Disney has officially started its Oscar campaign by launching its 2019 For Your Consideration Website. As one would imagine, Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film of all time that also received rave reviews from critics and fans alike is being championed in a number of different categories.
The list is as follows:
- Best Picture – Avengers: Endgame
- Best Director – Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
- Best Adapted Screenplay – Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
- Best Cinematography – Trent Opaloch
- Best Original Score – Alan Silvestri
- Best Film Editing – Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt
- Best Production Design – Charles Wood
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound Mixing
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Visual Effects
The technical categories are a given. Best VFX and Best Production Design are some of the categories that the film not only has the best chance of getting nominated but winning as well. It’s also great to see Disney pushing the writers and directors as well.
But what’s surprising is the lack of a Best Actor push for Robert Downey Jr, especially since the Russo Brothers and many others claimed earlier this year that they genuinely believe that Robert Downey Jr deserves an Oscar nomination for his fantastic work in the film. (Of course, we have to keep in mind that the Russo Brothers are probably not the ones making these decisions). While I’m not saying RDJ definitely deserves an Oscar nomination, he’s one of those actors, like Hugh Jackman with Logan/Wolverine who’s synonymous with his comic book movie character. Can you imagine anyone else other than Robert Downey Jr playing Iron Man? In Endgame, RDJ delivered a performance that brought many of us to tears.
Disney isn’t pushing for any other Endgame actors for the Oscars either.
That said, it’s great that Disney is campaigning for the film to win Best Picture. A few years ago, it would seem almost impossible for a comic book movie to get a nomination in the Best Picture category. However, last year Black Panther broke the glass ceiling when it became the first comic book movie in history to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination.
