The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed the Oscar nominations for 2021. Unsurprisingly, given the events of the past year, films released exclusively on streaming services dominate the list.
Among these streaming platforms, Netflix leads with 35 nominations followed by Amazon Studios with 12 nominations. Apple TV+ and Disney Plus also secured their first Oscar nominations since launch.
How Streaming Services Are Bossing the Oscars
Last year, Netflix garnered 24 nominations. Impressively, this year the streaming service has broken its previous record with a staggering 35 nominations.
Among the Netflix films that are nominated, David Fincher's Mank leads the pack with 10 nominations, including best picture. Additionally, Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 has added another six Oscar nominations to Netflix's bag in 2021.
With 12 Oscar nominations, Amazon Studios has broken its personal record.
Six out of these 12 nominations have been bagged by The Sound of Metal, including the best actor category for Riz Ahmed's performance in the film. Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat Subsequent Moviefilm has received two nods as well.
In addition, One Night in Miami scored two nominations for best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor. Amazon Studios won three Oscars in 2017, and looking at this year's entries, it may be able to break that record as well.
In a first since launching in 2019, Disney+ has secured its fair share of Oscar nominations in 2021. Pixar's Onward and Soul have been nominated for the best animated features. Soul also received nominations for the best score and sound. Mulan has been nominated best visual effects and best costume design.
Nomadland, streaming on Hulu, is another win for Disney as the film secured six nominations and is one of the strongest contenders for best picture.
Apple TV+, which launched just over a year ago, has already made its mark on the Oscars. Wolfwalkers and Greyhound, have both been nominated in the best animated feature and best sound categories respectively.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Hit Hollywood Hard
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic's impact has been felt by all industries in the world. But Hollywood has been hit especially hard.
Most of the films nominated for the Oscars this year had initially planned a traditional, theatrical release.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 was originally going to be released by Paramount Pictures, with Universal taking the helm for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Unfortunately, the current pandemic forced theaters to shut down, and producers had to release the films on OTT media platforms such as Netflix.
Who Will Win Big at the 2021 Oscars?
In spite of 2020 being a difficult year, moviegoers were treated to lots of good films.
Netflix has already demonstrated what it's capable of and also has the advantage of the most nominations. But more importantly, films such as The Trial of the Chicago 7" have particularly resonated with the events of last year. Backed by stellar performances by the actors, it's a movie that's likely to win on the night.
Amazon Studios has The Sound of Metal under its belt, and actor Riz Ahmed has made history by being the first Muslim actor to be nominated in the best actor category. The sound editing has left many viewers awestruck and perfectly communicates the message of the movie.
While Disney+ and Apple TV+ don't have as many nominations as Netflix or Amazon, some of their original movies are brilliant. The Oscar nominations are a testimony to that. Though Disney's Soul is most certainly on its way to win the best animated feature award, Wolfwalkers is also a must-see movie.
It will be exciting to see which platform wins the most awards on the night, with the Oscars taking place on Sunday, April 25, at 5PM PT.