Oscar season may still be months away, but the race for the 2027 Academy Awards is already taking shape. One of the biggest early contenders is Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’. Following his Best Picture and Best Director wins for ‘Oppenheimer’ in 2024, Nolan heads into another awards season with plenty of momentum. The film’s leading stars, including Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, are also generating early Oscar buzz in the acting categories. James Gray’s crime thriller ‘Paper Tiger’ is also making waves with critics. Starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson, the New York-set film follows two brothers who become caught up in a dangerous Russian mafia scheme that threatens their family. ‘Project Hail Mary’ is another title gaining serious attention. Starring Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller, the sci-fi adventure proved to be a massive commercial and critical hit, grossing over $680 million worldwide. With its strong box office performance and widespread praise, it has firmly placed itself in the Best Picture conversation.
With about five months until the Oscars, it's a bit early for ironclad guarantees, even if it feels like it would take the winds of Poseidon to blow "The Odyssey's" best picture campaign off course.