With Spectre (the twenty fourth Bond film) coming soon, we felt it was time to rank each instalment so far, starting at the worst.
23) Octopussy (1983)
Director: John Glen Starring: Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jordan Box-office: $183 million IMDb/RT: 6.6/10 – 42% Oscar noms: 0 Song: “All Time High” by Rita Coolidge Summary: Moore’s Bond embraces camp with horrifically formulaic results.
22) Diamonds are Forever (1971)
Director: Guy Hamilton Starring: Sean Connery, Jill St John, Charles Gray Box-office: $116 million IMDb/RT: 6.7/10 – 65% Oscar noms: 1 (Sound) Song:Diamonds are Forever by Shirley Bassey Summary: A bitterly disappointing end to Connery’s time in the role that foreshadowed the direction that his replacement Moore would take.
21) Die Another Day (2002)
Director: Lee Tamahori Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rosamund Pike Box-office: $431 million IMDb/RT: 6.1/10 – 57% Oscar noms: 0 Song:Die Another Day by Madonna Summary: If it hadn’t already been proved that sci-fi was a bad move for Bond, this may have been forgivable.
20) Moonraker (1979)
Director: Lewis Gilbert Starring: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Richard Kiel Box-office: $210 million IMDb/RT: 6.3/10 – 62% Oscar noms: 1 (Visual Effects) Song:Moonraker by Shirley Bassey Summary: Catching the fever of mega-hit Star Wars, space wasn’t the start of a new Bond frontier. Also, it ruined Jaws.
19) For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Director: John Glen Starring: Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Julian Glover Box-office: $194 million IMDb/RT: 6.8/10 – 73% Oscar noms: 1 (Original Song) Song:For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton Summary: Trying to reapproach the series’ roots only ended up with one of the weakest and unmemorable instalments.
18) The World is Not Enough (1999)
Director: Michael Apted Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards Box-office: $361 million IMDb/RT: 6.4/10 – 51% Oscar noms: 0 Song:The World is Not Enough by Garbage Summary: Decently well crafted action but the over-sexualisation starts to become too creepy for the turn of the century.
17) A View to a Kill (1985)
Director: John Glen Starring: Roger Moore, Grace Jones, Christopher Walken Box-office: $152 million IMDb/RT: 6.3/10 – 36% Oscar noms: 0 Song:A View to a Kill by Duran Duran Summary: Walken shines and the Golden Gate Bridge sequence is thrilling but the premise (destroying Silicon Valley with an earthquake) is too much.
16) Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Director: Roger Spottiswoode Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Pryce Box-office: $333 million IMDb/RT: 6.5/10 – 57% Oscar noms: 0 Song:Tomorrow Never Dies by Sheryl Crow Summary: Slightly more grounded but oddly flat and impersonal.
15) Licence to Kill (1989)
Director: John Glen Starring: Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi Box-office: $156 million IMDb/RT: 6.6/10 – 76% Oscar noms: 0 Song:Licence to Kill by Gladys Knight Summary: Some significantly darker moments but sometimes dull and cliched.
14) You Only Live Twice (1967)
Director: Lewis Gilbert Starring: Sean Connery, Donald Pleasance, Mie Hama Box-office: $111 million IMDb/RT: 6.9/10 – 72% Oscar noms: 0 Song:You Only Live Twice by Nancy Sinatra Summary: Writer Roald Dahl applies some imagination in gadgetry to Fleming’s work and without some of the more ridiculous moments we’d never have Dr Evil.
13) Live and Let Die (1973)
Director: Guy Hamilton Starring: Roger Moore, Jane Seymour, Yaphet Kotto Box-office: $161 million IMDb/RT: 6.8/10 – 66% Oscar noms: 1 (Song) Song:Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings Summary: An entertaining adventure bogged down by date racial overtones.
12) The Living Daylights (1987)
Director: John Glen Starring: Timothy Dalton, Maryam D’Abo, John Rhys Davies Box-office: $191 million IMDb/RT: 6.7/10 – 75% Oscar noms: 0 Song:The Living Daylights by A-ha Summary: The grittier elements are welcome but lack’s Connery’s style.
11) The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Director: Guy Hamilton Starring:Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland Box-office: $97 million IMDb/RT: 6.8/10 – 46% Oscar noms: 0 Song:The Man with the Golden Gun by Lulu Summary: Late great Christopher Lee steals the show as the titular marksman.
10) Quantum of Solace (2008)
Director: Marc Forster Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric Box-office: $586 million IMDb/RT: 6.7/10 – 64% Oscar noms: 0 Song:Another Way to Die by Jack White and Alicia Keys Summary: It comes across as blunt sometimes but we can appreciate the grim intentions.
9) The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Director: Lewis Gilbert Starring: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Richard Kiel Box-office: $185 million IMDb/RT: 7.1/10 – 78% Oscar noms: 3 (Art Direction, Song, Score) Song:Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon Summary: The lighter moments are made all the more charming by some genuine suspense from Jaws, cinema’s most iconic henchman
8) From Russia with Love (1963)
Director: Terence Young Starring: Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Robert Shaw Box-office: $78 million IMDb/RT: 7.5/10 – 96% Oscar noms: 0 Song:From Russia with Love by Matt Monro Summary: Bond evolves into a Hitchcockian euro-caper with serious action.
