Oscars 2018: 10 Movies That Could Win Best Picture Next Year
6. Mudbound
The Film
Set in Mississippi at the aftermath of World War II, Mudbound follows two very different families: the white McAllans and the black Jacksons. The Jacksons work on the McAllans' farm, but become further tied together when each have a relative return home from the war and struggle to adjust to life after it.
The Jacksons will be played by Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, and Rob Morgan, while Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, and Jonathan Banks make up the McAllans. Dee Rees (Bessie) is the director, with a script from Virgil Williams (24, ER).
Why It Could Win
A Sundance hit? Check. A great cast likely to get some acting nominations? Check. A powerful, racially-charged story with modern relevance? Check. A period setting? Check.
Mudbound, which started garnering awards buzz from the moment it premiered at this year's Sundance festival, ticks every apparent box for a major Oscar contender, and received rave reviews coming out of the festival. The two family tale should have a lot of appeal, as will stars like Mulligan, although there is one potential stumbling block.
Netflix picked up the distribution rights to the movie, and this will be a major test of their credibility as an awards season force. So far they haven't made big inroads, but the Mudbound deal reportedly includes a clause for making a massive push for awards. If Netflix throw their considerable financial muscle behind it, then they could feasibly run a big campaign that really gets this film noticed. From there, the rest is pretty much taken care of in the movie itself.