Oscar Predictions 2016

Past years' predictions and winners: 2014, 2015

Well it's about that time again!

This list is definitely a work in progress and is mostly guesswork and some wishful thinking. However it will hopefully become more accurate as we get closer to February 28, 2016. Feel free to comment below and let me know who you think will be nominated!

And to help make this less confusing: Strikethrough = no longer a contender. Blue Highlight = my current top picks. Red highlight = nomination that I didn't predict. *Asterisk* = predicted winner. Bold = winner.

(Updated 2/28/16)

Best Picture
Aloha
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Carol
Creed
The Danish Girl
Ex Machina
The Good Dinosaur
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Joy
Macbeth
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Sicario
Spectre
*Spotlight*
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Steve Jobs
Suffragette
Victoria
The Walk

Directing
Lenny Abrahamson - Room
J.J. Abrams - Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Woody Allen - Irrational Man
Danny Boyle - Steve Jobs
Ryan Coogler - Creed
Cameron Crowe - Aloha
Alex Garland - Ex Machina
Sarah Gavron - Suffragette
Todd Haynes - Carol
Tom Hooper - The Danish Girl
*Alejandro González Iñárritu - The Revenant*
Justin Kurzel - Macbeth
Tom McCarthy - Spotlight
Adam McKay - The Big Short
Sam Mendes - Spectre
George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
David O. Russell - Joy
Sebastian Schipper - Victoria
Ridley Scott - The Martian
Steven Spielberg - Bridge of Spies
Quentin Tarantino - The Hateful Eight
Guillermo del Toro - Crimson Peak
Denis Villeneuve - Sicario
Robert Zemeckis - The Walk

Actor in a Leading Role
Michael Caine - Youth
Steve Carell - The Big Short
George Clooney - Tomorrowland
Bradley Cooper - Joy
Bradley Cooper - Aloha
Daniel Craig - Spectre
Bryan Cranston - Trumbo
Matt Damon - The Martian
*Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant*
Michael Fassbender - Macbeth
Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - The Walk
Tom Hanks - Bridge of Spies
Tom Hardy - Legend
Tom Hiddleston - Crimson Peak
Ian McKellen - Mr. Holmes
Joaquin Phoenix - Irrational Man
Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl
Will Smith - Concussion
Jacob Tremblay - Room

Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett - Carol
Emily Blunt - Sicario
Jessica Chastain - The Martian
Laia Costa - Victoria
Marion Cotillard - Macbeth
*Brie Larson - Room*
Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
Julianne Moore - Freeheld
Carey Mulligan - Far from the Maddening Crowd
Carey Mulligan - Suffragette
Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
Emma Stone - Aloha
Charlize Theron - Mad Max: Fury Road
Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina
Mia Wasikowska - Crimson Peak

Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Alda - Bridge of Spies
Christian Bale - The Big Short
Josh Brolin - Sicario
Robert De Niro - Joy
Benicio Del Toro - Sicario
Chiwetel Ejiofor - The Martian
Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation
Tom Hardy - The Revenant
Sean Harris - Macbeth
Samuel L. Jackson - The Hateful Eight
Michael Keaton - Spotlight
Ben Kingsley - The Walk
Hugh Laurie - Tomorrowland
Brad Pitt - The Big Short
Seth Rogen - Steve Jobs
Sylvester Stallone - Creed
Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight
*Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies*
Christoph Waltz - Spectre

Actress in a Supporting Role
Helena Bonham Carter - Suffragette
Jessica Chastain - Crimson Peak
Jane Fonda - Youth
Melissa Leo - The Big Short
Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
Virginia Madsen - Joy
Kate Mara - The Martian
*Rooney Mara - Carol*
Rachel McAdams - Aloha
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
Hellen Mirren - Trumbo
Ellen Page - Freeheld
Amy Ryan - Bridge of Spies
Emma Stone - Irrational Man
Meryl Streep - Suffragette
Emma Thompson - Burnt
Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
Julie Walters - Brooklyn
Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Big Short - Adam McKay, Charles Randolph
Brooklyn - Nick Hornby
Carol - Phyllis Nagy
The Danish Girl - Lucinda Coxon
In the Heart of the Sea - Charles Leavitt
The Martian - Drew Goddard
The Revenant - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith
*Room - Emma Donoghue*
Spectre - John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade
Steve Jobs - Aaron Sorkin
The Walk - Christopher Browne, Robert Zemeckis

