Oscars

Who will take home an Oscar in 2025? Critics’ predictions may shock you

The likes of ‘The Brutalist’, ‘A Complete Unknown’ and ‘Wicked’ are tipped to compete for gongs at the 97th Academy Awards.

Daniel Cole

William Gittins

A journalist, soccer fanatic and Shrewsbury Town fan, Will’s love for the game has withstood countless playoff final losses. After graduating from the University of Liverpool he wrote for a number of British publications before joining AS USA in 2020. His work focuses on the Premier League, LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and the global game.

Update: Feb 26th, 2025 03:19 EST

The 97th Academy Awards are nearly here! The 2025 Oscars ceremony will be held at Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles on Sunday, March 2.

This year’s spectacle will be hosted by talk show host Conan O’Brien and he will be joined by a whole host of A-list stars hoping to get their hands on the most prestigious awards in Hollywood.

The most-nominated film for the 2025 event is ‘Emilia Pérez’ with 13 nods, followed by ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Wicked’. Ahead of the ceremony there has been a lot of discussion about the likely favourites in each category, with movie critics and award experts giving their takes on the candidates.

Critics' picks for the 97th Academy Awards

Here, we’ll be looking at the predictions of Scott Feinberg (Executive editor of awards coverage, Hollywood Reporter), David Fear (Senior editor and critic, Rolling Stone) and Clayton Davis (Senior awards editor, Variety). These are their favourites to win in each of the major categories...

What will win the Academy Award for Best Picture?

Scott Feinberg - 'Anora'
David Fear - 'Anora'
Clayton Davis - 'Anora'

Who will win the Academy Award for Best Director?

Scott Feinberg - Sean Baker, 'Anora'
David Fear - Brady Corbet, 'The Brutalist'
Clayton Davis - Sean Baker, 'Anora'

Who will win the Academy Award for Best Actor?

Scott Feinberg - Adrien Brody, 'The Brutalist'
David Fear - Adrien Brody, 'The Brutalist'
Clayton Davis - Adrian Brody, 'The Brutalist'

Who will win the Academy Award for Best Actress?

Scott Feinberg - Mikey Madison, 'Anora'
David Fear - Mikey Madison, 'Anora'
Clayton Davis - Mikey Madison, 'Anora'

Who will win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor?

Scott Feinberg - Kieran Culkin, 'A Real Pain'
David Fear - Kieran Culkin, 'A Real Pain'
Clayton Davis - Kieran Culkin, 'A Real Pain'

Who will win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress?

Scott Feinberg - Zoe Saldaña, 'Emilia Pérez'
David Fear - Zoe Saldaña, 'Emilia Pérez'
Clayton Davis - Zoe Saldaña, 'Emilia Pérez'