For Good’s Finest Image Probabilities?

The 2026 Finest Image race is taking form, and whereas the sphere hasn’t narrowed down sufficient but for a transparent lineup to be in view, there are already just a few frontrunners.

Sinners rode into the autumn with a variety of love and the presumption of being a significant contender, a standing it’s going to must battle to take care of. Hamnet emerged the winner of the surprisingly deflated fall festivals, whereas One Battle After One other skipped them and jumped to the entrance of the road with a few of the 12 months’s finest critiques. And with a shock screening on the New York Movie Competition, Marty Supreme has positioned itself as a possible rival to this trio, regardless of not formally releasing till Christmas Day.

Alongside these movies are a number of others combating for place, making an attempt to ascertain themselves as worthy nominees, whether or not in Finest Image or elsewhere. However there are additionally some, together with Depraved: For Good and Avatar: Fireplace & Ash, which appear penciled in as unthreatening nominees. They’re assumed, by advantage of their awards pedigree, to be a part of the Finest Image 10, seemingly powered by a variety of different nominations. However they don’t seem to be within the dialog of films that would really win.

I am unable to assist however really feel that, in Depraved‘s case, we’re making a mistake.

Depraved: For Good’s Awards Positioning Is Higher Than The First Film’s, Not Worse

The inclination to dismiss Depraved: For Good is probably going rooted in its familiarity; as a result of we have seen Half One, we really feel like we all know what we’re getting right here. Avatar‘s scenario is far the identical, and it is true to a sure extent. However that very same logic is strictly why the second a part of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation could possibly be 2026’s darkish horse candidate for Finest Image.

Although it definitely had its detractors, the primary Depraved was extensively embraced final 12 months. It was a smash hit in the way in which Hollywood’s been craving, inspiring real engagement from its viewers. With Cynthia Erivo’s gravitas and Ariana Grande’s comedic timing, it created a possibility to have a good time two extra stars. And it was celebrated as an old-school crafts achievement for its sensible units, elaborate costumes, and massive musical numbers.

Depraved went into the Oscars with ten nominations, together with Finest Image, and a few actually nice vibes. In reality, it was thought-about a little bit of a darkish horse, with many speculating {that a} musical with emotional highs and themes of combating fascism is likely to be precisely how the Academy needed to reply to the realities of 2024. In the long run, it did not materialize, and the movie walked away with two wins for Costume and Manufacturing Design – however the push did actually occur.

The primary reactions to Depraved: For Good have surfaced and are very optimistic, and whereas these ought to all the time be taken with a wholesome grain of salt, they did get me pondering. If Chu & Co. stick the touchdown and ship the identical highs as Half One, could not that very same momentum generate yet again? And if it does, is it actually honest to imagine For Good is in a worse place than its predecessor?

The Oscars have a historical past of ready to award a multi-film endeavor till the top, and in contrast to Dune, Depraved will not be asserting an sudden Half Three earlier than the marketing campaign has ended. The Wizard of Oz connections folks thought would possibly endear the movie to voters will likely be even stronger this time round. The second act is the place Chu would possibly take extra dangers with the difference, amongst that are confirmed to be two new songs for its leads.

And, since each elements have been filmed concurrently, the filmmakers have the choice to handle a few of the criticisms over the movie’s look, ought to they so want. In any case, the VFX artists may have had an additional 12 months of time to excellent their work, hopefully easing the crunch that’s so usually liable for subpar CGI making it into the ultimate product.

If the political environment was a possible motive for Depraved‘s surge, that is solely gotten stronger a 12 months later – and Elphaba will really be combating towards the Wizard’s regime for this movie’s total runtime.

Plenty of nice films are in competition for Finest Image this 12 months, it is true. However is it actually so outlandish to think about a state of affairs through which Depraved: For Good is each extensively nominated and extensively preferred throughout a number of branches of the Academy; skates previous the extreme combating by the strongest campaigns (which is able to very presumably bitter {our relationships} with some or all of them); and rides its feel-good power to victory?

If that is still an out of doors probability because the season progresses, I nonetheless suppose Depraved: For Good should not be taken as a right on the whole. If it delivers on all its promise, it may take dwelling greater than two statuettes this time round.