10 Early Predictions For 2019's Best Picture Oscar Nominees

9. Black Panther

One of the year's most acclaimed blockbusters so far and a social phenomenon on a scale like nothing else in 2018, the passionate fan campaigns for Black Panther to be taken seriously as an Oscar contender began almost immediately after the film hit cinemas.

It's certainly an outside contender, and its chances will be lessened by the introduction of a Best Popular Film Oscar this year, but the sheer enthusiasm of its fans and huge industry support could see it be the year's big populist nominee.

Again, it's the least likely of these 10 movies to actually nab the nod, because superhero prejudice is no joke, and as a Best Popular Film nomination is virtually guaranteed, some may feel like voting for it here is a "wasted" vote.

That said, we've seen Pixar score both Best Picture and Best Animated Feature nods with Up and Toy Story 3, so it's not without similar precedent. Not quite a counterpart scenario, but close enough.