A Roundup of Movie Trailers for Oscar Season Hopefuls

Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots

With the end of August upon us and the Venice Film Festival currently going on, it's time to get prepped for the 2018 Oscar season. That means that there'll be a lot of returning goodies (see this post for all of the details) and a lot of prognostication as the season heats up. But before the summer ends officially, it's as good of a time as any to look back at the trailers that premiered in the past few months and have already promised to make this Oscar season a fascinating and exciting one. The following is a rundown of the films that have already staked their claim in the race, making it difficult for the films that still need to make their presence known, such as Adam McKay's Dick Cheney biopic Backseat. But for now, these are the films that may be worth keeping an eye on, at least until the film festivals say otherwise.

  

Colette

It was only a few years ago that director Wash Westmoreland's Still Alice earned Julianne Moore a Best Actress statue. With his latest film, he tackles the career of "Gigi" author Colette and her struggle to be taken seriously as a female author in a male-dominated society. It's the type of story that could play well in a Me Too movement era, and it also features Keira Knightley, who was also recently nominated for The Imitation Game. While the hype around the film would suggest that the film isn't getting as much buzz as the many other counterparts, never underestimate a sleeper hit that could make a prominent stance in the Oscar race.

The Old Man and the Gun

This film's Oscar buzz exists almost for one sole novelty: it's the final film by legendary actor Robert Redford. Considering that it also stars recent Oscar-winner Casey Affleck, it's a film that could play well if it plays to Redford's strengths and reminds audiences why he was a charismatic presence since the 60's. It also helps that the director David Lowery has had a great recent career with the films Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story, which reflect him as one of the most promising indie directors currently out there. While the pressure will be on Redford to deliver, one could hope for a big surprise.

A Star is Born

There hasn't been a trailer that has threatened to dominate Oscar season quite like Bradley Cooper's directorial debut and remake of a Hollywood institution. Considering the high praise out of Venice currently going on, it's getting tougher to not believe that this will be the fourth adaptation of the film to get at least some Oscar love, maybe even getting Lady GaGa a Best Actress or Best Original Song (or both) nomination. Of the early releases, this is one that feels destined to stick around and become one of the Fall's biggest releases. If nothing else, it will get you to think of Lady GaGa as more than an eccentric pop star, which is quite an incredible feat.

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First Man

Having recently become the youngest person to win the Best Director category at the Oscars, Damien Chazelle has a promising future ahead of him. Here he returns with Oscar-nominated Ryan Gosling for a Lance Armstrong biopic that, based on the trailers, already looks to be one of the most technically impressive films of the Fall. Considering the recent success of astronomical films like The Martian and Hidden Figures, it does seem like an easy bet that this will be showing up big, especially if Chazelle can prove himself to be more than just a filmmaker who works in the world of jazz-based stories. Also, keep an eye out for Claire Foy, whose work on The Crown was superb and could carry over to a potential Oscar nomination here.

 

Beautiful Boy

This is one of two movies starring Oscar-nominee Steve Carell this Fall, which could hint at a potential nomination for him. However, it's also an interesting turn from Felix Van Groeningen who directed the great The Broken Circle Breakdown and could make a strong impression this awards season. However, the pressure will be on Timothee Chalamet, who was just nominated this past year for Call Me By Your Name, and appeared in Best Picture nominee Lady Bird as well. This could be another secret weapon this awards season, especially given that Chalamet seems destined to be one of the most interesting actors to watch in the next few years.

Mid90s

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To mix things up, here's the directorial debut from two time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill, who teams with A24 for a skateboarding drama starring Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea). While this seems to be one of the less likely to be a nominee among this list, there's become a need to not underestimate the A24 studios during awards season, having earned multiple nominations over the past three years. Considering that they're masters of slow rollout and reaching audiences in ways that leave an impression, Hill could be destined to join Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) as a first time director nominee at the Oscars. It all depends on how the movie goes.

 

Suspiria

As recent as three years ago, it was tough to imagine a horror movie standing any chance at obtain major awards during the Oscar season. However, the success of Get Out and The Shape of Water this past year would suggest that things are about to change. With the remake from director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), it's a film that's already gained a reputation as a film that drove actress Dakota Johnson crazy and could stand to be one of the scariest surprises on the list. It all depends on how things go. It's not a sure bet that horror will play a big part in the year to come, but with Guadagnino's recent trajectory, it's hard not to hope for the best.

Bohemian Rhapsody

The film has gained a bit of a notoriety for a variety of reasons since the first trailer dropped, most notably defamed director Bryan Singer getting credit for a film he arguably didn't work too much on. However, there's still hope that Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek will deliver a quality performance as one of the greatest rock singers in history, managing to lift the film that seems to have some issues. This is mostly Malek's nomination to get, and one could hope that he'll be able to be more than just another actor in a music biopic. Freddie Mercury deserves more than that.

