We’re looking at each individual category for the Oscars and what our thoughts are going into the final stretch. We’ll adjust our thoughts based on the precursor associated with this category, Cinema Audio Society and Motion Picture Sound Editors. Below are our predictions in Best Sound.

Best Sound

Winner Predictions

• A Complete Unknown (PP O)
• Dune: Part Two (WL O)
• Emilia Pérez
• Wicked (TL P) [New]
• The Wild Robot

Runner-Up Predictions

• A Complete Unknown (WL P) [New]
• Dune: Part Two (TL P) [New]
• Wicked (PP P) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: It’s been a wild week for frontrunners. First Dune: Part Two loses at the Cinema Audio Society but wins at the Motion Picture Sound Editors while A Complete Unknown wins CAS but loses MPSE. It’s a tough call but the BAFTA winner will remain my pick.
Pete Patrick: This will likely go a musical, of which there are three nominees. Initially, Wicked seemed to be the one to beat, but A Complete Unknown seems to have caught up and maybe even surpassed it in voters’ favor.  While either is still possible, I think it’s going to A Complete Unknown.
Thomas La Tourrette: The guilds have not helped in predicting this category whatsoever. The Cinema Audio Society (sound mixing) went with A Complete Unknown. The sound editors split their awards between Dune: Part Two, Wicked, and Emilia Pérez. And their award for animated sound editing from both groups went to The Wild Robot, the fifth nominee. All five winners between the two awards shows are Oscar nominated. I would guess the only two without a chance of winning the Oscar are Emilia Pérez and The Wild Robot. Emilia Pérez has been on a downward trajectory lately which should hurt its chances. The only animated film to win this was The Incredibles almost 20 years ago, so The Wild Robot’s chances are slim. I am tempted to also drop A Complete Unknown out of the running even though it had the more difficult sound mixing of the two remaining musicals. The actors sang live when shooting rather than lip syncing to previous recorded tapes which is harder to get perfect, but it feels more likely to go to one of the other two films. Dune: Part Two won perhaps the most prestigious of the awards from MPSE, but Wicked was not even nominated, so that is no help. BAFTA also went to Dune: Part Two, which is a point in its favor. The original Dune won this, so it would not be surprising if the sequel won as well, but I do think it might go to Wicked, not for any reason, just a gut feeling. Musicals have done fairly well in this category over the years, but not as much lately. I will stick with Wicked winning, but half expect Dune: Part Two to be named.

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