7) Dr No (1962)
Director: Terence Young Starring: Sean Connery, Joseph Wiseman, Ursula Andress Box-office: $59 million IMDb/RT: 7.3/10 – 98% Oscar noms: 0 Summary: The first ever Bond set an exciting and iconic foundation for the franchise.
6) GoldenEye (1995)
Director: Martin Campbell Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Famke Janssen Box-office: $352 million IMDb/RT: 7.2/10 – 82% Oscar noms: 0 Song:GoldenEye by Tina Turner Summary: A playful and action packed debut for Brosnan (form that he didn’t keep up in later films).
5) On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Director: Peter Hunt Starring: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas Box-office: $64 million IMDb/RT: 6.8/10 – 81% Oscar noms: 0 Song:We Have all the Time in the World by Louis Armstrong Summary: The re-casting and controversially brutal ending infuriated fans at the time. Sadly, Lazenby was never truly given the time to become Bond but – on a technical level – OHMSS is one of the series’ best.
4) Thunderball (1965)
Director: Terence Young Starring: Sean Connery, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi Box-office: $141 million IMDb/RT: 7.0/10 – 85% Oscar noms: 1 (winning Visual Effects) Song:Thunderball by Tom Jones Summary: The underwater sequences may have aged but the film’s design and creativity remains stunning.
3) Skyfall (2012)
Director: Sam Mendes Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Berenice Marlohe Box-office: $1.108 billion IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 92% Oscar noms: 5 (Cinematography, Score, winning Song) – 8 BAFTAs (Supporting Actor/Actress, winning British film) Song:Skyfall by Adele Summary: Oscar winner Sam Mendes’ take on Bond was bold, provocative and suspenseful with series best performances from Craig and Bardem
2) Goldfinger (1964)
Director: Guy Hamilton Starring: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe Box-office: $124 million IMDb/RT: 7.8/10 – 96% Oscar noms: 1 (winning Sound) Song:Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey Summary: Stylish and inspired, Goldfinger remains one of the most masterful thrillers of all time.
1) Casino Royale (2006)
Director: Martin Campbell Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelson Box-office: $600 million IMDb/RT: 8.0/10 – 95% Oscar noms: 0 – BAFTAs 8 (Actor, Editing, Cinematography, Screenplay, British Film) Song:You Know My Name by Chris Cornell Summary: The Dark Knight of Bond, it’s a slick, dynamic gut-punch of an action flick that could have been very different: Quentin Tarantino nearly, considered for Vesper Lynd were Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron and Audrey Tautou while Bond was almost Karl Urban, Sam Worthington or Henry Cavill.
Alien revolutionised sci-fi and horror in 1979 with stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt and Ian Holm while small time director Ridley Scott was given the boost to go on to films such as Blade Runner, Black Hawk Dawn and Gladiator.
Aliens gave Sigourney Weaver an Academy Awards nominated return as Ripley in 1986 with iconic co-stars Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton while director James Cameron (Terminator 2, Avatar, Titanic) turned the series into an epic action masterpiece.
Alien3 gave the director’s chair to rookie David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, Gone Girl, Social Network) with poor results for the 1992 directorial debut. Weaver and Henriksen returned with Paul McGann and Charles Dance.
Alien: Resurrection saw Weaver and Winona Ryder team up with director Jean Pierre Jeunet and flopped, seemingly killing off the franchise in 1997.
Prometheus saw Ridley Scott’s return in 2012. The prequel – starring the new lineup of Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Michael Fassbender – proved to be immensely polarizing and underrated but gave a new lease of life to the series.
The follow up to Prometheus has confirmed that it’ll be connecting with its franchise again with the new title. Alien: Paradise Lost. Ridley Scott confirmed the title while promoting this month’s The Martian. Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave, X-Men: First Class, Steve Jobs) and Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, A Game of Shadows, The Drop) reprise their roles.
We’re still not sure what effect – if any – this announcement will have on Neill Blompkamp’s (District 9) planned Ripley-based sequel.
With a change of release date, Paramount’s The Big Short may now be entering the Oscar race. Adam McKay – writer of Anchorman, Step Brothers, The Other Guys and Ant-Man – is stepping up with a high-stakes drama about the men who made millions from the global meltdown.
Starring Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Hustle), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher, Crazy Stupid Love), Ryan Gosling (Drive, The Ides of March), Melissa Leo (The Fighter, Prisoners), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler, The Lincoln Lawyer), Karen Gillan (Oculus, Guardians of the Galaxy), Rafe Spall (Life of Pi, Prometheus) and Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fight Club) – a cast with 14 Oscar nominations.
In a year of change for the Emmys, Breaking Bad is out of competition while Modern Family has lost its Comedy Series crown. There’s been a long overdue win for Mad Men’s Jon Hamm but the clear winners are fantasy epic Game of Thrones and political comedy Veep.
