospects look better. However, this win might actually hurt the chances of another highly-rated 2025 film, potentially leaving it with no Academy Awards despite its quality, if the Golden Globes are any indication.

One Battle After Another Won The Best Picture Golden Globe For Comedy

On paper, “One Battle After Another” sounds like a serious thriller: a down-on-his-luck scientist must save his daughter from a returning enemy. But the film is surprisingly chaotic and funny, largely because of the protagonist’s struggles and director Paul Thomas Anderson’s knack for turning unexpected situations into plot points.

As predicted, One Battle After Another took home the Golden Globe for Best Picture, beating out films like Marty Supreme and No Other Choice. This win has boosted Hamnet‘s chances at the upcoming Academy Awards, but One Battle After Another now looks even more likely to win the Best Picture Oscar.

Sinners’ Surprising Loss Proves It Is Not Considered A Strong Contender

Before the Golden Globes awards, many thought Sinners was the main competitor to One Battle After Another for the Best Picture Oscar. With horror films dominating 2025, it’s expected that the Academy Awards will acknowledge this, potentially making it a landmark year for a genre that’s often been underestimated.

Although Hamnet won Best Drama, beating Sinners which was also nominated, this doesn’t pose a significant threat to One Battle After Another‘s Oscar prospects. Sinners only received a Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, indicating it’s unlikely to win any Academy Awards.

The Academy Awards haven’t historically favored horror films, and it seems that trend will continue. Even a promising film like The Substance, which many thought had a chance, didn’t win an Oscar after losing at the Golden Globes. In fact, only one horror movie has ever won Best Picture, and many consider The Silence of the Lambs to be more of a thriller than true horror.

One Battle After Another Is Expected To Win The Best Picture Oscar

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

It’s been thirty years since Paul Thomas Anderson’s first feature film, Hard Eight. Now, with his tenth film, he’s more likely to win an Oscar than ever before, having lost all eleven of his previous nominations. His latest film, One Battle After Another, is expected to be his fourth nominated for Best Picture.

It’s about time this award was given out, and it felt inevitable after One Battle After Another won Best Picture at both the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. Now that Sinners seems less likely to win, and considering Paul Thomas Anderson’s history of nominations without a win, the Oscar race is essentially decided.

The Other Best Picture Oscars Also Seem Confirmed After The Golden Globes

Disney is likely to miss out on the Best Animated Movie Oscar again this year. KPop Demon Hunters, which has become Netflix’s most popular title ever, was the expected winner at the Golden Globes, and that win practically secures its victory at the Oscars. While Zootopia 2 will probably receive an Oscar nomination, it’s unlikely to win the award.

The film The Secret Agent is now a strong favorite to win the Best International Feature Film Oscar, following wins at both the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. Adding to its chances, Wagner Moura made history by winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama, and is now likely to receive an Oscar nomination for his performance as well.

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2026-01-14 21:41