Oscars Predictions: Production Design – Will Two-Time Nominee Jack Fisk Finally Win for His Work on Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon?’
Scorsese’s epic will likely battle the likes of ‘Barbie,’ ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Poor Things’ for Academy love
Everett Collection
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
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2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Production Design
The stairs to Weird Barbie‘s house were inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’
Sarah Greenwood/Warner Bros.
Weekly Commentary (Updated Nov. 2, 2023): “Killers of the Flower Moon” production designer Jack Fisk and set decorator built an entire town to bring Oklahoma in the early 1900s to life. Fisk has been nominated for two Oscars throughout his career — “There Will Be Blood” (2007) and “The Revenant” (2015). Arguably, he should have more with “The Master” (2012) and “The Tree of Life” (2011) and “The New World” (2005) all being snubbed. With four decades in the game, he’s more than due for love.
Fisk’s ability to understand a director’s vision and translate it into tangible, visually striking sets has been unparalleled across his four-decade-long career. His work in “Flower Moon” goes beyond mere decoration; it becomes an integral part of the narrative, enriching the characters and their surroundings.
Of course, Fisk has stiff competition with “Barbie” and “Poor Things,” showing lush designs and craftsmanship, in addition to “Oppenheimer” and “Maestro.”
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
The submission deadline for general categories is Nov. 18, 2023. Preliminary shortlist voting will begin on Dec. 18, with the results announced on Dec. 21. The voting period will run from Jan. 11-16, 2024, with the official nominations announcement on Jan. 23.
The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10.
***The list below is not final and will be updated throughout the awards season.
And the Predicted Nominees Are:
- “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Shona Heath, James Price (production designer), Zsuzsa Mihalek (set decorator)
- “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jack Fisk (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)
- “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Katie Spencer (set decorator)
- “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ruth De Jong (production designer), Claire Kaufman (set decorator)
- “Wonka” (Warner Bros.) — Nathan Crowley (production designer), Lindy Hemming (set decorator)
Next in Line
- “Napoleon” (Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures) — Arthur Max (production designer), Celia Bobak (set decorator)
- “Maestro” (Netflix) — Kevin Thompson (production designer), Rena DeAngelo (set decorator)
- “Ferrari” (Neon) — Maria Djurkovic (production designer), Sophie Phillips (set decorator)
- “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.) — Paul D. Austerberry (production designer), Larry Dias (set decorator)
- “Asteroid City” (Focus Features) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Kris Moran (set decorator)
Other Top-Tier Possibilities
- “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — Chris Oddy (production designer), Joanna Kus, Katarzyna Sikora (set decorators)
- “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studio) — Toma Baqueni (production designer), TBA (set decorator)
- “Priscilla” (A24) — Tamara Deverell (production designer), Patricia Cuccia (set decorator)
- “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Patrick O’Keefe (production designer)
- “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate) — Steve Saklad (production designer), Selina van den Brink (set decorator)
- “The Creator” (20th Century Studios) — James Clyne (production designer), Claire Levinson-Gendler (set decorator)
- “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — François Audouy (production designer), Jan Pascale (set decorator)
- “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures) — Karen Murphy (production designer), Lotty Sanna (set decorator)
- “Rustin” (Netflix) — Mark Ricker (production designer), Amy Wells (set decorator)
- “BlackBerry” (IFC Films) — Adam Belanger (production designer), Lucy Larkin (set decorator)
Also In Contention
- “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.) — Jon Billington (production designer), Jennifer M. Gentile (set decorator)
- “May December” (Netflix) — Sam Lisenco (production designer), Jess Royal (set decorator)
- “The Killer” (Netflix) — Donald Graham Burt (production designer), Brandi Kalish (set decorator)
- “A Haunting in Venice” (20th Century Studios) — John Paul Kelly (production designer), Celia Bobak (set decorator)
- “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Anna Pinnock (set decorator)
- “The Bikeriders” (20th Century Studios) — Chad Keith (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator) **
- “Origin” (Neon) — Ina Mayhew (production designer), Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo (set decorator)
- “Elemental” (Pixar) — Dan Shank (production designer)
- “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures) — Sarah Finlay (production designer), Marian Murray (set decorator)
- “The Little Mermaid” (Walt Disney Pictures) — John Myhre (production designer), Gordon Sim (set decorator)
All Eligible Titles (Alphabetized by Studio)**
- “A Haunting in Venice” (20th Century Studios) — John Paul Kelly (production designer), Celia Bobak (set decorator)
- “The Bikeriders” (20th Century Studios) — Chad Keith (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)
- “The Creator” (20th Century Studios) — James Clyne (production designer), Claire Levinson-Gendler (set decorator)
