Universal Launches Heavy Handed Campaign For The Odyssey
Nolan’s epic faces stiff competition from Dune: Part Three, while You Can See Everything loses DGA eligibility and Zendaya enters the lead actress race.
By Eric Collins ·
The 2027 Academy Awards race has entered its most active phase as major studios finalize their strategies.
Universal Pictures begins an intensive promotional push for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey starting the week of Nov. 9, 2026. The studio plans a schedule of screenings and question and answer sessions that places director Christopher Nolan, producer Emma Thomas, and star Matt Damon in front of voters for nearly every night over a two-week period. This effort aims to secure support for the film, which currently projects 14 nomination slots. That total ties for the second-most nominations in history alongside All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. The record of 16 nominations set by Sinners last year remains the benchmark The Odyssey could still match or exceed.
Variety 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. Despite that setback, the film retains a strong position in other categories, including Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay. Meanwhile, Zendaya has confirmed she will campaign for the lead actress Oscar for her role as Chani in Dune: Part Three. Mubi is also preparing a dual campaign, pushing Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler for supporting roles at the Oscars while simultaneously promoting Hüller for lead actress for her performance in Rose.
Amazon MGM Studios is fielding two contenders in the musical or comedy categories. Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, and Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky, starring Anthony Ippolito, both received submissions in the drama categories during the final Golden Globe deadline. Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid, his first feature as writer, director, and star, was also submitted in the drama categories. These releases add to a crowded field that includes David Fincher’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, the Russo brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday, and Robert Eggers’ Werwulf. Each of these titles has the potential to shift the standings in specific technical and acting categories.
Universal Pictures currently leads the studio rankings with 16 projected nominations, followed by A24 with 14 and a tie between Netflix and Warner Bros. at 13 each. Focus Features sits at 11 and Amazon MGM Studios at 9. The Academy will announce preliminary shortlists in 12 categories on Dec. 15, following voting from Dec. 7 to 11. Eligibility closes on Dec. 31, 2026, with nominations voting scheduled for Jan. 11 to 15, 2027. Official nominations appear on Jan. 21, 2027. The 99th ceremony takes place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Conan O’Brien will host the event, which airs live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET.
The Governors Awards ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 15, will present honorary Oscars to Glenn Close and Ridley Scott. This event serves as the opening weekend for the awards season. The predicted winner for Best Picture remains The Odyssey, with Denis Villeneuve projected to take the directing honor for Dune: Part Three. Julianne Moore is the front-runner for Best Actress, while Andrew Scott is favored in the actor category. These projections reflect current industry consensus and may shift as voting deadlines approach.
Technical categories show strong leads for the two major epics. Dune: Part Three is predicted to win Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects. The Odyssey is projected to secure Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound, and Casting. La Bola Negra leads the International Feature race, while Wildwood is the top choice for Animated Feature. These outcomes depend on sustained campaign support through the final weeks of voting.