Drama
Better Call Saul
Downton Abbey Game of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
Orange is the New Black
Actor in a Drama
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul
Kyle Chandler – Bloodline
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Jeff Daniels – The Newsroom
Liev Schreiber – Ray Donovan
Supporting Actor in a Drama
Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul
Ben Mendelsohn – Bloodline
Jim Carter – Downton Abbey Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly – House of Cards
Alan Cumming – The Good Wife
Lead Actress in a Drama
Taraji P Henson – Empire
Claire Danes – Homeland
Robin Wright – House of Cards Viola Davis – How to Get Away With Murder
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men
Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black
Supporting Actress in a Drama
Joanna Froggatt – Downton Abbey
Lena Headey – Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke – Game of Thrones
Christine Baranski – The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men Uzo Aduba – Orange is the New Black
Writing For a Drama Series
The Americans – Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep – Joshua Brand
Better Call Saul – Five-O – Gordon Smith Game of Thrones – Mother’s Mercy – David Bennioff, DB Weiss
Mad Men – Lost Horizon – Sam Chellas, Matthew Weiner
Mad Men – Person to Person – Matthew Weiner
Directing For a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire – Eldorado – Tim Van Patten Game of Thrones – Mother’s Mercy – David Nutter
Game of Thrones – Unbowed, Unbroken, Unbent – Jeremy Podeswa
Homeland – From A to B and Back Again – Lesli Linka Glatter
The Knick – Method and Madness – Steven Soderbergh
Comedy Series
Louie
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Veep
Lead Actor in a Comedy
Anthony Anderson – Black-ish
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Don Cheadle – House of Lies
Will Forte – The Last Man on Earth
Louis CK – Louie
William H Macy – Shameless Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent
Lead Actress in a Comedy
Lisa Kudrow – The Comeback
Lily Tomlin – Grace and Frankie
Amy Schumer – Inside Amy Schumer
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation Julia Louis Dreyfus – Veep
Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Adam Driver – Girls
Keegan Michael Key – Key & Peele
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Titus Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Tony Hale – Veep
Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory
Niecy Nash – Getting On
Julie Bowen – Modern Family Allison Janney – Mom
Kate McKinnon – Saturday Night Live
Gaby Hoffman – Transparent
Anna Chlumsky – Veep
Writing For a Comedy Series
Episodes – Episode 409 – David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik
The Last Man on Earth – Alice in Tuscon – Will Forte
Louie – Bobby’s House – Louis CK
Silicon Valley – Two Days of the Condor – Alec Berg
Transparent – Pilot – Jill Soloway Veep – Election Night – Armando Ianucci, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche
Directing For a Comedy Series
The Last Man on Earth – Pilot – Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Louie – Sleepover – Louis CK
Silicon Valley – Sand Hill Shuffle – Mike Judge Transparent – Best New Girl – Jill Soloway
Veep – Testimony – Armando Ianucci
TV Movie
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Poirot’s Last Case Bessie Grace of Monaco
Hello Ladies: The Movie
Killing Jesus
Nightingale
Miniseries
American Crime
American Horror Story: Freak Show
The Honourable Woman Olive Kitteridge
Wolf Hall
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Timothy Hutton – American Crime
Ricky Gervais – Derek
Adrien Brody – Houdini
David Oyelowo – Nightingale Richard Jenkins – Olive Kitteridge
Mark Rylance – Wolf Hall
Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Felicity Huffman – American Crime
Jessica Lange – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Queen Latifah – Bessie
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honourable Woman Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge
Emma Thompson – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Richard Cabral – American Crime
Denis O’Hare – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Finn Wittrock – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Michael Kenneth Williams – Bessie Bill Murray – Olive Kitteridge
Damian Lewis – Wolf Hall
Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Regina King – American Crime Kathy Bates – American Horror Story: Coven
Angela Bassett – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Sarah Paulson – American Horror Story: Freak Show
Mo’Nique – Bessie
Zoe Kazan – Olive Kitteridge
Writing for a Miniseries or Movie
American Crime – Episode One – John Ridley
Bessie – Bessie – Horton Foote, Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois
Hello Ladies – Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupmitsky, Lee Eisenberg
The Honourable Woman – Hugo Blick Oliver Kitteridge – Jane Anderson
Wolf Hall – Peter Straughan
Directing for a Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story: Freak Show – Ryan Murphy
Bessie – Dee Rees
The Honourable Woman – Hugo Blick
Houdini – Uli Edel
The Missing – Tom Shankland Oliver Kitteridge – Lisa Cholodenko
Wolf Hall – Peter Kosminsky
Rise starred James Frano, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, John Lithgow and David Oyelowo Dawn reinvented the cast with Gary Oldman, Toby Kebbell, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit McPhee, Judy Greer and Jason Clarke. War of the Planet of the Apes has now signed on Woody Harrlelson as its lead villain.
The reboot trilogy’s cast has been bolstered by the signing two time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (No Country for Old Men, The Hunger Games, Zombieland, Cheers, Seven Psychopaths, True Detective) as a new human villain, currently being referred to as Colonel. This suggests that he will play the leader of the military forces that arrive at the end of Dawn. The other cast information we currently know is that Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings) will reprise his role as franchise figurehead Caesar. Its unclear if there will be a third new cast or Dawn’s main characters will return. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) directs.
