Oscar 2025: Wicked, Pérez, Brutalism

Sophie Wakehurst

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Post on Jan 24, 2025

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Oscar 2025: Predicting the Nominees – Wicked, Pérez, and the Brutalism of Awards Season

The Oscars. A night of glamour, glitz, and… brutal honesty? While the red carpet promises a spectacle of shimmering gowns and polished smiles, the actual awards season is a fiercely competitive landscape. Predicting the nominees for the 2025 Academy Awards is always a risky game, but with some key contenders already emerging, we can start to speculate on which films and individuals might grace the stage. This year, we'll be focusing on three intriguing elements: the highly anticipated musical Wicked, the directorial prowess of Alejandro G. Iñárritu (let's call him Pérez for brevity and impact), and the perhaps unexpected influence of brutalist architecture on the cinematic aesthetic.

Wicked: A Potential Blockbuster and Oscar Contender?

The cinematic adaptation of Wicked, Stephen Schwartz's iconic musical prequel to The Wizard of Oz, is a massive undertaking. Its potential box office success is almost guaranteed, but its Oscar prospects are more nuanced. The film's visual spectacle alone, coupled with the likely star power of its cast, practically guarantees nominations in categories such as Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and potentially Best Visual Effects. The musical score, a crucial aspect of the original's success, will be critically scrutinized, possibly leading to a Best Original Song nomination. However, whether the film itself earns nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, or acting awards will depend heavily on the execution and critical reception of the final product.

Pérez: The Master of Cinematic Brutality

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, a director known for his visually striking and emotionally intense films (Birdman, The Revenant), is a perennial Oscar contender. His next project, regardless of its specific title, is likely to exhibit a similar cinematic style—one that could be described as "brutal," both in its aesthetic and narrative approach. This "brutality" could manifest in several ways: stark visuals, unflinching portrayals of violence or suffering, or a relentlessly bleak narrative. His past works have consistently garnered nominations for technical achievements like cinematography and sound design, and it’s highly probable his next film will continue that trend. However, Iñárritu's films often also contend for more prestigious awards such as Best Picture and Best Director.

Brutalism in Cinema: A New Aesthetic?

Interestingly, the aesthetic of brutalist architecture – characterized by its raw, imposing concrete structures – seems to be subtly influencing the visual style of several upcoming films. This trend isn't explicitly tied to any one director, but rather a shared sensibility among cinematographers and production designers. The use of stark, unadorned settings, harsh lighting, and a sense of monumental scale can be seen as a cinematic echo of brutalist architecture. This aesthetic, while potentially divisive, often results in visually arresting and memorable films, enhancing the impact of both the storytelling and the overall emotional experience. Such a film could easily earn nominations for Best Cinematography and potentially Best Production Design.

Predictions and Conclusions

Predicting the Oscars is an inherently speculative exercise. Yet, by considering factors like the anticipated release of Wicked, the established Oscar pedigree of Pérez, and the emergence of brutalist aesthetics in film, we can start to form informed guesses about the potential nominees for the 2025 Academy Awards. While these are merely educated speculations, they highlight the exciting possibilities and the diverse elements that will contribute to the next Oscars ceremony. The awards season will be a fascinating one to watch unfold. Keep an eye out for these key players and the broader cinematic trends they represent, and prepare for a year of compelling cinema.