The Oscars 2027 Race Is Going To Be Incredible for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fans

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Now that the most recent Academy Awards are over, people are already looking ahead to the 2027 Oscars. The 2026 ceremony was a strong showing for fans of genre films, particularly horror. Sinners received a record number of nominations and won several awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Amy Madigan took home Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Aunt Gladys in Weapons, and Guillermo del Toro’s version of Frankenstein, a horror-infused science fiction story, earned some technical accolades.

As a huge film buff, I’m already getting excited about the 2027 awards season! It looks like it’s going to be a fantastic year for fans of sci-fi and fantasy. We saw a little bit of both this year – Frankenstein and Bugonia both got some nominations – but next year, I think they’ll really dominate. Leading the charge is Christopher Nolan’s new fantasy film, The Odyssey. It’s definitely going to be a big summer movie, but early buzz suggests it’s also a serious contender for a lot of awards next year.

Which Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies Could Be In The Oscars 2027 Race?

With its impressive cast, director fresh off the success of Oppenheimer, and likely stunning technical aspects – hallmarks of a Christopher Nolan film – The Odyssey is expected to be a strong contender across all Oscar categories. Currently, it appears poised to receive the most nominations at the 2027 Academy Awards.

Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune: Part Three could be a major awards contender. The first two films have already earned critical acclaim and a total of eight Oscars, but this final installment has the potential to achieve even greater recognition. While the previous movies received Best Picture nominations and awards in technical categories (and one Adapted Screenplay nod), Villeneuve himself surprisingly hasn’t been nominated for Best Director. It will be interesting to see if he receives that recognition this time, along with whether Timothée Chalamet continues his streak of acting nominations.

It’s unlikely this film will repeat the massive awards success of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won 11 awards, potentially because the Academy was finally recognizing that franchise. Looking at the first two films, its current awards trajectory is similar to Dune. The story will also become more unusual, which could hurt its chances, and sequels generally struggle during awards season – except for Return of the King. However, it should still receive many nominations and hopefully win awards in major categories.

Beyond these two major contenders, several other science fiction and fantasy titles deserve consideration. Reviews have consistently praised Project Hail Mary as a remarkable achievement. Looking at The Martian – also by Andy Weir and written by Drew Goddard – can give us an idea of Hail Mary‘s potential: The Martian received seven nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and a similar outcome for Hail Mary wouldn’t be surprising.

Two films that are a bit harder to forecast, but still potential contenders, are Disclosure Day and Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Despite several trailers, Disclosure Day—Steven Spielberg’s return to science fiction—remains intriguing. Spielberg’s reputation alone will likely get it noticed, and a successful film could earn it several nominations, mirroring the seven nominations received by his recent movies, West Side Story and The Fabelmans. Greta Gerwig’s films have also consistently performed well with Oscar voters; her three directorial efforts—Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie—have collectively earned 19 nominations, including Best Picture nods for each.

These kinds of films will face strong competition, but several titles stand out as potential award winners. Tom Cruise in Digger, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine are early frontrunners. Other expected contenders include Tom Ford’s Cry to Heaven, Danny Boyle’s Ink, David Fincher’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth, and a new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael. However, the field will likely shift as the awards season progresses. Thankfully, we can also anticipate a good showing from major fantasy and science fiction films, which is exciting.

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2026-03-18 23:40