Oscars 2024: 20 Insanely Early Predictions

Yes, the dust has barely cleared on this year's shockingly satisfying Academy Awards, but the life of an Oscar fan never has any downtime, as commentators are already looking keenly ahead to next year's ceremony.

Though "awards season" doesn't begin in earnest until the end of the summer, when studios start premiering their most prized projects at fall film festivals, it's never too early to consider what might end up making it to the Oscar podium.

And so, mere days removed from the 2023 Oscars, it's time to consider some insanely prospective predictions for what to expect from 2024's nominees and winners.

Of course, so much can change over the course of the next year, and it's entirely possible many of these predictions end up hilariously off the mark, but going by track records and early industry buzz, these are absolutely the movies and performances to look out for.

There will always be those movies that fall unexpectedly flat and those shock hits nobody ever sees coming - like this year's Everything Everywhere All At Once - but on the balance of probabilities, here's what to expect from the 96th Academy Awards...

Of the 20 actors nominated for Oscars this year, an impressive 16 of them were first-timers, and while 2024 will likely get within spitting distance of that number again, there are a few prospects who stand out as especially deserving of their first-ever Academy recognition.

If Oppenheimer lives up to the hype and offers Christopher Nolan's most Oscar-friendly dramatics to date, expect Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt to receive Best Actor and Best Actress nods.

Also Jonathan Majors, a colossal breakout talent on a serious roll right now, has received rave reviews out of Sundance for his new drama Magazine Dreams, ensuring he'll likely receive a hefty awards campaign later in the year.

To see these three tremendously talented actors joining the nominees' club will be most satisfying indeed.