5 Huge Oscar Contenders Releasing This Week

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With November here, the announcement of nominations for the 2026 Oscars is just under three months away. Several potential Best Picture winners, including One Battle After Another and Sinner, have already been released and are looking strong.

Over the next few weeks, you can expect a new movie aiming for Oscar recognition to be released almost every week. This trend started in October with films like The Smashing Machine, After the Hunt, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, and Bugonia – all released in the fall and expected to be contenders throughout awards season.

October offered a first look at potential nominees for the 98th Academy Awards, but the first weekend of November marks the real beginning of the Oscar season. While Predator: Badlands is likely to be a box office hit, five other films released this weekend are aiming for awards recognition.

Christy

Sydney Sweeney stars in Christy, a new film expected to compete for Oscars. She portrays boxer Christy Martin’s life story, directed by David Michôd, who also made The King and War Machine. The movie details Martin’s boxing career and a shocking attempt on her life by her husband. Black Bear Pictures is releasing Christy in theaters this weekend, following its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) two months ago.

Sweeney delivers a stunning performance in the film, undergoing extensive physical training to convincingly portray the boxer. Critics have lauded not only her physical transformation but also the depth and emotion she brings to the role, which is a major reason the film is now being discussed as a potential Oscar contender.

Zendaya Sweeney is being considered for a Best Actress nomination at the 2026 Oscars. Discussions about her potential nomination started after the film premiered at festivals, and although the initial excitement has calmed down a bit, the film’s release in theaters gives her a new opportunity to strengthen her position as a contender.

Everyone agrees that this 28-year-old actor is Christy’s strongest hope for Oscar recognition. Ben Foster could also be nominated for Best Supporting Actor if the film gains enough traction. However, the movie’s chances of winning awards are likely limited to these acting categories; it’s not expected to be a contender for awards like Best Director, Best Picture, or the screenplay and technical awards.

Die, My Love

I’m really excited about Jennifer Lawrence’s chances at the Best Actress award, and I think the release of her new film, Die, My Love, could give her a big boost, much like how people are hoping to help Sweeney’s campaign. It’s a challenging role – she plays a new mother struggling with isolation – and it’s directed by Lynne Ramsay, who I loved in We Need To Talk About Kevin. Mubi is releasing it this weekend after it first premiered at Cannes months ago, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it!

Jennifer Lawrence has already won an Oscar and been nominated four times, and her new film, Die, My Love, could earn her a fifth nomination. Critics have consistently praised her performance, with some calling it the best of her career. If voters feel the same way, she’ll likely be a strong contender for Best Actress again this year.

Jennifer Lawrence is already gaining recognition for her performance. She’s been nominated for a Gotham Award and was the sole female nominee for Best Lead Performance at the British Independent Film Awards. These nominations likely represent just the beginning of a successful awards season, particularly now that her film, Die, My Love, is being released to a wider audience.

Jennifer Lawrence is the most likely candidate for an Oscar nomination for her role in Die, My Love. While less certain, director Lynne Ramsay could also receive a Best Director nomination. For the film to be competitive in other categories, like technical awards, or for Robert Pattinson to be considered for Best Supporting Actor, it would need to gain significant momentum during the remaining awards season. Currently, the film primarily highlights Lawrence’s performance.

Train Dreams

Netflix has two films with potential for Oscar nominations releasing this week. One, Train Dreams, will first appear in select theaters before becoming available to stream on November 21st.

As a movie fan, I’ve been keeping an eye on Train Dreams for a while now. It first showed at Sundance way back in January and everyone loved it, which led to Netflix picking it up. Now, people are seriously talking about it as a possible Best Picture contender, and maybe even in other Oscar categories too. It’s exciting to see a film like this gain so much buzz!

Train Dreams is a dramatic film starring Joel Edgerton as a railroad worker whose job creates tension within his family, including his wife (Felicity Jones) and daughter. Clint Bentley directed the movie and co-wrote the screenplay with Greg Kwedar. The film has received recognition, including nominations for Best Feature and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Gotham Awards, and Joel Edgerton has won awards at several film festivals.

Now that more people are seeing Train Dreams, it will become clearer how the film might perform at the Oscars. It has potential nominations in several categories, including Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor.

Sentimental Value

While Train Dreams looks promising for awards, Sentimental Value is widely considered the frontrunner for Oscars this weekend. This Norwegian film, directed by Joachim Trier (known for The Worst Person in the World), tells the story of two sisters reconnecting with their father following their mother’s passing.

From the beginning, many predicted Sentimental Value would be a strong awards contender, and that expectation has only increased as more people have seen the film. It received almost universal praise after its premiere at Cannes, where it won the festival’s second highest honor, the Grand Prix.

Most experts predict Sentimental Value will win Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. It would be a major surprise if it didn’t also receive nominations for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård). The film also has a strong chance of being nominated for Best Director (Trier), Best Actress (Renate Reinsve), Best Supporting Actress (Elle Fanning or Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), and Best Original Screenplay.

The film might receive even more award nominations as the season progresses, particularly if it performs well in theaters as Neon expects.

Frankenstein

The other films will continue to play in cinemas, but Frankenstein is taking a different approach to reach more viewers. After a limited theatrical release a few weeks ago – which helped its chances for awards – the movie is now coming to Netflix and will be instantly available to its vast audience of subscribers.

Guillermo del Toro’s new film, based on Mary Shelley’s classic novel, has had an interesting journey during awards season. While there was a lot of pre-release buzz and high expectations after its debut at the Venice Film Festival, the initial reaction was only moderate, leading some to believe it wouldn’t be a major contender at the Oscars. However, it gained momentum when it placed second in the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Since its release, more and more people have come to appreciate the film Frankenstein, making it a strong contender in several Oscar categories. A Best Picture nomination is now quite possible, along with nominations for Jacob Elordi as Supporting Actor, Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, and Costume Design. If the film continues to gain popularity, it could also receive nominations for Director, Visual Effects, Casting, and other awards.

This week, Frankenstein is the only significant film hoping for an Oscar that’s being released directly on streaming, giving it a real opportunity to become a strong contender. Because it’s easily accessible, more people are likely to see it than other potential nominees, and positive reactions from viewers – including Academy members – could give it an edge over the competition.

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2025-11-05 01:32