The Walt Disney Co. scored the highest number of Oscar nominees out of the three main San Fernando Valley studios.
The Burbank entertainment and media giant received 22 nominations, including two for best picture for “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
NBCUniversal’s Focus Features, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation in Universal City, combined for a total of 15 Academy Award nominations. Warner Bros. Entertainment, also in Burbank, came away with 14 nominations, including a best picture nod for its biopic, “Elvis.”
“The Banshees of Inisherin” released through Disney’s Searchlight Pictures banner, received a total of nine nominations, including best director (Martin McDonagh), best actor (Colin Farrell), best supporting actor (Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan), best supporting actress (Kerry Condon), best original screenplay (Martin McDonagh), best film editing (Mikkel E.G. Nielsen), and best original score (Carter Burwell).
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” scored five Academy Award nominations, including best supporting actress (Angela Bassett), best costume design (Ruth E. Carter), best original song for “Lift Me Up,” best makeup and hairstyling, and best visual effects.
In addition to its best picture nomination, the “Avatar” sequel, released through 20th Century Studios, received Oscar nods for best production design, best sound, and best visual effects.
Pixar’s “Turning Red” was nominated for best animated feature film and National Geographic Documentary Films secured a nomination for best documentary feature film for “Fire of Love.” Rounding out the nominations was Disney Branded Television’s “Le Pupille” for best live action short.
In addition to its best picture nod, Warner Bros.’ “Elvis” also scored Oscar nominations for cinematography, costume design and for lead actor Austin Butler, among four others. Also getting nominations from the Burbank studio were “The Batman,” with three and the balance taken by documentaries airing on HBO Max.
After winning best picture drama at the 2023 Golden Globes, Universal Picture’s “The Fabelmans,” directed by Steven Spielberg, led the company’s Oscar success with seven nominations. These include best picture, best director, best original screenplay, best production design, best supporting actor (Judd Hirsh), best lead actress (Michelle Williams) and best original score, according to a release from NBCUniversal.
Focus Features’ “Tár,” directed by Todd Field, was next for NBCUniversal with six nominations. The film was nominated for best picture, best director, best cinematography, best film editing, best original screenplay, and best lead actress (Cate Blanchett). Focus’ “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” also received a nomination for best costume design for its fashionable 1950s London period-piece designs, the release said.
DreamWorks Animation’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” received a best animated feature nomination. This comes on the heels of box office success, where the Antonio Banderas-voiced cat has rolled a $12 million opening weekend into more than $300 million worldwide so far. The film is the second-highest grossing Hollywood animated film from 2022, second only to Illumination’s “Minion’s: The Rise of Gru,” the release added.
The Oscars ceremony, to be hosted by talk show host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, takes place on March 12 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.