Oscars 2027: Which Movies Could Be Top Contenders Next Year?
As the Oscars prove every year, they'll most likely continue to keep us on our toes by being unpredictable. Sometimes, it's in the best way possible, like awarding Autumn Durald Arkapaw Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners (2025) and making her the first woman ever to win. Other times, the Best Picture winner will be super questionable, like One Battle After Another (2025). We really have no way of predicting what will resonate with the audience, especially since movies like Sinners and even Hamnet (2025) are so rare.
Still, with a few fan favorite directors returning in 2026, they're likely a shoo-in. In addition, we also have a few biopics on the way, and though we don’t have confirmed release dates for them yet, we know that the Academy loves a biopic moment, which makes them strong contenders, too. Here are five movies that could be top contenders at the 2027 Oscars—titles that I have a feeling we're going to be talking about constantly in the coming months.
Many of us called Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023) his magnum opus, but really, it's easy to think that The Odyssey will be a transformative experience from the renowned director, too. Nolan's means of consistently challenging himself and ensuring that every movie he makes is better than the one before is no small feat, and every part of me is sure we're looking at a future Oscar contender.
The movie could very well land Nolan another Best Director nomination, but at the same time, with the amount of stars in it like Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Matt Damon, Elliot Page, Lupita Nyong'o, and more, it wouldn't be shocking if we see some of their names in the Best Actor categories. No matter what happens, The Odyssey is the exact type of movie that the Academy loves, and I, for one, can't wait.
Will Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day finally be the movie that lands Josh O'Connor an Oscar nomination? I'm lighting candles, folks. O'Connor was one of the most exceptional actors in 2025, with three incredible movies under his belt, but everything about Disclosure Day feels like the type of movie where maybe the Academy can finally recognize his inimitable range.
In addition, Spielberg is also a highly regarded director, so the race for Best Director can be stacked with some greats with the inclusion of Disclosure Day and The Odyssey. Simultaneously, Emily Blunt is another actress long overdue for an Oscar, which I'm still shocked never happened for A Quiet Place (2018), but this could hopefully be her chance, too. The sci-fi epic is surely about to be something exceptional if this cast and crew are any indication.
It's unclear whether Toy Story 5 will be as sensational as the first or even the third, but the Academy often appreciates Disney/Pixar films, so it wouldn't be shocking if the movie scores a nomination regardless. At the same time, Hoppers (2026) is surprising fans and critics alike with its current release, so no matter how we play our cards, these two can certainly be high up on the list of contenders for Best Animated Feature.
In 2026, we had both Zootopia 2 (2025) and Elio (2025), so there's no rule against not featuring more than one from the same production company. Toy Story 5 looks pretty promising from the trailers, and with a villain that's all too relatable to the real world, there could be a profound message here to explore for both kids and adults.
Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, starring Ryan Gosling, is already garnering favorable early reviews, and the hype for it is at large, considering Andy Weir's bestselling novel it's adapted from. A sci-fi feature like this is exactly what we've been looking for, and it's something that can appeal to the general audience as well as cinephiles.
If it's indeed nominated with its current popularity, it'll be incredible to have two science fiction features. The Academy has been much better about recognizing the importance of genre films in the past few years, so the inclusion of Project Hail Mary can make it another thrilling year. Gosling is a fan favorite actor who's also appreciated in the critics' sphere, so there may be some acting nods for him here.
The Social Network (2010) has now become a cult classic of sorts, so it feels timely that the release of The Social Reckoning would come years later. The new cast, starring Academy favorites Jeremy Strong, Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, and more, holds a ton of potential, especially with Aaron Sorkin at the helm as director.
Judging based on the synopsis, The Social Reckoning can be even more of a wild ride than The Social Network, and the cast alone promises plenty. If nothing else, we have a guarantee that the performances will be exceptional. Regardless of whether the film becomes a contender or not, there's a huge chance that it'll do well at the box office, with fans of the original running to the theatres to see what else is in store.
