“Everything Everywhere”, a science-fiction flick about an exasperated Chinese immigrant struggling to finish her taxes, landed 11 nominations, including best picture and four acting nods.
Other films in the hunt for the top trophy at the Academy Awards included sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water”, James Cameron’s visual spectacle that currently ranks as the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time.
“Top Gun: Maverick” and “Elvis”, two of last summer’s biggest blockbusters, also made the cut alongside Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical coming-of-age drama “The Fabelmans” and dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin”.
“Tar”, “Triangle of Sadness”, “Women Talking” and a German remake of “All Quiet on the Western Front” rounded out the 10-picture list.
Winners of the industry’s highest honours will be unveiled at a March 12 ceremony hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel and aired live on Walt Disney Co’s ABC network.
The Oscars and other awards shows have been struggling to attract TV viewers, particularly younger ones who spend time on TikTok and YouTube.
Last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock before winning best actor, drew about 15.4 million TV viewers, the second-smallest audience ever.
Having widely seen films, rather than just lesser-known art house movies, may help boost Oscar ratings this year, said Scott Feinberg, awards editor at The Hollywood Reporter. The most-watched Oscars took place 25 years ago as megahit “Titanic” swept the honours.
“When the movies are popular with the public, the public feels invested and tunes in to see who wins,” Feinberg said. “This is setting them up for success as much as anything could.”
Sixteen of the 20 people who clinched acting nods were first-time nominees.
They included Austin Butler for his portrayal of rock legend Elvis Presley, and Colin Farrell, who starred as an Irish farmer obsessed with restoring a friendship in “Banshees”. “Top Gun” star Tom Cruise did not make it into the field.
Butler recalled the positive reaction to his performance from Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who died this month of cardiac arrest at age 54.
“I just wish she was here to celebrate today with us,” Butler told the Hollywood Reporter.
For best actress, Cate Blanchett, nominated for her portrayal of a manipulative orchestra conductor in “Tar”, will compete with “Everything Everywhere” star Michelle Yeoh and Michelle Williams of “The Fabelmans”, among others.
Winners will be voted on by the roughly 10,000 actors, producers, directors and film craftspeople who make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The academy added more women and people of colour to its ranks after the #OscarsSoWhite uproars of 2015 and 2016, and it increased membership from outside the United States.
This year, seven of the 20 acting nominees were people of colour. They included “Everything Everywhere” stars Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan, a child star in 1984’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and now a front-runner for best supporting actor.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine this moment,” Quan said in a statement.
Angela Bassett was nominated for best supporting actress for playing Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, and Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas received a nomination for her turn as Marilyn Monroe in “Blonde”.
Smith, who starred in slavery drama “Emancipation”, was not nominated. He was been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years after slapping Rock, but he remains eligible for nominations and awards.
Traditional studios dominated this year’s nominations after recent inroads from streaming services. Apple TV+ nabbed best picture last year for heartwarming drama “CODA”.
This time, Disney received the most nominations, a total of 22, for movies including “Avatar”, “Banshees” and animated “Turning Red”. “Banshees” earned four acting nominations among nine overall nods.
“Massive thanks to the Academy. I think we’re going to have a fun night!” “Banshees” director Martin McDonagh, also a nominee, said in a statement.
Streaming service Netflix Inc released “All Quiet on the Western Front”, which tied “Banshees” with nine nominations.
The following is a list of nominees in leading categories.
BEST PICTURE
“All Quiet on the Western Front”
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
“Elvis”
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
“The Fabelmans”
“Tár”
“Top Gun: Maverick”
“Triangle of Sadness”
“Women Talking”
BEST ACTOR
Austin Butler – “Elvis”
Colin Farrell – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brendan Fraser – “The Whale”
Paul Mescal – “Aftersun”
Bill Nighy – “Living”
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – “Tár”
Ana de Armas – “Blonde”
Andrea Riseborough – “To Leslie”
Michelle Williams – “The Fabelmans”
Michelle Yeoh – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin McDonagh – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Steven Spielberg – “The Fabelmans”
Todd Field – “Tár”
Ruben Östlund – “Triangle of Sadness”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brian Tyree Henry – “Causeway”
Judd Hirsch – “The Fabelmans”
Barry Keoghan – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Ke Huy Quan – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Hong Chau – “The Whale”
Kerry Condon – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Jamie Lee Curtis – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Stephanie Hsu – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“The Banshees of Inisherin,” written by Martin McDonagh
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
“The Fabelmans,” written by Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner
“Tár,” written by Todd Field
“Triangle of Sadness,” written by Ruben Östlund
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” written by Rian Johnson
“Living”, written by Kazuo Ishiguro
“Top Gun: Maverick,” screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
“Women Talking,” screenplay by Sarah Polley
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“The Sea Beast”
“Turning Red”
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
“All That Breathes,” Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov
“Fire of Love,” Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman
“A House Made of Splinters,” Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström
“Navalny,” Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Germany
“Argentina, 1985,” Argentina
“Close,” Belgium
“EO,” Poland
“The Quiet Girl,” Ireland
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Volker Bertelmann
“Babylon,” Justin Hurwitz
“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Carter Burwell
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Son Lux
“The Fabelmans,” John Williams
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Applause,” from “Tell It like a Woman,” music and lyrics by Diane Warren
“Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” music and lyrics by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
“Lift Me Up,” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson, lyrics by Tems and Ryan Coogler
“Naatu Naatu,” from “RRR,” music by M.M. Keeravaani; lyrics by Chandrabose
“This Is A Life,” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; lyrics by Ryan Lott and David Byrne
