The lead-up to the 96th Academy Awards has been marked by a series of notable nominations announced on January 23, 2024, setting the stage for an exciting showdown in cinematic excellence. Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," a detailed exploration of the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, leads the pack with an impressive 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and acting nods for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt​​.
Following closely are Yorgos Lanthimos's "Poor Things" and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," with the latter receiving 11 nominations, including a historic nod for Lily Gladstone as the first Native American actress to be Oscar-nominated​​​​. Scorsese, at 81, breaks records as the oldest nominee for Best Director, his tenth nomination in this category​​.
Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" also made a significant impact with eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling. The film has been recognized for its original songs, "What Was I Made For?" and "I’m Just Ken"​​.
The nominations have also highlighted several firsts and historic moments. For instance, Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, and Cillian Murphy are among the actors receiving their first Oscar nominations. Brooks's nomination for "The Color Purple" echoes Oprah Winfrey's Oscar-nominated performance from the 1985 original film, both nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category​​.
In the directors' category, Jonathan Glazer for "The Zone of Interest" and Justine Triet for "Anatomy of a Fall" received their first nominations, with Triet being the eighth woman nominated for Best Director​​.
This year’s nominations underscore the diversity and richness of contemporary cinema, from groundbreaking performances to innovative storytelling. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on March 10, 2024, promising to be a night of celebration for the film industry's most outstanding achievements​​.