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Aloha - Cameron Crowe
Bridge of Spies - Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Ex Machina - Written by Alex Garland
The Good Dinosaur - Meg LeFauve
The Hateful Eight - Quentin Tarantino
Inside Out - Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
Irrational Man - Woody Allen
Joy - Annie Mumolo, David O. Russell
*Spotlight - Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy*
Strait Outta Compton - Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff
Suffragette - Abi Morgan
Youth - Paulo Sorrentino

Cinematography
The Big Short - Barry Ackroyd
Bridge of Spies - Janusz Kaminski
Carol - Ed Lachman
Creed - Maryse Alberti
The Danish Girl - Danny Cohen
Ex Machina - Rob Hardy
The Hateful Eight - Robert Richardson
In the Heart of the Sea - Anthony Dod Mantle
Jurassic World - John Schwartzman
Macbeth - Adam Arkapaw
Mad Max: Fury Road - John Seale
The Martian - Dariusz Wolski
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Robert Elswit
Mr. Holmes - Tobias A Schliessler
*The Revenant - Emmanuel Lubezki*
Sicario - Roger Deakins
Spectre - Hoyt van Hoytema
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Daniel Mindel
Tomorrowland - Claudio Miranda
Victoria - Sturla Brandth Grøvlen
The Walk - Dariusz Wolski

Film Editing
Aloha - Joe Hutshing
The Big Short - Hank Corwin
Bridge of Spies - Michael Kahn
Cinderella - Martin Walsh
Far from the Maddening Crowd - Claire Simpson
The Hateful Eight - Fred Raskin
In the Heart of the Sea - Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Joy - Jay Cassidy
Kingsman: The Secret Service - Conrad Buff IV, Eddie Hamilton, Jon Harris
Macbeth - Chris Dickens
*Mad Max: Fury Road - Margaret Sixel*
The Martian - Pietro Scalia
The Revenant - Stephen Mirrione
Sicario - Joe Walker
Spectre - Lee Smith
Spotlight - Tom McArdle
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Maryann Brandon, Mary Jo Markey
Steve Jobs - Elliot Graham
Suffragette - Barney Pilling
Tomorrowland - Walter Murch

Production Design
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Charles Wood
Bridge of Spies - Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich (Set Decoration)
Carol - Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Cinderella - Dante Ferretti, Casey Banwell, Francesca Lo Schiavo
Crimson Peak - Thomas E. Sanders, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau
The Danish Girl - Eve Stewart (Production Design); Michael Standish (Set Decoration)
The Hateful Eight - Yohei Taneda
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
Joy - Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Macbeth - Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton
Mad Max: Fury Road - Colin Gibson (Production Design); Lisa Thompson (Set Decoration)
The Martian - Arthur Max (Production Design); Celia Bobak (Set Decoration)
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - James D. Bissell, John Bush
Mr. Holmes - Martin Childs, Charlotte Watts
*The Revenant - Jack Fisk (Production Design); Hamish Purdy (Set Decoration)*
Spectre - Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Rick Carter, Darren Gilford, Lee Sandales
Steve Jobs - Guy Hendrix Dyas, Gene Serdena
Tomorrowland - Scott Chambliss

Costume Design
Aloha - Deborah Lynn Scott
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Alexandra Byrne
Bridge of Spies - Kasia Walicka-Maimone
*Carol - Sandy Powell*
Cinderella - Sandy Powell
Crimson Peak - Kate Hawley
The Danish Girl - Paco Delgado
Far from the Maddening Crowd - Janet Patterson
The Hateful Eight - Courtney Hoffman
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
Joy - Michael Wilkinson
Macbeth - Jacqueline Durran
Mad Max: Fury Road - Jenny Beavan
The Martian - Janty Yates
The Revenant - Jacqueline West
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Michael Kaplan
Suffragette - Jane Petrie
Tomorrowland - Jeffrey Kurland

