2026 Oscar Shortlists Recap (ft. Bennett Prosser)

Between critics groups and different awards bodies, we can finally glean some much needed information about the Academy’s true love love from this year’s diverse slate of films. How predictable will the list of inaugural Best Casting nominees be? Will Neon be able to successfully nominate all five of the international films in their slate? What were the biggest surprises announced? And most importantly, will Diane Warren earn her 17th (!!!) nomination? Tune in for this and much more as Sophia and Nick debate and analyze all 12 feature film shortlists with frequent guest and Original Song extraordinaire, Bennett Prosser.Follow Bennett on Letterboxd and Bluesky @bennettprosserFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Find bonus content on our Patreon @ patreon.com/OscarWild More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

The first set of big critics prizes, including NYFCC, LAFCA, NBR, and AFI, have arrived along with the Gotham Awards winners and nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and Golden Globes (a mouthful!), all showing a clear consensus and complete rallying behind One Battle After Another. To talk about all of these important awards season updates, Nick and Sophia are excited to welcome back returning guest Bennett Prosser. They discuss all the trends and possibilities with Best Picture contenders, who’s on the bubble, and which films have lost the most steam. With Rose Byrne winning the trifecta and Supporting Actress a tossup, it’s still anyone’s ball game. Will Diane Warren receive another nomination for Original Song? Listen for plenty of hot goss and tune back in next week when they discuss the Oscar Shortlists!Follow Bennett on Letterboxd and Bluesky @bennettprosserFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimFind bonus content on our Patreon @ patreon.com/OscarWild More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

It’s been a clock tick since DRAMA.’s Connor and Dylan MacDowell have joined Sophia and Nick on the pod, so what better way to rejoicify than by discussing the movie adaptation of Act II of the thrillifying musical, Wicked. Some may call it hideoteous, but the box office numbers show a very different story. Elphaba and Glinda’s troubled friendship is further examined in Wicked: For Good, especially under the tyrannical rule of the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Listen as they all share their opinions of the follow-up along with an in-depth discussion of the songs, including the two new ones, scenes, performances, and more. What did and didn’t work? What from the stage adaptation was altered? Does it have Oscar potential? Tune in to find out all of this and more during their hilarious chat! Follow DRAMA. at @thedramapodcastFollow Connor MacDowell @ConnorMacDowellFollow Dylan MacDowell @dylanmacdowellFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimMore content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

Sophia and Nick are excited to chat about some buzzy films that have delighted festival audiences throughout the year and now have had wider releases for more to enjoy. But first, they mention some industry updates, including the Gotham Awards nominations and tribute winners and if these are a barometer for what’s to come. Then, they share their spoiler-free opinions on Bugonia, Frankenstein, Die My Love, and Jay Kelly (streaming on Netflix December 5th) and see what Oscar potential they might have. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

Old Hollywood is full of hot gossip and today, Nick and Sophia are here to spill all of the piping hot tea between Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Their romance began as a Warner Bros. production on the set of their first collaboration, To Have and Have Not, and continued until Bogart’s passing 13 years later. Listen to this juicy episode to hear all about their secret affair, how Bacall almost lost her contract way before she became a household name, and a discussion of the other three films on which they worked together, including: The Big Sleep, Dark Passage, and Key Largo. Comment if you think they deserved to earn Oscar nominations for any of these films! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

Welcome to the first purgatory of awards season: the period after fall festivals have ended and before the first set of major nominations and awards have been announced (except for the Gotham Film Awards nominations which came out last week). Since Sophia and Nick haven’t shared their Oscar predictions on the show since June and collectively they’ve seen most of the remaining 2025 releases, they figured it’s time to share their updated picks on air. Remember, you can always find them including more categories here! Listen to find out how they think Picture, Director, and all Acting categories will shake out. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

As another Halloween approaches, Sophia and Nick are excited to celebrate Hitchcock-tober once again! This time, they marvel at the outstanding collaboration between the famed director and the costume designer with the most Oscar nominations and wins, Edith Head. Their eleven films together spanned three decades, multiple studios, and the transition from B/W to color. Listen to find out how Head uses different materials and colors to create looks that accentuate an actor’s figure, develop a character’s identity, and provide narrative function, all the while dazzling audience with unforgettable designs. Should she have been nominated for more than just To Catch a Thief? From Notorious (1946) to Topaz (1976), which is your favorite collaboration between them? *Note: If you’ve never seen Vertigo and do NOT want it spoiled, skip ahead from (36:46) to (38:55) for a more general appreciation of the film’s costumes.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

This year’s NYFF may have concluded but Nick and Sophia are back to chat about many of the other films that made up this year’s incredible slate! From documentaries such as Cover-Up, another riveting portrait made by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus, to international dramas, like Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winning It Was Just an Accident or Oliver Laxe’s divisive and hellish rave, Sirāt, there’s always a vast array of filmmaking styles on display. Listen for more titles, what they think will show up during this year’s Oscar race, and what secret screening turned out to be Chalam-azing! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27 Follow Sophia @sophia_cimMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

The return of pumpkin spice lattes on every corner might be the biggest sign that fall has returned, but for Sophia and Nick, the crisp air and earlier sunsets can only mean one thing: the New York Film Festival is back! They are excited to recap their first week of the festival on this week’s spoiler-free episode, discussing multiple premieres like Amazon MGM’s After the Hunt and Netflix’s A House of Dynamite and Jay Kelly. They also discuss Oscar potential for the many films they opine, including Park Chan-wook’s upcoming release and TIFF International People's Choice Award winner, No Other Choice. Stay tuned for some fun festival sightings and another recap on the rest of the fest next week! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

The most anticipated release of the year for many has finally arrived! Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest work, One Battle After Another, kept mostly under wraps until recently, is a feat of a true artist and lives up to its many expectations. Nick and Sophia are back to review the film and talk through some of its highlights, including what makes it such a critical release with bold perspectives on current affairs that have plagued generations. A short discussion with spoilers comes at (34:31) before a run through of many possible Oscar nominations (46:13). They’re excited to see how this changes the awards conversation which will continue to evolve in the coming weeks. What did you think of One Battle After Another?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan AdamichMore content including updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.com