Oscars 2027 Predictions: A Too-Early Look at Next Year's Potential Winners
While the dust has barely settled on the Oscars 2026 ceremony, which crowned first-time winners like Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley, attention is already shifting to the 2027 awards. Last year's surprises, including horror films like Sinners and Weapons, along with the KPop phenomenon Demon Hunters, proved that predicting the Oscars far in advance is a challenging game. International films continue to defy expectations, making this annual forecast increasingly difficult. Nonetheless, here are some absurdly early picks for who might be in the running for Oscars 2027.
Aaron Sorkin's Social Media Sequel
It's never wise to bet against Aaron Sorkin, the acclaimed writer behind The Social Network, which earned him an Oscar. His new project, The Social Reckoning, is an unconventional semi-sequel focusing on the 2021 Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, played by last year's best actress winner Mikey Madison. Jeremy Strong takes on the role of Mark Zuckerberg. While Sorkin's recent film Being the Ricardos was hit-and-miss, the Academy's fondness for him, evidenced by nods like The Trial of the Chicago 7, suggests this Facebook takedown could resonate with voters.
Sandra Hüller's Awards Momentum
German actor Sandra Hüller, who broke out with Anatomy of a Fall and appeared in The Zone of Interest, is capitalizing on her success. She stars opposite Ryan Gosling in the $200 million sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary and leads Paweł Pawlikowski's cold war drama 1949, a film likely to appeal to awards voters. Additionally, she has a supporting role in Alejandro González Iñárritu's black comedy Digger, positioning her for potential Oscar recognition in the coming year.
Charles Melton's Comeback Bid
Charles Melton, who narrowly missed a supporting actor nod for May December in 2024, is back with two festival-primed projects: Nicolas Winding Refn's thriller Her Private Hell and Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley's romantic drama Saturn Returns. The latter, backed by Netflix and Brad Pitt's Plan B, follows college sweethearts over a decade and could attract Academy attention, given the duo's previous films amassed seven nominations.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi's International Appeal
Following the success of Drive My Car, Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi returns with a new film mixing French and Japanese, centered on a nursing home director and a terminally ill playwright. Inspired by a real-life story that deeply moved him, this emotional drama is set to premiere at Cannes and is backed by Neon, the company behind Parasite and Anora, aligning stars for an Academy-favored foreign pick.
Ruth Madeley's Historic Potential
In Being Heumann, director Sian Heder casts British actor Ruth Madeley as pioneering disability rights activist Judith Heumann. With support from Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O'Brien, this biopic aims for representation and could make history if Madeley secures a nomination, becoming one of the most prominent wheelchair-using stars on the Oscar stage.
Sebastian Stan's Post-MCU Transition
Sebastian Stan, mostly free from MCU roles, scored his first Oscar nomination for The Apprentice and could return to Cannes with Cristian Mungiu's drama Fjord. Featuring a mix of English, Romanian, and Norwegian, the film deals with families torn apart by abuse allegations. Stan's transformative role and the Academy's international skew suggest potential awards buzz.
Octavia Spencer's Awards-Friendly Role
Director Chinonye Chukwu teams with Tony Kushner for a new adaptation of Death of a Salesman, starring Jeffrey Wright, Octavia Spencer, Corey Hawkins, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Spencer, a two-time Oscar nominee, could lead the best actress category if the film is ready in time, given the Academy's affection for her and the strong cast.
Jack O'Connell's Resurgence
Jack O'Connell, after a comeback with villain roles in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Sinners, leads Danny Boyle's adaptation of the play Ink, portraying tabloid editor Larry Lamb. Boyle's fact-based dramas, like Steve Jobs, have previously earned nominations, making this a promising vehicle for O'Connell's deserved recognition.
Parker Posey's McDonagh Collaboration
Parker Posey, recently acclaimed for The White Lotus, joins Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine, a film about 1970s CIA agents. McDonagh's last two films scored 17 Oscar nominations, and Posey's fit for his darkly funny dialogue could position her for supporting role consideration.
Andrew Garfield's AI and Historical Projects
Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Artificial, a film about his 2023 firing and rehiring, tapping into anti-AI sentiment highlighted at the Oscars. He also leads Paul Greengrass's The Uprising, about the 1381 peasants' revolt, a timely topic given current wealth gap anger, potentially piercing through to voters.
As the Oscars 2027 race begins to take shape, these early contenders highlight a diverse range of films and talents, from social critiques to international dramas, setting the stage for another unpredictable awards season.
