Oscars 2020: 15 Insanely Early Predictions For Next Year's Academy Awards

3. Best Popular Film: The Lion King

Other Nominees: Captain Marvel, Frozen 2, Rocketman, Star Wars Episode IX

Despite it being largely rejected - and ultimately scrapped - this year, the Academy is reportedly still planning on introducing a Best Popular Film award in 2020. Even if it happens, it's tricky to predict what will be nominated without knowing what the criteria is, but let's assume that, at the very least, it needs to be reasonably and relatively high-grossing - $400m+? - and NOT a Best Picture nominee, because otherwise what's the point.

That gives Disney a better chance than anyone else, since they have a number of massive releases this year. The Lion King leads the way of their live-action remakes, while Captain Marvel is likely to have a stronger narrative around it than Avengers: Endgame (see: Black Panther and Infinity War). Star Wars often finds itself in contention for a number of awards, so should be an easy pick here too. The final choice is harder to pick. Cats should be popular - especially with a cast including Taylor Swift - but will it gross enough? Might it get into the Best Picture race? Rocketman has a blueprint from Bohemian Rhapsody in terms of how successful it should be, but again, it might get into play in Best Picture. Hobbs & Shaw will be big, and looks amazing, but will the Academy really reward a Fast & Furious movie? Could other presumable box-office smashes - Jumanji 3, Godzilla: King of Monsters, Detective Pikachu - end up with a nod here? None feel like Oscar films, but then that's also kind of the point. Should we just rename this the Disney Award and be done with it?

Either way, given it's going to have incredible VFX, beloved songs, great score, and an insanely talented cast to go alongside the predicted near-$2bn box-office, this should go to The Lion King, if it happens at all.