When Warner Bros and Disney both announced rivalling adaptations of The Jungle Book, it was the WB/Andy Serkis version that had far more hype. However, Disney’s version will be gaining some new fans from the surprisingly impressive first trailer. However much of the voice work isn’t shown alongside the on screen animals which makes us worry that the two will clash in the film.
Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directs while the cast includes Scarlett Johansson (Avengers Assemble, Lost in Translation), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim, Prometheus), Bill Murray (Ghost Busters, Moonrise Kingdom), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, The Force Awakens), Neel Sethi (Diwali), Giancarlo Esposito (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, The Usual Suspects), Ben Kingsley (Shutter Island, Gandhi) and Christopher Walken (Catch Me If You Can, The Deer Hunter).
Widely hailed as the most celebrated director of this century, Christopher Nolan nine stunning feature films include acclaimed masterpieces including Interstellar, Inception, Memento and The Dark Knight. Since 2006, Nolan has consistently produced a new film every two years but his newly announced upcoming project will leave a three year gap as it has confirmed that his new film will land in July 2017.
So far literally no announcements or rumours have been made regarding plot, genre or cast but we do know that Warner Bros are behind it and it’s competition on that weekend includes Luc Besson sci-fi Valerian (Cara Delevingne, Dane DeHaan, Clive Owen) and comedy musical sequel Pitch Perfect 2 (Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld, Rebel Wilson). The blockbuster friendly July release date suggests that we won’t be expected a low key noir thriller/drama such as Memento, Insomnia, Following or The Prestige.
Having visited superheroes three times already in The Dark Knight trilogy we can rule that genre out. It seems unlikely that WB would put another sci-fi film to compete with Valerian so we reckon Nolan is moving into a genre he’s yet to mine. Fantasy adventure? Historical epic? Horror? Either way, its almost certain that six-time collaborator Michael Caine will almost certainly star.
Meanwhile, it was also announced that British singer Sam Smith – Stay With Me, Money on My Mind, Lay Me Down – will be singing the theme song for the upcoming James Bond sequel Spectre (succeeding the likes of Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Duran Duran, Paul McCartney, Jack White, Louie Armstrong and Adele). The track is titled Writing’s on the Wall. The reveal was mildly surprising after strong rumours that the job would go to Ellie Goulding or Radiohead. Our own pick would be Florence and the Machine.
Spectre is directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road Perdition) and stars Daniel Craig (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Monica Bellucci (Irreversible), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Colour), Ben Whishaw (Cloud Atlas), Naomie Harris (28 Days Later), Rory Kinnear (The Imitation Game), Andrew Scott (Sherlock) and Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy).
A live action adaptation of the classic sci-fi animation Akira has been for tortuously long developed at Warner Bros. The latest rumour is suggesting that a new Akira trilogy is on the way and Warner Bros golden boy Christopher Nolan will be involved. There’s so far no proof of the Inception/The Dark Knight/Interstellar director is in any way connected but this news comes shortly after the announcement of Nolan’s mystery 2017 project (which may turn out to be Akira). While it’s possible that Nolan’s secrets have been leaked, others suggest that Nolan will produce and oversee Akira – like he did with Man of Steel – while pursuing his separate 2017 film.
The Phase 1 Avengers lineup (Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner) was added to in Phase 2 (Anthony Mackie, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd). We know that Phase 3’s additions include Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch but Marvel’s new major female hero Captain Marvel has been elusive to cast.
Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), Katee Sackhoff (Oculus), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Emily Blunt (Looper) had previously been mentioned or rumoured but now Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and The White Queen’s Golden Globe nominated actress Rebecca Ferguson is reportedly in line for the role.
Sadly, Ava DuVernay (Selma) ruled out directing so there currently isn’t a serious candidate for directing. However, some rumours have included Angelina Jolie (Unbroken), Adam McKay (Anchorman) and Joss Whedon (Serenity).
There’s a good seven or so months until the Oscars really kick off but even now we might be able to make a few early predictions for some of the big hitters. This list will be rapidly changing over the coming months depending on the reception of some of these films. Gus Van Sant/Matthew MacConaughey drama The Sea of Trees seemed like a viable candidate until its Cannes flop. In some cases, we’re basing the predictions off their critical reception, festival buzz and hype and in other cases the popularity of a filmmaker involved. We’re ranking the selections in order of likelihood.
Best Picture:
40) The Good Dinosaur
Director: Peter Sohn (Partly Cloudy) Starring: Anna Paquin (True Blood), Steve Zahn (Dallas Buyers Club), Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading) Premise: An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. Odds: Pixar’s second effort of the year may get overshadowed by their first but the studio’s good form might transfer into this look at an alternate history.
39) Creed
Director: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) Starring: Michael B Jordan (Chronicle), Tessa Thompson (Dear White People), Sylvester Stallone (First Blood) Premise: The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Creed, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. Odds: The Rocky franchise had seriously drifted after the Best Picture winning original but, by shifting Stallone into and supporting role and bringing new hero Adonis Creed to the foreground, we might have a contender.
