SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Movie insiders have deemed the 2018 Academy Awards, as the most unpredictable ‘Oscars Race’ in Hollywood’s history.
On Tuesday, The Academy presented its most eclectic field of movie contenders to ever compete for the ‘Best Motion Picture’ category.
The Academy’s ‘final nine’, sees a horror film, a fantasy drama, a female comedy and a summer blockbuster compete for Oscars 2018 Glory.
At present, Irish writer/director Martin McDonagh’s ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ is currently the even money market favourite to win Best Picture.
Led by Frances McDormand’s powerhouse performance, ‘Three Billboards’ carries the winning momentum having won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild this January. However, in 2018, Academy members may yet again to choose to flip the script.
This week sees the release of Mexican heavyweight director Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’ which gained 13 Oscar nominations and has been placed by the majority of bookmakers’ as 6/5 second market favourite.
First considered as an Oscars 2018 outsider, Indie darling Greta Gerwig’s comedy-drama ‘Lady Bird’ is now 6/1 third favourite to win Best Picture.
Following a year dogged by the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations, which have rocked all movie studios. Will the Academy award its top prize to the female produced and directed ‘Lady Bird’?
A further sub-plot sees Hollywood recover from a disastrous 2017 box office, in which movie studios recorded their worst audience decline in over a decade.
In need of some blockbuster magic, could Academy members turn to Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic ‘Dunkirk’, the former Best Picture favourite, which is now priced at 20/1.
Jordan Peele’s surprise hit ‘Get-Out’ has surpassed all critical and box-office expectations. At 25/1, will the Academy reward its first ever horror movie for Best Picture, to Get-Out’ and its raising star director?
Jordan Peele may well represent Hollywood’s future, but the Academy still recognises its stalwart auteurs, as Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Post’ makes the final nine. At 35/1 bookmakers place little hope on ‘The Post’ delivering ‘Spielberg a follow up on his previous Oscar successes (Schindler’s List 1994 & Saving Private Ryan 1999).
With a whole month left of ‘Oscars Champagning & Campaigning’, all movie punters should question whether the Academy will reward Hollywood’s best picture or Hollywood’s status in 2018.