Makeup and Hairstyling
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared - Éva Kozma
Aloha - Fríða Aradóttir, John Caglione Jr.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Black Mass - Gloria Pasqua Casny, Joel Harlow
Carol - Jerry DeCarlo, Patricia Regan
Cinderella - Naomi Donne, Carol Hemming
Concussion - Jacenda Burkett, Kathrine Gordon
Crimson Peak - Cliona Furey, Jordan Samuel
The Danish Girl - Jan Sewell
The Hateful Eight - Camille Friend, Heba Thorisdottir
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 - Camille Friend, Ve Neill, Nikoletta Skarlatos
Legend
Macbeth - Jenny Shircore
*Mad Max: Fury Road - Nadine Prigge, Lesley Vanderwalt*
The Martian - Tina Earnshaw
Mr. Holmes - Dave Elsey
The Revenant - Adrien Morot, Robert A. Pandini, Sharon Toohey
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
Steve Jobs - Gretchen Davis, Yvette Rivas

Music (Original Score)
Bridge of Spies - Thomas Newman
Brooklyn - Michael Brook
By the Sea - Gabriel Yared
Carol - Carter Burwell
The Danish Girl - Alexandre Desplat
Everest - Dario Marianelli
Ex Machina - Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury
The Good Dinosaur - Jeff and Mychael Danna
*The Hateful Eight - Ennio Morricone*
Inside Out - Michael Giacchino
Jurassic World - Michael Giacchino
The Martian - Harry Gregson-Williams
Sicario - Jóhann Jóhannsson
Spectre - Thomas Newman
Spotlight - Howard Shore
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - John Williams
Suffragette - Alexandre Desplat
Tomorrowland - Michael Giacchino
The Walk - Alan Silvestri

Music (Original Song)
Fifty Shades of Grey - "Earned It" Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
Furious 7 - "See You Again" by Justin Franks, Andrew Cedar, Charlie Puth, and Wiz Khalifa
Home - "Dancing In the Dark" by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Ester Dean, Maureen Anne McDonald, and Robyn Rihanna Fenty
The Hunting Ground - "Til It Happens to You" Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet - "Hypnosis" by Damien Rice
Pitch Perfect 2 - "Flashlight" by Sam Smith, Sia Furler, Christian Guzman, and Jason Moore
Racing Extinction - "Manta Ray" Music by J. Ralph; Lyric by Antony Hegarty
Spectre - "Writing's on the Wall" Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
When Marnie Was There - "Fine on the Outside" by Priscilla Ahn
*Youth - "Simple Song #3" Music and Lyric by David Lang*

Sound Mixing
Aloha - Chris Jenkins
Ant-Man - Tom Johnson, Whit Norris, Juan Peralta
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Christopher Boyes, Lora Hirschberg
Bridge of Spies - Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
Ex Machina - Niv Adiri, Ian Tapp
The Hateful Eight - Christian P. Minkler, Michael Minkler
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
In the Heart of the Sea - Chris Burdon
Inside Out - Tom Johnson, Michael Semanick
Jupiter Ascending - Dane A. Davis
Jurassic World - Kirk Francis
Kingsman: The Secret Service - Matthew Collinge, Mike Prestwood Smith
Mad Max: Fury Road - Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
The Martian - Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Gilbert Lake, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith
The Revenant - Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
Sicario - Tom Ozanich, John T. Reitz
Spectre - Scott Millan
*Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson*
Tomorrowland
The Walk - William B. Kaplan, Randy Thom