38) Secret in Their Eyes
Director: Billy Ray (Breach) Starring: Julia Roberts (Erin Brockivich), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Nicole Kidman (The Hours) Premise: A tight-knit team of FBI investigators, along with their District Attorney supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered. Odds: The Argentinian adaptation of the same book won an Oscar for Foreign Language in 2009 but this might turn ought to be another unpopular remake.
37) By the Sea
Director: Angelina Jolie (Unbroken) Starring: Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melanie Laurent (Beginners) Premise: Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner. Odds: Jolie hasn’t yet cemented her position as an accomplished director but last year’s Unbroken got three Oscar nods meaning that By the Sea might follow suit.
36) Trumbo
Director: Jay Roach (Meet the Parents) Starring: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Helen Mirren (The Queen), John Goodman (Argo) Premise: The successful career of Hollywood screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, comes to an end when he is blacklisted in the 1940s for being a Communist. Odds: The Oscars have a track record of stories about Hollywood and redemption and Bryan Cranston should shine in the role but communist sympathies might not sit too well with the Academy.
35) Spectre
Director: Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition) Starring: Daniel Craig (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Colour), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) Premise: A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre. Odds: Prior to 2012’s Skyfall, Bond hadn’t had a Oscar win in nearly 50 years. If Spectre is an improvement, than the series may be on the way to a first ever Best Picture nomination.
34) Legend
Director: Brian Helgeland (42) Starring: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) Premise: The film tells the story of the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, and their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s. Odds: The main Oscar buzz about the film surrounds Tom Hardy’s performance(s) but the crime biopic might be a dark horse in the contest.
33) The Martian
Director: Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) Starring: Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Odds: After back to back success with Gladiator and Black Hawk Down followed by the snubbing of American Gangster, acclaimed director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi epic The Martian may have the goods to put him back on top.
32) Beasts of No Nation
Director: Cary Fukanga (True Detective) Starring: Abraham Attah (Out of the Village), Ama K Abebrese (The Cursed Ones), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) Premise: A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country. Odds: The Academy may take a big step by nominating a Netflix original production for the first time
31) Everest
Director: Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband) Starring: Jake Gyllenhaald (Nightcrawler), Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe snow storm. Odds: A traditional disaster flick will hopefully be elevated by the fantastic ensemble.
30) Concussion
Director: Peter Landesman (Parkland) Starring: Will Smith (Ali), Gugu Mbatha Raw (Belle), Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October) Premise: The story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in professional football players. Odds: It’s been years since Smith’s last major critical success but the more serious tone surrounding this true life thriller may lead it Oscar bound.
29) The Walk
Director: Robert Zemeckis (Cast Away) Starring: Joseph Gordon Levitt (Looper), Ben Kingsley (Shutter Island), Charlotte Le Bon (Mood Indigo) Premise: The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Odds: The fact that the same story was turned into an Oscar winning documentary (Man on Wire) several years ago proves that the premise is more Academy friendly than blockbuster cool but the fact that the story has been visited successfully before may also hinder it.
28) Freeheld
Director: Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) Starring: Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire), Ellen Page (Juno) Premise: New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, both battle to secure Hester’s pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Odds: Moore is on fine form after her win for Still Alice but there hasn’t yet been a remarkable amount of Oscar buzz surrounding it.
27) 45 Years
Director: Andrew Haigh (Weekend) Starring: Charlotte Rampling (Melancholia), Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago), Geraldine James (Gandhi) Premise: In the week leading up to their 45th wedding anniversary, a couple receive an unexpected letter which contains potentially life changing news. Odds: The low key British drama might prove to be a contender but given the recent snubbing of Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner, the Academy may have turned away from that genre the larger scale Brit flicks such as The Imitation Game
26) The Danish Girl
Director: Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) Starring: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Alicia Vikander (A Royal Affair), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) Premise: The remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer. Odds: The Danish Girl has all the makings of a Best Picture winner – lavish period setting, Oscar friendly cast and director – but it’ll have to overcome its so far mixed-negative reception.
25) Straight Outta Compton
Director: F Gary Gray (Friday) Starring: Jason Mitchell (Contraband), Corey Hawkins (Non-Stop), Paul Giamatti (Sideways) Premise: The group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood. Odds: Sharing its name with the rap sensation, this unlikely candidate surprised critics and was a smash hit with audiences but that won’t necessarily translate into Oscar success for the musical biopic.
24) Macbeth
Director: Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) Starring: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Marion Cotillard (Inception), Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes) Premise: Macbeth, a duke of Scotland, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. Odds: Kurzel might not be experienced with this scale of filmmaking but injecting a flavour of war epic to Shakespeare’s classic should shake things up, not to mention the roles Fassbender and Cotillard were born to play.
23) The Program
Director: Stephen Frears (The Queen) Starring: Chris O’Dowd (Calvary), Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) Premise: An Irish sports journalist becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong’s performances during the Tour de France victories are fueled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong. Odds: The events depicted might be considered too recent to have a major effect on voters and O’Dowd (while talented) hasn’t yet reached Oscar appeal but Frears’ impressive back catalogue should accelerate hype.
22) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Director: Alfonso Gomez Rejon (The Town that Dreaded Sundown) Starring: Thomas Mann (Project X), Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel), Nick Offerman (The Kings of Summer) Premise: High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Odds: The Fault in Our Stars for the Kings of Summer audience. This charming romance with undoubtedly win the hearts of fans and critics but it might be too low key for the Academy.
21) Snowden
Director: Oliver Stone (JFK) Starring: Joseph Gordon Levitt (Inception), Nicolas Cage (Face/Off), Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) Premise: CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press. Odds: Snowden’s story was told recently in the Oscar winning documentary Citizenfour meaning the source material has awards-friendly buzz but all of Oliver Stone’s recent work (Alexander, Money Never Sleeps, Savages) has been a let down. However, anti-American undertones didn’t do Zero Dark Thirty any harm.
20) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Director: JJ Abrams (Stark Trek Into Darkness) Starring: John Boyega (Attack the Block), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) Premise: New heroes must fight the rising threat of the New Order. Odds: While the reboot of a franchise that hasn’t been good since 1983 may make the Oscars treat The Force Awakens as Bantha fodder, it seems to possess the game changing level of effects that brought Avatar to success and made the original Star Wars a Best Picture nominee.
19) Hail Caesar
Directors: Joel and Ethan Cohen (The Big Lebowski) Starring: Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), George Clooney (Gravity), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) Premise: A Hollywood fixer in the 1950s works to keep the studio’s stars in line. Odds: With four Oscar wins, the Coens are probably the most acclaimed screenwriters of our time but Inside Llewyn Davis’ snubbing might mean trouble for the pair’s more quirky efforts.
18) Silence
Director: Martin Scorsese (The Aviator) Starring: Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Tadanobu Asano (Thor). Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) Premise: In the seventeenth century, two Jesuit priests face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread the gospel of Christianity. Odds: Silence seems Oscar bound but production delays and rumours that it’ll debut in Cannes 2016 suggest that the film might not be in competition until the 2017 Oscars.
17) The End of the Tour
Director: James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) Starring: Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Anna Chlumsky (In the Loop), Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) Premise: A magazine reporter recounts his travels and conversations with author David Foster Wallace during a promotional book tour. Odds: The new Almost Famous? Segel and Eisenberg’s pairing will undoubtedly pick up a cult following but might be a bit abrasive for the Oscar crowd.
16) In the Heart of the Sea
Director: Ron Howard (Apollo 13) Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Rush), Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) Premise: Based on the 1820 event, a whaling ship is preyed upon by a sperm whale, stranding its crew at sea for 90 days, thousands of miles from home. Odds: Ron Howard has experienced mass success with the disaster thriller genre but the merciless snub of his brilliant racing drama Rush hints at an anti-Howard agenda.
15) Mad Max: Fury Road
Director: George Miller (The Road Warrior) Starring: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Charlize Theron (Monster), Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) Premise: In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, two rebels just might be able to restore order: Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action who is looking to make it back to her childhood homeland. Odds: This bold action sequel received rave reviews but the fact that its plot can be sketched out on a napkin might put off some of the more traditional Academy voters.
14) Joy
Director: David O. Russell (American Hustle) Starring: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Robert De Niro (Casino) Premise: The story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. Odds: Russell has a surprising three consecutive Best Picture nominees but the flop of his abandoned rom-com Accidental Love earlier this years prevents Joy from being his fourth.
13) Brooklyn
Director: John Crowley (Is Anybody There) Starring: Saoirse Ronan (Atonement), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Julie Walters (Billy Elliot) Premise: In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Ellis Lacey has to choose between two men and two countries. Odds: This star studded effort could be a major contender so long as it avoids the pitfalls of a procedural romantic drama (IE Anna Karenina).
12) The Lobster
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) Starring: Colin Farrell (In Bruges), John C Reilly (Chicago), Rachel Weisz (Enemy at the Gates) Premise: In a dystopian near future, single people are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days or are transformed into animals and released into the woods. Odds: Merging comedy, romance and sci-fi with a bonkers concept from a Greek director making his English language debut. The Gilliam-esque level of weirdness will attract a lot of attention but may also backfire.
11) Youth
Director: Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty) Starring: Michael Caine (The Dark Knight), Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) Premise: Fred and Mick, two old friends, are on vacation in an elegant hotel at the foot of the Alps. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. But someone wants at all costs to hear him conduct again. Odds: Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty picked up a triple with Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globes in the Foreign Language category so Youth should continue form but Sorrentino’s only other English language feature, This Must Be the Place, was one of his weakest.
10) Suffragette
Director: Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane) Starring: Carey Mulligan (Drive), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) Premise: The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal state. Odds: The all-female writing directing team may face the snubs that Ava DuVernay suffered with Selma last year but the feminist story may tie into the Academy’s own changing times.
