Hollywood
Netflix outpaces traditional players in Oscar race with 35 nominations
KOLKATA: After a year of theatre shutdown, it comes as no surprise that streaming services are dominating the awards season. Netflix, which swept the Golden Globes earlier this month, is ruling the nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, or Oscars, too. The streaming colossus has scored 35 nominations for its movies; arch rival Amazon Studios has bagged 12 nominations. Among others, Disney+ and Apple TV+ earned their first Awards nods.
Netflix picked up 24 nominations last year. For 2021, it has scored 10 nominations for David Fincher’s Mank. The black-and-white drama about 1930s Hollywood has been nominated in several categories including best picture, director, actor and supporting actress.
Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, which picked up six nominations, is also another best picture contender from Netflix. Other nominees from the platform include The White Tiger, Over the Moon and Crip Camp.
Amazon Studios’ One Night in Miami and Sound of Metal bagged nominations in several categories, with the latter’s lead actor, Riz Ahmed, becoming the first Muslim to be nominated for the best actor Oscar. It also scored nominations for Sacha Baron Cohen-starrer Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.
“This past year we were incredibly lucky to work with an extremely diverse and talented group of filmmakers, actors and crews, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements. Each of the four nominated films are brilliantly executed, weaving together poignant stories and artistry that have resonated with audiences everywhere," Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke said as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The Walt Disney Co’s streaming service Hulu made the nominees list for The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Moreover, its shining star in d2c race Disney+ picked up its first Oscar nominations. It got best animated feature nods for Onward and Soul. Another Disney+ release, Mulan, received nominations for costumes and visual effects.
Another new entrant in the streaming race, Apple TV+ also swept up its first Oscar nominations including animated feature nod for Wolfwalkers, and best sound nod for war film Greyhound.
2020 was an exceptional year for traditional studios and multiplexes. Amid worldwide lockdown, many studios delayed their big ticket theatrical releases; others took the direct to OTT route. To adjust with the unprecedented situation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had to allow films without theatrical release for Oscar nominations.
See the list of nominees below.
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Directing
Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Andra Day, United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Original Screenplay
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Adapted Screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
The White Tiger
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People
Best Live-Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Best International Feature Film
Another Round
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best Original Score
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul
Best Original Song
"Fight For You," Judas and the Black Messiah
"Hear My Voice," The Trial of the Chicago 7
"Husavik," Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
"Io Si (Seen)," The Life Ahead
"Speak Now," One Night in Miami
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal
Best Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Mank
Mulan
Pinocchio
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