   

Boy Erased

Director Joel Edgerton has gained some praise as an actor over the years, appearing recently in the Oscar-nominated film Loving. With him stepping behind the camera, he is set up to have a compelling Oscar darling with Oscar winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and nominee Lucas Hedges. With the subject of gay conversion therapy, there's a good chance that the film could be ahead of the curve on films exploring personal identity in the 21st century. It's tough to determine how well it will do, but the first trailer already promises something a bit upbeat and interesting. One can hope it delivers, especially given the high pedigree present in the film.

 

The Front Runner

It's been almost a decade since director Jason Reitman has really mattered to the Oscar season. Given that he's had a bit of a hit and miss ratio in recent years, he seems bound to have a comeback any time now, especially given that this summer's Tully was one of the year's best. But will he lead Hugh Jackman to another Oscar nomination for this political satire? There's a lot of hope that Reitman will regain his former glory, but only time will tell if we're looking at the director of Juno and Up in the Air, or the director of Labor Day and Men, Women & Children.

   

Widows

It has been five years since director Steve McQueen released the Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave, which was a powerhouse of cinema that is bound to be among the best films to win the top prize. With his latest, he looks to be moving away from the slow and meditative films that define his previous work for a heist movie that features an all-star cast including recent Oscar winner Viola Davis (Fences). Considering how strong of an ensemble the supporting cast is, one can't help but wonder what will come of the film, and if McQueen's long awaited follow-up will deliver everything that has made him a director of importance thanks to his need to be explore social boundaries in compelling structures.

   

The Favourite

There was a bit of a slip-up last year with The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but now director Giorgos Lanthimos looks to be back with a period piece that promises to provoke. Given that he's had two Oscar-nominated films (Dogtooth, The Lobster), he seems primed to have another film make the cut, especially when lead by Oscar-winner Emma Stone. He's one of the few foreign directors to make a big splash at the Oscars, and it looks like he could be going at it again. It just depends on if it's the side of Lanthimos that's fascinating and dark, or just merely disturbing and gross. After his previous film, it's hard to really say.

   

If Beale Street Could Talk

Having recently won Best Picture for Moonlight, director Barry Jenkins has quite the reputation to live up to. Given that his previous film was considered groundbreaking for having an all black cast and featured a shift in the Oscar voting community, it only seems right that his next film tackles tougher subjects, this time from writer James Baldwin. With another ensemble, he looks to be stacking the decks for potential Oscar nominations in all of the acting categories. Given that he lead Mahershala Ali to a Best Supporting Actor nomination, one has to wonder who the breakout star will be. Hopefully it would be even more than that.

 

Mary Queen of Scots

It's astounding to believe that Saoirse Ronan has three Oscar nominations at only 23. Having recently received a Best Actress one for Lady Bird, there's a lot to wonder what it will take to get her to the next level. Maybe that will take a movie where she battles fellow Oscar nominee Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) in a period piece that looks to be very melodramatic and full of beautiful costumes. Given the trajectory of Ronan's recent career, she seems destined to win an Oscar within the decade, and this may be her best shot yet at getting one.

 

Mary Poppins Returns

Okay, this seems like a long shot for a major Oscar nominee. However, Rob Marshall directed Best Picture winner Chicago, and there's a good chance that he can bring a lot of spectacle to the film that will make it one of the Fall's most charming films. With all of this said, it's going to be more exciting if this can finally get Lin Manuel Miranda his overdue EGOT win for Best Original Song with one of the many songs he will compose for the film. If it's half as good as Moana, there's a good chance things will play in his favor - unless A Star is Born has anything to say about it.

 

Welcome to Marwen

Here is another case of a filmmaker who maybe hasn't mattered to the Oscars for awhile. Then again, director Robert Zemeckis continues to be one of the most audacious filmmakers in history and looks to be pushing boundaries again. One has to wonder if he'll be able to make a film pop with eye popping CGI and the second performance by Steve Carell this season. It worked for Denzel Washington in Flight, though most of what he's done since hasn't hit well with critics and audiences. Time will tell if this unique story of PTSD will deliver everything to make him stand out in an already crowded season.

   

Cold War

Here is another case of hedging bets in the supporting categories. Director Pawel Pawlikoski recently won Best Foreign Film for Ida, and this is his follow-up. Considering how breathtaking and beautiful the previous film was, it only seems right to wonder what his latest will bring. As a story about the Cold War with a lot of heavy drama (and, from the trailer, gorgeous cinematography), this is going to be one of the few non-American films to keep an eye out for, if just because of how much promise Pawlikowski possessed after the masterpiece that was Ida.

Roma

Having recently won an Oscar for Best Director (Gravity), Alfonso Cuaron returns with a film that may not look to push the technical boundaries of his last film, but promises to be his most personal film. Given that early reviews have praised it as one of his best, there's a good chance that his collaboration with Netflix will end up getting the streaming service in the Best Picture category, especially after an impressive turn with Mudbound last year. Even then, Cuaron remains one of the most exciting filmmakers of the century so far, and based on the trailer it look like it will continue for a little longer at least.

What do you think? What films will we still be talking about when those Oscar nominations come out in four months?