- “Beau is Afraid” (A24) — Fiona Crombie (production designer), Laurent Déry-Lauzier (set decorator)
- “Dream Scenario” (A24) — Zosia Mackenzie (production designer), Brittany Morrison (set decorator)
- “The Iron Claw” (A24) — James Price (production designer), Tim Cohn (set decorator)
- “Past Lives” (A24) — Grace Yun (production designer), Joanne Ling (set decorator)
- “Priscilla” (A24) — Tamara Deverell (production designer), Patricia Cuccia (set decorator)
- “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — Chris Oddy (production designer), Joanna Kus, Katarzyna Sikora (set decorators)
- “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — François Audouy (production designer), Jan Pascale (set decorator)
- “Cassandro” (Amazon MGM Studios) — J.C. Molina (production designer), Vanessa Bryant (set decorator)
- “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Suzie Davies (production designer), Charlotte Dirickx (set decorator)
- “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jack Fisk (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)
- “Napoleon” (Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures) — Arthur Max (production designer), Celia Bobak (set decorator)
- “Golda” (Bleecker Street) — Arad Sawat (production designer), Celia De La Hey (set decorator)
- “Asteroid City” (Focus Features) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Kris Moran (set decorator)
- “The Holdovers” (Focus Features) — Ryan Warren Smith (production designer), Markus Wittman (set decorator)
- “BlackBerry” (IFC Films) — Adam Belanger (production designer), Lucy Larkin (set decorator)
- “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studio) — Toma Baqueni (production designer), TBA (set decorator)
- “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures) — Cabot McMullen, Brandon Mendez (production designers), David Hack (set decorator)
- “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate) — Steve Saklad (production designer), Selina van den Brink (set decorator)
- “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (Lionsgate) — Uli Hanisch (production designer), TBA (set decorator)
- “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Marvel Studios) — Bet Mickle (production designer), Rosemary Brandenburg (set decorator)
- “The Marvels” (Marvel Studios) — Care Brower (production designer), Jet Azis (set decorator)
- “Ferrari” (Neon) — Maria Djurkovic (production designer), Sophie Phillips (set decorator)
- “Origin” (Neon) — Ina Mayhew (production designer), Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo (set decorator)
- “The Killer” (Netflix) — Donald Graham Burt (production designer), Brandi Kalish (set decorator)
- “May December” (Netflix) — Sam Lisenco (production designer), Jess Royal (set decorator)
- “Maestro” (Netflix) — Kevin Thompson (production designer), Rena DeAngelo (set decorator)
- “Nyad” (Netflix) — Kara Lindstrom (production designer), TBA (set decorator)
- “Rustin” (Netflix) — Mark Ricker (production designer), Amy Wells (set decorator)
- “Elemental” (Pixar) — Dan Shank (production designer)
- “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures) — Sarah Finlay (production designer), Marian Murray (set decorator)
- “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures) — Karen Murphy (production designer), Lotty Sanna (set decorator)
- “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Shona Heath, James Price (production designer), Zsuzsa Mihalek (set decorator)
- “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Patrick O’Keefe (production designer)
- “Freud’s Last Session” (Sony Pictures Classics) — Luciana Arrighi (production designer), John Neligan (set decorator)
- “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ruth De Jong (production designer), Claire Kaufman (set decorator)
- “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (Warner Bros.) — Bill Brzeski, Sahby Mehalla (production designers), David Morison (set decorator)
- “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Katie Spencer (set decorator)
- “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.) — Jon Billington (production designer), Jennifer M. Gentile (set decorator)
- “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.) — Paul D. Austerberry (production designer), Larry Dias (set decorator)
- “Wonka” (Warner Bros.) — Nathan Crowley (production designer), Lindy Hemming (set decorator)
- “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Anna Pinnock (set decorator)
- “The Little Mermaid” (Walt Disney Pictures) — John Myhre (production designer), Gordon Sim (set decorator)
2022 category winner: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix) — Christian M. Goldbeck, Ernestine Hipper
** indicates an unconfirmed release date in 2023 or could campaign in the lead or supporting categories. All release dates are subject to change.
Oscars Predictions Categories
BEST PICTURE | DIRECTOR | BEST ACTOR | BEST ACTRESS | SUPPORTING ACTOR | SUPPORTING ACTRESS | ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY | ADAPTED SCREENPLAY | ANIMATED FEATURE | PRODUCTION DESIGN | CINEMATOGRAPHY | COSTUME DESIGN | FILM EDITING | MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING | SOUND | VISUAL EFFECTS | ORIGINAL SCORE | ORIGINAL SONG | DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | ANIMATED SHORT | DOCUMENTARY SHORT | LIVE ACTION SHORT
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The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners have been selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Seventeen branches are represented within the nearly 10,000-person membership. The branches are actors, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films and feature animation, sound, visual effects and writers.
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