Sound Editing
Ant-Man - Daniel Laurie, Shannon Mills
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Christopher Boyes, Frank E. Eulner
Bridge of Spies - Richard Hymns
Chappie
Everest - Glenn Freemantle
Ex Machina - Glenn Freemantle
The Hateful Eight - Wylie Stateman
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
In the Heart of the Sea - Frank Kruse
Jupiter Ascending - Dane A. Davis, Eric Lindemann, Tom Ozanich
Jurassic World Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
Kingsman: The Secret Service - Martin Cantwell, Matthew Collinge
Macbeth - Steve Single
Mad Max: Fury Road - Mark Mangini and David White
The Martian - Oliver Tarney
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - James Mather
The Revenant - Lon Bender, Martín Hernández
Sicario - Alan Robert Murray
Spectre - Per Hallberg
*Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Matthew Wood and David Acord*
Steve Jobs - Glenn Freemantle
Tomorrowland - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

Visual Effects
Ant-Man - Russell Earl, Jake Morrison
Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ben Snow, Christopher Townsend
Bridge of Spies
Chappie
Everest
Ex Machina - Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
Furious 7
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 - Charles Gibson
In the Heart of the Sea
Jupiter Ascending - David Vickery
Jurassic World - Tim Alexander
Mad Max: Fury Road - Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams
The Martian - Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - David Vickery
The Revenant - Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer
Spectre
*Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould*
Terminator Genisys
Tomorrowland
The Walk - Kevin Baillie, Viktor Muller

Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
The Boy and the Beast
Boy and the World
The Good Dinosaur
Home
Hotel Transylvania 2
*Inside Out*
Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet
The Laws of the Universe - Part 0
Minions
Moomins on the Riviera
The Peanuts Movie
Regular Show: The Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water
When Marnie Was There

Documentary Feature Film
3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets
*Amy*
Best of Enemies
Cartel Land
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
He Named Me Malala
Heart of a Dog
The Hunting Ground
Listen to Me Marlon
The Look of Silence
Meru
We Come as Friends
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Where to Invade Next
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

