No matter how you slice it, 2019 will be remembered as a historic year for the superhero and comic book movie genre. Martin Scorsese may not consider these types of movies to be "cinema," but the rest of the industry is embracing these stories. Earlier in 2019, Joe and Anthony Russo’s AVENGERS: ENDGAME dethroned AVATAR as the highest-grossing movie of all time. And today, Todd Phillips’ JOKER led in Oscar nominations with an impressive 11 nods.
Considering its competition, that is a monumental accomplishment. JOKER held off a late-game awards surge by Sam Mendes’ 1917, and also edged out masterful films by Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese to become the leader of the pack in terms of Oscar nominations. And again, it’s a natural progression of these movies to receive industry credibility, but it was only a few years ago when movies like THE DARK KNIGHT were shunned by the Academy. JOKER proves that the tide is turning.
Haven’t seen the film on the big screen yet? No worries. AMC will bring JOKER back to more than 400 locations this weekend, so you can see what the buzz is all about. Get tickets by clicking here.
Want to stay home and enjoy JOKER instead? You can always rent or buy it through AMC Theatres On Demand by clicking here.
Now that we know the categories in which JOKER will compete, how many do we think it can actually win come Oscars® night?
Best Actor
This one, right now, looks like JOKER’s best bet at a sure-fire win. Joaquin Phoenix has been picking up several key awards ahead of the Academy Awards®, grabbing the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice trophies for his portrayal of the legendary DC villain. His nomination is no longer a shock. He actually appears to be the front-runner in the Best Actor category, ahead of Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver.
Makeup and Hair Styling
The look of the Joker was always going to be pivotal to the movie’s success. If he doesn’t resemble the iconic DC Comics villain, the movie gets off on the wrong foot, and it’s an uphill climb. The Oscar-nominated work of Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou transformed Joaquin Phoenix into Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime, and their effort should lay claim to the Oscar in this category.
Original Score
Here’s where things get tricky. Icelandic film composer Hildur Guðnadóttir should be the front-runner in this category for her moody, menacing score. Disturbing and dark, it beautifully sets the tone for Todd Phillips’ dark character study, and Guðnadóttir has been winning early awards for her work. But then, John Williams also received a nomination in this category for his final STAR WARS score… and we wonder if nostalgia can trigger an upset? We shall see.
While JOKER will compete in other categories like Adapted Screenplay and Cinematography, there are contenders in those categories that seem to have the advantage, from 1917’s Roger Deakins to Greta Gerwig and her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s LITTLE WOMEN. That’s not to say JOKER can’t pull a victory in those categories, but the three above feel like the Oscars that the DC movie will claim on February 9.
Tune in to the event to find out which Oscars JOKER will win!
