Early Oscar Odds

The first stab — as in most years, I have yet to see the vast majority of these films at this point. But I’m still usually pretty good, considering. Potential nominees are split into “lock” (guaranteed nom), “likely” (would be considered a surprise if omitted), “possible” (definite contender but nothing is certain), and “unsure” (not enough information on the film at this time to say). Have at it.

Picture Chances
Slumdog Millionaire Likely
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Likely
Milk Likely
Revolutionary Road Possible
The Dark Knight Possible
Doubt Possible
Frost/Nixon Possible
The Wrestler Possible
Rachel Getting Married Possible
Gran Torino Unsure
The Reader Unsure
Actress Chances
Meryl Streep (Doubt) Likely
Kristin Scott Thomas (I’ve Loved You So Long) Likely
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) Likely
Sally Hawkins (Happy Go Lucky) Possible
Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) Possible
Melissa Leo (Frozen River) Possible
Angelina Jolie (Changeling) Possible
Actor Chances
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) Lock
Sean Penn (Milk) Lock
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) Lock
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) Possible
Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road) Possible
Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button) Unsure
Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) Unsure
Will Smith (Seven Pounds) Unsure
Supporting Actress Chances
Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) Likely
Viola Davis (Doubt) Likely
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) Likely
Elsa Zylberstein (I’ve Loved You So Long) Possible
Rosemary DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) Possible
Sophie Okonedo (Secret Life of Bees) Possible
Amy Adams (Doubt) Possible
Taraji P. Henson (Benjamin Button) Unsure
Tilda Swinton (Benjamin Button) Unsure
Cate Blanchett (Benjamin Button) Unsure
Kate Winslet (The Reader) Unsure
Supporting Actor Chances
Heath Ledger (Dark Knight) Lock
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) Likely
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) Possible
James Franco (Milk) Possible
Josh Brolin (Milk) Possible
Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) Possible
Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder) Possible
Eddie Marsan (Happy Go Lucky) Possible
Liev Schreiber (Defiance) Unsure
Ralph Fiennes (The Reader) Unsure
Director Chances
David Fincher (Benjamin Button) Likely
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) Likely
Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married) Possible
Gus Van Sant (Milk) Possible
Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) Possible
Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight) Possible
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) Possible
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) Possible
Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) Possible
Mike Leigh (Happy Go Lucky) Possible
Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor) Possible
Baz Luhrmann (Australia) Possible
Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) Unsure
Stephen Daldry (The Reader) Unsure
Adapted Screenplay Chances
Eric Roth (Benjamin Button) Likely
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) Likely
Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) Likely
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) Likely
Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon) Likely
Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight) Possible
David Hare (The Reader) Unsure
Original Screenplay Chances
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) Likely
Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) Likely
Dustin Lance Black (Milk) Likely
Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon (WALL-E) Possible
Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married) Possible
Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor) Possible
Baz Luhrmann, et al (Australia) Possible
Mike Leigh (Happy Go Lucky) Possible
Philippe Claudel (I’ve Loved You So Long) Possible
Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York) Possible
Nick Schenk (Gran Torino) Unsure
Grant Nieporte (Seven Pounds) Unsure

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