9) Black Mass
Director: Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) Starring: Johnny Depp (Public Enemies), Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) Premise: The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. Odds: A dark and intense modern gangster thriller akin to The Departed and Donnie Brasco. Hopefully, Pirates star Johnny Depp will prove his worth for the first time in years. The massively positive early response is greatly promising.
8) Crimson Peak
Director: Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) Starring: Mia Wasikowska (Stoker), Tom Hiddleston (War Horse), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Premise: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers. Odds: A lavish Gothic mood will elevate Crimson Peak from repetitive formulaic horror (The Conjuring, Insidious, Sinister, Annabelle) or even hits like the Carpenter-esque It Follows and indie smash The Babadook. Del Toro might exceed Pan’s Labyrinth’s three Oscar wins while busting the myth that horrors are Oscar immune (see Jaws, The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, Aliens, The Silence of the Lambs).
7) The Hateful Eight
Director: Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) Starring: Samuel L Jackson (Jurassic Park), Kurt Russell (The Thing), Bruce Dern (Nebraska) Premise: In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. Will they survive? Odds: Tarantino’s three Best Picture nominations may well be added to with this Western thriller. It’d be unlikely for this not to be an seventh consecutive hit for the filmmaker.
6) Carol
Director: Todd Haynes (I’m Not There) Starring: Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Kyle Chandler (Super 8) Premise: Set in 1950s New York, a department-store clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman. Odds: Carol has been the bookies’ favourite from the start but more recently more praise has gone towards its stars than the film itself.
5) Sicario
Director: Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) Starring: Emily Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow), Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) Premise: An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Odds: American Sniper, Argo, Captain Phillips, District 9, Gravity, The Hurt Locker, Inception and Zero Dark Thirty have redefined the Oscar’s favour for the action thriller genre.
4) Inside Out
Directors: Pete Docter (Up), Ronaldo Del Carmen Starring: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Bill Hader (Trainwreck), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) Premise: After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. Odds: The animation has gained the best reception of any of Pixar’s work since 2010’s Toy Story 3 but it has been five years since the studio has had a major nomination besides Animated Feature.
3) Bridge of Spies
Director: Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List) Starring: Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Amy Ryan (Birdman), Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall) Premise: An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union. Odds: Spielberg’s career has had nine Best Picture films (including Jaws, The Colour Purple, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse and Lincoln) and 118 Oscar nods are most likely to be added to but the acclaimed director isn’t immune to snubs (Catch Me if You Can, Jurassic Park). Also, Hanks hasn’t had an Oscar nod since 2001’s Cast Away and even his career best in Captain Phillips didn’t sway the Academy.
2) The Revenant
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman) Starring: Leonardo Di Caprio (Inception), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) Premise: The frontiersman, Hugh Glass, who in the 1820s set out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling. Odds: Considering the grueling shoot and huge budget, the civil-war era epic could be the new Dances With Wolves (multi-Oscar winner with Kevin Costner) or the new Heaven’s Gate (world renowned flop with Jeff Bridges). Either way, the footage is incredible.
1) Steve Jobs
Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) Starring: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), Kate Winslet (Titanic) Premise: The true story of the life of visionary Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Odds: While it suffered major development issues – loss of cast members (Christian Bale, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper, Leonardo Di Caprio, Ben Affleck, Tom Cruise, Matthew MacConaughey, Charlize Theronl, Jessica Chastain, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman) and director David Fincher – we reckon Steve Jobs is your next Best Picture winner.
Here’s a quickfire of the directors and stars we reckon will make the cut.
Best Director:
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies
Denis Villeneuve – Sicario
Danny Boyle – Steve Jobs
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Oliver Stone – Snowden
Guillermo Del Toro – Crimson Peak
JJ Abrams – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Scott Cooper – Black Mass
F Gary Gray – Straight Outta Compton
Paolo Sorrentino – Youth
Ron Howard – In the Heart of the Sea
Sarah Gavron – Suffragette
David O. Russell – Joy
Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Best Actor:
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs – Steve Jobs
Michael Caine – Fred Ballinger – Youth
Leonardo Di Caprio – Hugh Glass – The Revenant
Johnny Depp – Whitey Bulger – Black Mass
Tom Hanks – James Donovan – Bridge of Spies
Jason Segel – David Foster Wallace – The End of the Tour
Bryan Cranston – Dalton Trumbo – Trumbo
Eddie Redmayne – Lili Elbe – The Danish Girl
Ian McKellen – Sherlock Holmes – Mr Holmes
Jake Gyllenhaal – Billy Hope – Southpaw
Tom Hardy – Ronald/Reginald Kray – Legend
Joseph Gordon Levitt – Edward Snowden – Snowden
Colin Farrell – David – The Lobster
