Oscar Race Heats Up as Odyssey Campaign Begins
Universal launches a two-week voter push for Christopher Nolan’s epic, while Zendaya enters the lead actress race for Dune: Part Three.
By Petra Murphy ·
Universal Pictures launches a formal Oscar campaign for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey the week of Nov. 9, 2026. The studio plans screenings and question-and-answer sessions featuring Nolan, producer Emma Thomas, and star Matt Damon. These events will place the trio before Academy voters nearly every night for two weeks.
Variety has confirmed that Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s You Can See Everything will not compete for the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards this season. The film remains in the Best Picture race, where it is listed among the predicted nominees.
Zendaya will campaign for a Best Actress nomination for her role as Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three. The studio Mubi will also push Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler for lead and supporting acting recognition for the film Rose. Mubi is positioning these two performances across the broader awards circuit.
Amazon MGM Studios faces a split strategy with two contenders in the musical or comedy categories. Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, is one entry. Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky, starring Anthony Ippolito, is the other. Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid, his feature debut, was submitted in the drama categories.
The Odyssey currently leads the predicted nomination count with 14. This total would tie the record for the second-most nominations in history, shared by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. The all-time record is 16, set by Sinners last year. The Odyssey remains capable of matching or breaking that mark.
Other major titles still to be released include David Fincher’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, the Russo brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday, and Robert Eggers’ Werwulf. Each film is expected to impact specific categories. Dune: Part Three currently trails The Odyssey with 12 projected nominations, followed by La Bola Negra with 11.
The Governors Awards will honor Glenn Close and Ridley Scott on Nov. 15. Preliminary voting for 12 Oscar categories runs from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11, with shortlists announced on Dec. 15. Eligibility closes on Dec. 31, 2026. Nominations voting occurs from Jan. 11 to Jan. 15, 2027. The Academy will announce nominees on Jan. 21, 2027.
The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2027. Conan O’Brien will host the event at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood. The broadcast will air live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and stream in more than 200 territories worldwide.
