Can Amazon’s ‘Small Axe’ Make the Switch to the Oscars?

Clayton Davis A movie cooked up and shot during COVID-19 could be a gamble in this climate — but introduce it with the invigorating talents of John David Washington and Zendaya, and you could have a winning recipe for success, maybe even at the Academy Awards.

Clayton Davis Tom Holland takes on his most serious role so far in Anthony and Joe Russo’s “Cherry,” the filmmakers’ first outing following the box office smash “Avengers: Endgame.” Before a virtual crowd of journalists and industry voters, the film was screened with a live conversation with the cast and filmmakers moderated by Oscar nominee and “Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr.Distributed by Apple TV Plus, the film tells the story of an unnamed army medic who suffers from post-traumatic stress

Daniel Francis, the British actor who recently starred in Education, the fifth and final film of Steve McQueen’s hugely-celebrated Small Axe anthology series, has landed a recurring role in upcoming Netflix drama Stay Close, based on Harlan Coben's bestselling novel.

Clayton Davis Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories.

The third film in the Small Axe anthology directed by Steve McQueen (considered a limited series by HFPA guidelines), Amazon and BBC's Red, White and Blue stars John Boyega as London Metropolitan Police Force Officer Leroy Logan, who worked within the system to create police reforms in the 1980s. Logan's encounters with racism on the force as the son of a Jamaican father (who himself was beaten by cops and falsely charged) are compounded by the alienating response within his community.

Danielle Turchiano Senior Features Editor, TVDon’t adjust your calendar’s sync function: This year’s Golden Globes really will have different eligibility windows for film and TV.As COVID-19 wreaked havoc during 2020, causing months-long production shutdowns and pushed many high-profile premiere dates (see HBO’s “The Undoing” and FX’s “Fargo”), the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. (HFPA) reacted by moving its annual awards ceremony from the usual January date to Feb.

Clayton Davis Following the Oscars race is a science, and while your gut-check can be your most valuable resource, data always support claims and provide an idea of where the season is headed. The Awards Circuit Winners Chart is where Variety keeps track of all the films and performances on the road to the Academy Awards.

The year 2020 is now commonly dubbed the annus horribilis — "the horrible year." The last 10 months certainly have been awful. But then so was 1968, when both Martin Luther King Jr.

Clayton Davis One of the final shoes to drop on the awards season is Shaka King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield, the official category submissions for the upcoming Oscars have been named. Kaluuya, who portrays Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton, will campaign for best supporting actor while Stanfield, as FBI informant Bill O’Neal, will seek consideration in best actor.

Clayton Davis Frances McDormand could make history for women at the Oscars.The 63-year-old actor has received raves for her performance in “Nomadland” from Chloé Zhao, landing her in contention for her sixth acting nomination after winning two best actress Oscars (1996’s “Fargo” and 2018’s “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”).

Investment firms Searchlight Capital Partners, ForgeLight, founded by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis, with Mexico’s Grupo Televisa announced Tuesday they’ve completed the acquisition of giant Spanish-language broadcaster Univision.

Clayton Davis Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories.

Clayton Davis The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has completed its annual review of film submissions for the Golden Globe awards, and Variety has learned exclusively that many films and performances have been switched from the studios’ intended submissions.“Promising Young Woman” from Focus Features was switched from comedy to the drama categories.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterSony Music Entertainment has announced the appointment of Andrew Davis to the role of Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Sunday determined their picks for the year's best in film. Small Axe was tapped as best picture.

If it’s a Sunday in December it means it’s time for the Los Angeles Film Critics Association to hand out their year-end honors. The big winner was Steve McQueen’s film anthology commissioned for the BBC and Amazon Prime Video, “Small Axe.” It took Best Film, Best Cinematography and McQueen was runner up for Best Director.

Also Read: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Film Review: Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis Lead an Explosive Cast in Stagey Adaptation“Wolfwalkers” was named the year’s best animated film, with “Soul” the runner-up.