Oscar 2025 Predictions: Top Contenders for the Leading Five Categories (According to Bookmakers)
In the upcoming 97th Academy Awards, happening March 2-3 at the Dolby Theatre, there's no clear favorite to dominate the festivities. This year, the betting favorites of international bookmakers have some intriguing options in the Big Five categories. Let's take a look.
Best Picture
The Best Picture category is heating up, and it seems that the film Anora took last year's Oscar winner, Oppenheimer, by surprise with its current odds:
- Anora: 1.50
- Konklave: 3.25
- The Brutalist: 7.50
- Like A Complete Unknown: 50.00
- Emilia Pérez: 66.00
- Wicked: 66.00
- The Substance: 100.00
- Dune: Part Two: 100.00
- I'm Still Here: 100.00
- Nickel Boys: 100.00
Anora has received six Oscar nominations and features lead actress, Mikey Madison. The romantic dramedy follows Anora, a strip club worker who marries a rich Russian oligarch's son to obtain a green card, leading to a series of family attempts to annul the marriage. The film has sparked controversy, receiving mixed reviews from critics, but won Best Film at the Critics' Choice Awards, seen as a precursor to the Oscars.
Best Actor
The Best Actor category looks like it'll be a close race between Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet:
- Adrien Brody - The Brutalist: 1.44
- Timothée Chalamet - Like A Complete Unknown: 2.63
- Ralph Fiennes - Konklave: 14.00
- Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice: 33.00
- Colman Domingo - Sing Sing: 33.00
Brody's performance in the drama The Brutalist, which received ten Oscar nominations, is captivating audiences. He plays László Toth, an immigrant seeking the American Dream.
Chalamet, on the other hand, is delivering a convincing portrayal as singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in Like A Complete Unknown, the biographical film that critics rave about.
Best Actress
The Best Actress category also promises excitement, with Demi Moore as the favorite:
- Demi Moore - The Substance: 1.40
- Mikey Madison - Anora: 2.88
- Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here: 11.00
- Cynthia Erivo - Wicked: 33.00
- Karla Sofía Gascon - Emilia Pérez: 33.00
Moore dazzled audiences with her performance in the body horror film The Substance. She recently won Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards for her role in the film.
The bookmakers also consider Mikey Madison a formidable competitor, so the category is likely to be a close call.
Best Director
The Best Director category is another of the Big Five and features strong contenders from both Anora and The Brutalist:
- Sean Baker - Anora: 1.53
- Brady Corbet - The Brutalist: 2.38
- Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez: 20.00
- Coralie Fargeat - The Substance: 25.00
- James Mangold - Like A Complete Unknown: 25.00
Anora has six Oscar nominations, while The Brutalist has received ten. Only Emilia Pérez has been nominated more frequently, with 13 nominations. With the current betting odds, it seems like many categories could see close results.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Best Adapted Screenplay category features some talented competitors, with Conclave currently the leader:
- Conclave: 1.11
- Emilia Pérez: 9.00
- Nickel Boys: 16.00
- Like A Complete Unknown: 12.00
- Sing Sing: 20.00
Conclave, based on Robert Harris' novel of the same name, tells the story of cardinals coming together to elect a new pope, touching on controversial themes like sexism, racism, and homophobia within the church. The film's actors, including Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, have delivered impressive performances, according to audiences and critics.
So, will the 97th Oscars bring surprises? Based on the current betting odds, many categories seem evenly matched, with no dominant favorites. The ceremony, featuring known presenters such as Harrison Ford, Gal Gadot, and Samuel L. Jackson, will begin on March 3 at 1:00 AM German time and can be viewed on German free TV (ProSieben) or streamed with subscriptions to Joyn or Disney.
- What's surprising in the Best Picture category is that the film Anora, with odds of 1.50, has received six Oscar nominations and has sparked controversy, winning Best Film at the Critics' Choice Awards.
- Adrien Brody, with odds of 1.44, is giving a captivating performance as László Toth in The Brutalist, a drama that received ten Oscar nominations.
- Demi Moore, with odds of 1.40, is the favorite in the Best Actress category for her performance in The Substance, a body horror film which she recently won Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards for.
- The Best Director category has strong contenders from both Anora and The Brutalist, with Sean Baker having odds of 1.53. Both films have received multiple Oscar nominations, with Anora having six nominations and The Brutalist having ten.
- In the Best Adapted Screenplay category, Conclave, based on Robert Harris' novel, has odds of 1.11 and has received impressive feedback for its performances, including those of Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci.