Foreign Language Film
Afghanistan - Utopia, director: Hassan Nazer
Albania - Bota, directors: Iris Elezi and Thomas Logoreci
Algeria - Twilight of Shadows, director: Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina
Argentina - The Clan, director: Pablo Trapero
Australia - Arrows of the Thunder Dragon, director: Greg Sneddon
Austria - Goodnight Mommy, directors: Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala
Bangladesh - Jalal's Story, director: Abu Shahed Emon
Belgium - The Brand New Testament, director: Jaco Van Dormael
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Our Everyday Story, director: Ines Tanović
Brazil - The Second Mother, director: Anna Muylaert
Bulgaria - The Judgment, director: Stephan Komandarev
Cambodia - The Last Reel, director: Sotho Kulikar
Canada - Felix and Meira, director: Maxime Giroux
Chile - The Club, director: Pablo Larrain
China - Go Away, Mr. Tumor, director: Han Yan
Colombia - Embrace of the Serpent, director: Ciro Guerra
Costa Rica - Imprisoned, director: Esteban Ramírez
Croatia - The High Sun, director: Dalibor Matanic
Czech Republic - Home Care, director: Slavek Horak
Denmark - A War, director: Tobias Lindholm
Dominican Republic - Sand Dollars, directors: Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas
Estonia - 1944, director: Elmo Nuganen
Ethiopia - Lamb, director: Yared Zeleke
Finland - The Fencer, director: Klaus Härö
France - Mustang, director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Georgia - Moira, director: Levan Tutberidze
Germany - Labyrinth of Lies, director: Giulio Ricciarelli
Greece - Xenia, director: Panos Koutras
Guatemala - Ixcanul, director: Jayro Bustamante
Hong Kong - To the Fore, director: Dante Lam
*Hungary - Son of Saul, director: László Nemes*
Iceland - Rams, director: Grimur Hakonarson
India - Court, director: Chaitanya Tamhane
Iran - Muhammad: The Messenger of God, director: Majid Majidi
Iraq - Memories on Stone, director: Shawkat Amin Korkiv
Ireland - Viva, director: Paddy Breathnach
Israel - Baba Joon, director: Yuval Delshad
Italy - Non essere cattivo, director: Claudio Caligari
Ivory Coast - Run, director: Philippe Lacôte
Japan - 100 Yen Love, director: Masaharu Take
Jordan - Theeb, director: Naji Abu Nowar
Kazakhstan - Stranger, director: Ermek Tursunov
Kosovo - Babai, director: Visar Morina
Kyrgyzstan - Heavenly Nomadic, director: Mirlan Abdykalykov
Latvia - Modris, director: Juris Kursietis
Lebanon - Void, written by Georges Khabbaz, directors: Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Habr
Lithuania - The Summer of Sangaile, director: Alante Kavaite
Luxembourg - Baby(a)lone, director: Donato Rotunno
Macedonia - Honey Night, director: Ivo Trajkov
Malaysia - Men Who Save the World, director: Liew Seng Tat
Mexico - 600 Miles, director: Gabriel Ripstein
Montenegro - You Carry Me, director: Ivona Juka
Morocco - Aida, director: Driss Mrini
Nepal - Talakjung vs Tulke, director: Nischal Basnet
Netherlands - The Paradise Suite, director: Joost van Ginkel
Norway - The Wave, director: Roar Uthaug
Pakistan - Moor, director: Jamshed Mahmood Raza
Palestine - The Wanted 18, directors: Paul Cowan and Amer Shomali
Panama - Box 25, directors: Mercedes Arias and Delfina Vidal
Paraguay - El tiempo nublado (Cloudy Times), director: Arami Ullon
Peru - NN, director: Héctor Gálvez
Philippines - Heneral Luna, director: Jerrold Tarog
Poland - 11 Minutes, director: Jerzy Skolimowski
Portugal - Arabian Nights - Volume 2, The Desolate One, director: Miguel Gomes
Romania - Aferim!, director: Radu Jude
Russia - Solnechny Udar (Sunstroke), director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Serbia - Enclave, director: Goran Radovanovic
Singapore - 7 Letters, directors: Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin, Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal
Slovakia - Koza, director: Ivan Ostrochovský
Slovenia - The Tree, director: Sonja Prosenc
South Africa - The Two of Us, director: Ernest Nkosi
South Korea - The Throne, director: Lee Joon-ik
Spain - Flowers, directors: Jon Garaño, Jose Mari Goenaga
Sweden - A Pigeon Sat on a Branch, Reflecting on Existence, director: Roy Andersson
Switzerland - Iraqi Odyssey, director: Samir
Taiwan - The Assassin, director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Thailand - How To Win at Checkers (Every Time), director: Josh Kim
Turkey - Sivas, director: Kaan Mujdeci
United Kingdom - Under Milk Wood, director: Kevin Allen
Uruguay - A Moonless Night, director: Germán Tejeira
Venezuela - Gone With the River, director: Mario Crespo
Vietnam - Jackpot, director: Dustin Nguyen

Live Action Short Film
*Ave Maria, director: Basil Khalil*
Bad Hunter, director: Sahim Omar Kalifa
Bis Gleich (Till Then), producer: Philippe Brenninkmeyer
Contrapelo (Against the Grain), director: Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer
Day One, director: Henry Hughes
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut), director: Patrick Vollrath
The Free Man (Zi You Ren), director: Quah Boon-Lip
Shok, director: Jamie Donoughue
Stutterer, director: Benjamin Cleary
Winter Light, director: Julian Higgins

Animated Short Film
Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso), director: Gabriel Osorio
Carface (Autos Portraits), director: Claude Cloutier
If I Was God…, director: Cordell Barker
Love in the Time of March Madness, directors: Melissa Johnson and Robertino Zambrano
My Home, director: Phuong Mai Nguyen
An Object at Rest, director: Seth Boyden
Prologue, director: Richard Williams
*Sanjay’s Super Team, director: Sanjay Patel*
We Can’t Live without Cosmos, director: Konstantin Bronzit
World of Tomorrow, director: Don Hertzfeldt

Documentary Short Film
50 Feet From Syria
*Body Team 12*
Chau, Beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Last Day of Freedom
Minerita
My Enemy, My Brother
Starting Point
The Testimony