Who’s Leading This Year’s Oscars Race in a Skimpy Field of Contenders?

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterIn Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune,” Rebecca Ferguson plays Lady Jessica, lover of the world ruler portrayed by Oscar Isaac and matriarch to Timothée Chalamet’s messiah-in-waiting. She is a doting mother who is distracted by the pressures of a royal household, but more importantly, she is  brimming over with a supernatural power that could bring about revolution.That dynamic is not a bad allegory for Ferguson’s career.

Unlike Adapted Screenplay, the Original Screenplay category is not only more competitive but likely more settled. Kenneth Branagh‘s autobiographical “Belfast” is pretty much a lock for a nomination (he earned an Adapted nod for “Hamlet” in 1998) and it’s likely Zach Baylin lands a nod for “King Richard.” Moreover, we have a gut feeling MIke Mills‘ “C’Mon C’Mon” will also make the cut, especially after his nod in this category for “20th Century Women” in 2016.

Police Scotland is appealing for the public’s assistance in an effort to trace a man reported missing from Dumbarton last week.

Police are appealing for help to find a Dumbarton man last seen on Wednesday.

environment, colonialism and giant space worms.“It became an obsession,” Villeneuve, 54, said.And it was just the beginning of a decade-spanning dream that is finally coming to fruition as his own version of “Dune” makes its way to North American theaters Friday.Villeneuve is not the first filmmaker who has dared to fantasize about making “Dune,” but he’s the first to see his vision realized in a way that might satisfy both fans and novices.

Christopher Vourlias Joe Russo weighed in on Scarlett Johansson’s “Black Widow” legal battle with Disney on Thursday, calling it “unfortunate” that the conflict spilled out into the public domain, but suggesting that it’s a sign of the times for an industry gripped by uncertainty.“There’s a lot of tension, just like there is in a lot of industries, because there’s a lot of disruption,” he said.

Declan Rice believes the penalty that Luke Shaw gave away in England's draw with Hungary on Tuesday was correct, even if the fouled player made a meal of it.

Variety, if Jude Hill was nominated for his role in 'Belfast', he would be the second-youngest actor ever nominated since Jackie Cooper, who was recognized for Norman Taurog’s classic comedy 'Skippy' (1930-31) at the fourth Oscars ceremony. As well as putting the Armagh actor forward for the prestigious award, Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, Caitriona Balfe, and Judi Dench are also being touted for supporting actors nominations.

Clayton Davis The cast of Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” including Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench, will follow young Jude Hill’s lead on the road to the Academy Awards.

Clayton Davis The cast of Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” including Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and Judi Dench, will follow young Jude Hill’s lead on the road to the Academy Awards.

Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast tells the story of a fictional nine-year-old version of himself during the Troubles in late 1960s Northern Ireland. Today, he told Deadline’s Contenders Film: London event that he had long wanted to write something about the city, but was thinking “perhaps there was a story about my grandparents,” until the pandemic came around.

Clio Barnard took inspiration from two people she met while filming previous films for Ali & Ava, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Denis Villeneuve told the audience at Contenders London today that embarking on an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 sci-fi book Dune was the “project of a lifetime” for him.

William Earl The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday that journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have been awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.In a statement posted to their official site, the committee praised the duo “for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia.

Dune is released this month, has opened up about the failure of his previous film Blade Runner 2049.The sequel to the 1982 original, which starred Ryan Gosling and saw Harrison Ford reprise his role as Rick Deckard, was a box office misfire.Upon its release in 2017, it failed to cross the $100million mark despite a production and marketing budget that was reportedly over $300million.“The miracle for me about ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is the following: I’m still making movies and you’re still talking

Norwegian Nobel Committee stressed that a free and independent press is essential to achieving and maintaining peace in the world.“Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” committee chair Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

Kate Hudson and Rani Rose sure know how to put on a show.

Clayton Davis Where have all the Black cowboys gone? They are raging in the heart and mind of debut filmmaker Jeymes Samuel’s “The Harder They Fall,” an advantageous and stylistic western that could become one of the most popular flicks on Netflix and a populist selection in the major Oscar categories, which could include rapper Jay-Z.Brutal, violent and cool as hell, the blood-squibb-western, which opened the BFI London Film Festival, is a genre piece that will likely lend itself to

Clayton Davis The early days of awards season bring buzz and promise, but they also mean it’s time for studios to develop strategy and brainstorm opportunities to strike.With the Toronto International Film Festival handing out its prestigious People’s Choice prize to Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” the Focus Features drama has the authority to declare itself the best picture front-runner for this awards season — but holding on to the throne won’t be easy.Speaking of thrones, Joel Coen’s adaptation