Oscar Best Picture Race Narrows

The 98th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 15, are approaching with several major categories, including Best Picture, remaining highly competitive. Industry analysts indicate that "One Battle After Another" is the frontrunner for Best Picture, despite a recent upset in a precursor award. The film has secured significant wins from the Producers Guild, Golden Globes, Directors Guild, BAFTAs, and Writers Guild. Historically, no film with this combination of precursor awards has failed to win the Best Picture Oscar.

However, "One Battle After Another" lost the Actor Award (formerly SAG Award) for Best Ensemble to "Sinners." This upset occurred shortly before the close of Academy Awards voting, potentially influencing late ballots. Despite this, "One Battle After Another" has demonstrated stronger performance with international voting bodies, which have an increasing impact on Oscar outcomes. "Sinners" has primarily garnered support from American voting bodies.

The current situation mirrors the previous year's Best Picture race, where a film with similar precursor wins ultimately secured the Oscar despite a late Actor Award loss. Analysts suggest that while an upset is possible, "One Battle After Another" remains the most likely recipient of the Best Picture award.