The Odyssey has emerged as the film to beat in The Hollywood Reporter’s first forecast for the 2027 Oscars, leading its Best Picture and Best Director rankings. But the more interesting calls range from John Malkovich in an offbeat CIA comedy to the directing duo behind Project Hail Mary.
The campaign calendar is set in stone. Best Picture and general entries will close on 12 November, nomination voting will take place between 11 and 15 January next year, and nominees will be announced on 21 January.
The final voting occurs between 25 February and 4 March, prior to the 99th Oscars on 14 March at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT.
The Hollywood Reporter’s (THR) executive editor Scott Feinberg only ranked films he has seen. That leaves several potential heavyweights, including Digger, Dune: Part Three and The Social Reckoning, off his tables for now.
Best Picture: The Odyssey vs La Bola Negra
Best Actor: Matt Damon vs John Malkovich
Best Director: Christopher Nolan vs Lord and Miller
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell vs Adam Driver
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway vs Sandra Hüller
Best Picture: The Odyssey vs La Bola Negra
The obvious pick is The Odyssey. THR ranks Christopher Nolan‘s adaptation at No. 1 after its massive box office run. The Homeric epic, starring Matt Damon and shot entirely on IMAX cameras, already has the scale, visibility and established awards pedigree of a conventional Best Picture favourite.
The unconventional pick — La Bola Negra. The Spanish-language drama by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi tracks three generations of men linked by desire, pain and hidden family history. The THR puts it in fourth place after its Cannes success, making it the most potent early alternative to the English-language blockbusters that dominate the forecast.
Read more: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey tops $600m at the global box office
Best Actor: Matt Damon vs John Malkovich
The obvious pick is Matt Damon in The Odyssey. Damon plays Odysseus in the film at the heart of the season’s most visible film and has called the physically demanding production the toughest of his career. THR has him at No. 2 in its early Best Actor ranking.
The unconventional pick is John Malkovich in Wild Horse Nine. Surprise in THR’s Malkovich ranking ahead. In Martin McDonagh’s black comedy, the actor plays a CIA agent sent to Easter Island just before Chile’s 1973 coup — an eccentric vehicle, but precisely the kind of distinctive late-career role that can command voters’ attention.
Best Director: Christopher Nolan vs Lord and Miller
The obvious pick — Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey. THR ranks Nolan first, putting him in position to pursue a second directing Oscar after Oppenheimer. A technically ambitious epic that is also the leading Best Picture contender gives him the clearest route through both races.
The unconventional pick is Phil Lord and Chris Miller for Project Hail Mary. THR places the duo second for their science-fiction adventure, ahead of several traditional prestige filmmakers. The film’s record $80.5m North American opening for Amazon MGM showed that its blend of spectacle, comedy and sentiment could travel well beyond genre audiences.
Read more: Project Hail Mary soars to a $140.9m global debut
The rankings will change as autumn premieres arrive and the unseen contenders enter circulation. For now, The Odyssey owns the safest path, while Malkovich, La Bola Negra and Lord and Miller provide the forecast’s most credible disruptions.
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell vs Adam Driver
The obvious pick — Sam Rockwell, Wild Horse Nine. Rockwell plays Lee, one of the two CIA agents at the heart of McDonagh’s film. THR has him No. 2 in the supporting race, which means the Malkovich-Rockwell pairing could give Wild Horse Nine two good paths to the acting categories.
The unconventional pick — Adam Driver, Paper Tiger. The surprise here is that THR has Driver in first place in the supporting field. James Gray’s Cannes drama follows two brothers who get caught up in a Russian-mafia plot, with Driver playing the ex-cop whose scheme puts his brother’s family at risk.
Read more: Venice Film Festival opens with Murdoch drama and major premieres
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway vs Sandra Hüller
The obvious pick is Anne Hathaway in The Odyssey. Penelope is Hathaway, and her long vigil for Odysseus is the emotional counterpoint to his journey. THR ranks her No. 2, and the film’s strength in Best Picture and Director gives her a clear runway through the campaign.
The unconventional pick is Sandra Hüller for Project Hail Mary. THR names Hüller the top performer for her role as Eva Stratt, the formidable official leading the charge to save Earth. The film is about Ryan Gosling’s space mission, but Hüller’s dry, grounded performance has been singled out for dragging its comic science fiction back towards human stakes.
