The past year and a half has been a tumultuous one for the movie industry. The global coronavirus pandemic and the continued rise of online streaming services have undoubtedly affected the way we consume films. For these reasons, the 2022 Oscars is set to be one of the most anticipated industry events of the year.
Around the world, many box offices are now open, and as such theaters are now showing an incredibly versatile range of films, all the while fulfilling all the needs and wants of movie lovers worldwide.
Now there is only one month left until the 94th annual Academy Awards and the official nominations are now set – not just for the Best Picture award but also for the Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director prizes.
Surprisingly, one of the easiest ways to keep track of predicted Oscars winners is with sports betting sites.
The Netflix original, The Power of the Dog with Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst is the undisputed favorite to win not only one but 12 prizes. Aside from having the highest odds for winning the Best Picture prize, it’s also nominated for the Best Director, Best Actor, Best Production Design, Best Sound and Best Music written for a motion picture. In terms of its odds, this western movie is paying $1.46 to win the Best Picture award and only $1.12 for winning the Best Director award.
It’s certain that Jane Campion, the director of The Power of the Dog, created something exceptionally outstanding for the movie industry. There’s plenty of tension, opposing characters, and hidden conflicts all of which is surrounded by powerful sound effects and unique music that certainly has a strong emotional impact, elevating the movie to another level.
There’s no shortage of talent and performance either when it comes to the actors. The Power of the Dog also challenges for the Best Actor prize with Benedict Cumberbatch (paying $5.50). He’s said to have produced a career-best. In addition, Kristen Dunst and Jesse Plemmons are also nominated for the Best Actress and Actor award in the supporting role category which definitely sets the stage for success.
Jude Hill stars as “Buddy” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features
Many journalists and movie critics say that there’s only one film that can steal the win from The Power of the Dog and that movie is Belfast. The movie takes place in the 1960s in Northern Ireland where history was written.
The ethno-nationalist conflicts of the time had risen to a level where human connections were lost and many friendships and families were torn apart. The actions of this film circulate around a working class family, more precisely a boy, Buddy (Jude Hill), who faces serious moral challenges early on in his life.
Belfast is in the running to collect not just one but 7 prizes overall. Apart from having one of the lowest odds ($4.33) to win the Best Picture award, it also has a very good chance to win the Best Director award as Kenneth Branagh has the second-lowest odds ($10.00) of doing so.
What makes Belfast even more special is that the entire film was shot in black and white in order to create the closest feel to the 1960s. The music and sounds were carefully chosen which makes Belfast another contender for the Best Music and Best Sounds awards.
Ansel Elgort as Tony and Rachel Zegler as Maria in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY.
Let’s talk a little bit about the film which shook up the movie industry more than anyone would’ve guessed. West Side Story made its appearance in cinemas just before the new year and its release has been memorable. The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg which already suggests what viewers can expect.
The adaptation of the 1957 musical has made the biggest splash in December which made it one of the clear prospects for winning the Best Picture prize in early January and February. It’s not only one of the favorites for winning Best Picture ($8.00) but it’s also nominated for 7 other awards. Custom Design, Cinematography and Best Music are just some of those prizes West Side Story has the potential to bring home in March.
At last, we need to mention West Side Story’s nomination for the Best Director award, as well. Stephen Spielberg has shown the world why he’s one of the best directors who has ever set foot in Hollywood. He’s, of course, one of the most likely candidates to win the Best Director award (paying only $10.00).
The list of top contenders for the 94th Academy Awards is not done yet, though. There are some films that are must to mention either for their storyline or the outstanding individual performances.
Dune, for instance, was one of the most anticipated movies in 2021 and is one of the top contenders according to sports betting websites.
There have been several previous attempts in the past to get this famous book series onto the big screen but these projects were either never started or completed. For fans of the Dune Chronicles, the long wait finally ended this year as Denis Villeneuve put the classic sci-fi novel together for the movie screen with actors like Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, and Oscar Isaac.
Dune has some of the lowest odds for the Best Picture award currently paying $11.00. The film also has a good chance to claim several other awards including the Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay prizes. Not to mention Hans Zimmer, who is also nominated for his work on Dune and currently paying only $1.27.
Next up is King Richard.
Unlike Dune, this movie may not be the strongest contender for the Best Picture award (paying $23.00) but Will Smith, the lead actor, has, yet again, put a powerful individual performance onto the movie screen.
The movie tells the story of the two of tennis’ greatest modern icons, Serena and Venus Williams, and their path to stardom – all from their father’s perspective. Even though the film gives the viewer some insights into the Williams sisters’ background, it’s not technically the two tennis stars who are in the center of the action but instead their father, Richard.
His parenting and coaching vision makes his role more than controversial. While this perspective may not appeal to pure tennis fans, after watching the movie it’s more than clear how Will Smith has shown the world once again why he’s one of the best actors of all time. Oddsmakers also make Smith the number 1 prospect for the Best Actor award paying just $1.36 for his win, with the second most probable contender, Benedict Cumberbatch paying $4.33 to win.
It’s not just sci-fi or sports movies though, there are plenty of other genres covered at the Academy Awards. The Apple Original CODA is taking on a subject that’s been in the making for a long time but that no one has gotten right until today.
It’s fair to say that Apple has finally brought the quality that most would expect and it’s not just the movie that has some of the lowest odds for winning the Best Picture award ($21.00) but CODA is also in the race for winning the Best Supporting Actor and the Best Screenplay awards.
CODA captures the story of a young high school girl who has outstanding talents in music and singing but meets the challenges of life early on as she’s the only member of her family who is able to hear.
Of course, the complete list of the potential winners is longer than what you’ve read in this short article. If you’re interested in all of the potential winners of the 94th Academy Awards and you’d like to see how the odds change or how you can place bets on the nominees, then head to https://mybettingsites.com/au/ where you will find a full list of all the best betting sites that offer online betting markets for the Oscars.
Updated February 23rd, 2022.
Odds quoted in this article are provided courtesy of My Betting Sites Australia and their review of Sportsbet – Australia’s top online bookmaker for novelty and entertainment bets.