Tom Hardy – “Mad” Max Rockatansky – Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom Hiddleston – Hank Williams – I Saw the Light
Best Actress:
Rooney Mara – Therese Belivet – Carol
Marion Cotillard – Lady Macbeth – Macbeth
Alicia Vikander – Gerda Wegener – The Danish Girl
Emily Blunt – Kate Macer – Sicario
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy Mangano – Joy
Cate Blanchett – Carol Aird – Carol
Charlotte Rampling – Kate Mercer – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Ellis Lacey – Brooklyn
Juliette Binoche – Maria Enders – Clouds of Sils Maria
Carey Mulligan – Maud – Suffragette
Mia Wasikowska – Edith Cushing – Crimson Peak
Charlize Theron – Imperator Furiosa – Mad Max: Fury Road
Julianne Moore – Laurel Hester – Freeheld
Angelina Jolie – Vanessa – By the Sea
Amy Schumer – Amy – Trainwreck
Best Supporting Actor:
Seth Rogen – Steve Wozniak – Steve Jobs
Harvey Keitel – Mick Boyle – Youth
Benedict Cumberbatch – Bill Bulger – Black Mass
Benicio Del Toro – Alejandro – Sicario
Mark Rylance – Rudolf Abel – Bridge of Spes
Jesse Eisenberg – David Lipsky – The End of the Tour
Robert De Niro – Rudy Mangano – Joy
Christoph Waltz – Hans Oberhauser – Spectre
Samuel L Jackson – Marquis Warren – The Hateful Eight
Tom Hardy – John Fitzgerald – The Revenant
Chris O’Dowd – David Walsh – The Program
Josh Brolin – Matt – Sicario
Tom Hiddelston – Thomas Sharpe – Crimson Peak
Will Poulter – Jim Bridger – The Revenant
Harrison Ford – Han Solo – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Supporting Actress:
Rachel Weisz – Lena Ballinger – Youth
Kate Winslet – Joanna Hoffman – Steve Jobs
Shailene Woodley – Lindsay Mills – Snowden
Amy Ryan – Mary Donovan – Bridge of Spies
Ellen Page – Stacie Andree – Freeheld
Jessica Chastain – Lucille Sharpe – Crimson Peak
Jane Fonda – Brenda Morel – Youth
Kristen Stewart – Valentine – Clouds of Sils Maria
Julie Walters – Mrs Kehoe – Brooklyn
Melissa Leo – Laura Poitras – Snowden
Rachel McAdams – Maureen Hope – Southpaw
Helen Mirren – Hedda Hooper – Trumbo
Anna Chlumsky – Sarah – The End of the Tour
Helena Bonham Carter – Edith New – Suffragette
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Daisy Domergue – The Hateful Eight
Best Original Screenplay:
Youth – Paolo Sorrentino
The Hateful Eight – Quentin Tarantino
Inside Out – Pete Docter, Ronald Del Carmen, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
Bridge of Spies – Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen, Matt Charman
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
Joy – David O. Russell, Annie Mumulo
Sicario – Taylor Sheridan
Hail Caesar – Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen
Demolition – Bryan Sipe
The Good Dinosaur – Enrico Casarosa, Bob Peterson
Suffragette – Abi Morgan
Trainwreck – Amy Schumer
Southpaw – Kurt Sutter
Crimson Peak – Guillermo Del Toro, Matthew Robbins
Irrational Man – Woody Allen
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Steve Jobs – Aaron Sorkin
Carol – Phyllis Nagy
The End of the Tour – Donald Marguiles
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
The Revenant – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Mark L Smith
Mad Max: Fury Road – George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris
Silence – Jay Cocks
Snowden – Oliver Stone, Kieran Fitzgerald
Brooklyn – Nick Hornby
The Danish Girl – Lucina Coven
Spectre – John Logan, Neil Purvis, Robert Wade
Macbeth – Jacob Koskoff, Todd Louiso
Black Mass – Scott Cooper, Mark Mallouk
The Martian – Drew Goddard
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – JJ Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan
The Bourne series already has a fantastic extended cast including Chris Cooper, Brian Cox, Joan Allen, Clive Owen, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn and Albert Finney. Another addition has been made to the franchise’s ensemble with Vincent Cassel. The French star of La Haine, Irreversible, Ocean’s Twelve, Eastern Promises, Trance and Black Swan will play a new villain in the fifth Bourne instalment.
Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips, United 93) directs while the cast includes Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, The Departed), Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You, Silver Linings Playbook), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Man From UNCLE) and Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, No Country For Old Men).
The upcoming Star Wars instalments – sequel The Force Awakens (JJ Abrams – Harrison Ford, Andy Serkis) and spin-off Rogue One (Gareth Edwards – Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker) – have made major casting announcements but the so far untitled Episode VIII hasn’t been deterred from secrecy. However, we now know that there are three candidates for the new female lead.
Firstly, the Golden Globe winning star of TV’s Jane the Virgin: Gina Rodriguez.
Then, Olivia Cooke – the star of indie smash hit Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Finally, Tatiana Maslany – the lead of TV’s smash hit Orphan Black.
All three are reportedly taking reads with the Force Awakens star John Boyega (Attack the Block, Imperial Dreams), confirming that his character (Finn) will return for Episode VIII. Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick), will direct the sequel which’ll also star Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina, A Most Violent Year) and Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sicario).
We might also expect Harrison Ford (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Daisy Ridley (Toast of London), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Max Von Sydow (Minority Report), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Mark Hamill (Kingsman), Carrie Fisher (When Harry Met Sally), Adam Driver (Girls) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings) to star.
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