2026 Oscar Contenders VII: Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, Casting, Director, and Picture

5 weeks, 7 episodes, 24 categories, 50 films, 232 nominees! On the final Contenders episode of the season, Sophia and Nick break down the nominees for the final five categories: Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay (18:48), Casting (36:14), Director (48:09), and last but not least, Best Picture (1:01:35). And that’s all she wrote…for now. Thank you for following along on this journey through the nominees and stay tuned for final nomination predictions before the telecast on Sunday, March 15th! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Become a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

Sophia and Nick follow up their chat about the wonderful Oscar-nominated supporting performances with their leading counterparts, which leave an equally indelible mark on this year’s awards season. The ten nominees in Actor and Actress (22:23) challenge both the actor and the audience to search the deepest parts within oneself to find what differentiates the body and spirit from the collective hive mind of humanity. Michael B. Jordan tackles being twins AND a vampire while Leo DiCaprio plays a father racing to the ends of the earth to protect his daughter. Also, Rose Byrne, Jessie Buckley, and Kate Hudson shine while bravely channelling the unrelenting trials of motherhood. Comment with your own write-in votes and who you think should win! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Become a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

You know the Oscars are near when it’s time for the above the line categories! Nick and Sophia continue their Contenders series with Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress (34:39), getting to highlight some of their favorite performances of the year (thankfully with fewer instances of category fraud). And it’s especially fun to see veteran actors and first-time nominees duke it out in a tight race, so comment with your favorite nominee! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimBecome a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

A mega episode covering 15 feature films and 15 short films calls for plenty of homework and a whole lot of fun. The big nominee getters are just as exciting of watches as this group of films Sophia and Nick discuss today, two-thirds of which are only featured on this Contenders episodes. So follow along for a quick recap about each film, how they enjoyed each nominee, what other film they would write in, and which they hope will win. The time stamps for the categories are as follows: International Feature, Documentary Feature (19:58), Animated Feature (35:44), Animated Short Film (48:28), Live Action Short Film (56:49), and Documentary Short Film (1:10:30). Comment on socials what some of your favorite inclusions are! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Become a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

Dive deeper into this year’s Oscar nominees as Nick and Sophia break down three more technical categories: Film Editing, Cinematography (23:03), and Visual Effects (41:14). Whether you gush over aspect ratios or have no idea how digital effects like in Avatar: Fire and Ash exist (guilty!), they excitedly share fun facts and BTS tidbits that really make these movies come alive. As always, they also include a write-in vote and share who they think should win. Listen and comment on socials which nominees you would vote for! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimBecome a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

The second part of the Contenders Series dives into the audio component of the cinematic experience and features frequent guest and Original Song aficionado, Bennett Prosser. Sophia and Nick are excited to hear about all of his insights into the nominees, including sharing their favorite songs and tracks, write-in votes and who they think should win in Original Song, Original Score (38:04), and Sound (1:06:48). Listen along for lots of unexpected laughs, score and soundtrack recommendations, and Academy Awards banter! #TeamDianeWarrenFollow 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

Now that this year’s crop of Oscar nominees has been announced, follow along as Nick and Sophia embark on their extensive Contenders series leading up to the 98th Academy Awards in March. They discuss every person nominated for every film in all 24 categories and showcase their talents by sharing astounding facts and details that help create the collaborative artwork onscreen. In this first episode, they look at Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design (33:29), and Production Design (56:19). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimjBecome a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

We’re just days away from one of the most exciting announcements that will surely change many lives forever. Sophia and Nick lock in as they announce and defend their final Oscar nomination predictions, so listen to find out who could be on the chopping block and which categories are most likely to surprise. Tune in on January 22nd at 8:30am ET to find out this year’s crop of Oscar nominees!Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Become a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

Only one more week until Oscar nominations! And to prepare with some last minute prediction changes, Nick and Sophia are back to recap the Golden Globes and share the many guild updates that happened since the Critics Choice Awards. So sit back, relax, and enjoy as they debate Timmy’s Oscar chances, Hamnet’s surprise Picture win, the possibility for The Secret Agent to significantly shake up the race, and so much more! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27 on Twitter and @nruhrkraut.bsky.social at BlueskyFollow Sophia @sophia_cim on Twitter and @sophiacim.bsky.social at BlueskyBecome a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

Flipping the first few pages on that crisp calendar symbolizes the start of something new (no toxic mom group drama here!), including a fresh start, a much needed detox, and another exciting Criterion Challenge underway. It also means an entirely new slate of films to anticipate, which Sophia and Nick highlight on today’s new episode! They discuss everything from imminent releases, like Send Help and Emerald Fennell’s bold Wuthering Heights adaptation; to blockbuster sequels and adaptations, like Shrek 5, Dune: Part III, and Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey. Curious to learn about what could be potential 2027 Oscar bound films—ahem, The Social Network sequel! Ruben Östund takes to the skies with a mega cast! Tune in for more info on these movies, dates for current awards season players with expanded releases and more! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Become a patron and listen to more content at patreon.com/OscarWild Find updated predictions and merch @ oscarwild.squarespace.comMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich