Awards season is about to take off thanks to the 2025 Golden Globes. Although critics have been handing out awards since early December, the Golden Globes is the unofficial start of the awards calendar. A win at the Globes could propel a movie or performer into the lead position in the Oscar race.
In previous years, the Golden Globes typically rewarded star power in the various categories. The ceremony is a television show, and at the end of the day, the chances that more viewers will watch are significantly higher when A-list stars are in contention for awards. However, the Globes’ have revamped their entire voting body, with more diverse and international candidates than ever. How will that affect the vote? Below are Digital Trends’ predictions for the film categories.
2025 Golden Globes predictions: Film
Best Motion Picture – Drama
- The Brutalist
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Nickel Boys
- September 5
The Brutalist has been described as the next great American masterpiece. Does the voting body of the Golden Globe Foundation agree? Dune: Part Two has the goods to win, but Dune: Messiah, and the belief that that movie will be honored for Villeneuve’s overall achievement, is sinking its chances of winning. It’s similar to how voters waited to reward the Lord of the Rings franchise for The Return of the King instead of The Two Towers. The Brutalist feels like the smart pick.
What should win: Dune: Part Two
What will win: The Brutalist
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Anora
- Challengers
- Emilia Pérez
- A Real Pain
- The Substance
- Wicked
Does Wicked have enough support to go the distance? The best comparison for Wicked is Barbie, a popular film that won Cinematic and Box Office Achievement instead of Musical or Comedy. Anora is an Oscar contender with a star-making performance at the center, something the Globes typically reward. However, Emilia Pérez received the most nominations out of any film. That matters, even though Anora is the better film.
What should win: Anora
What will win: Emilia Pérez
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
- Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
- Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
- Daniel Craig – Queer
- Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
- Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
- Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
This is the most stacked category of the night. Take away Sebastian Stan, and you’re looking at the five names who will likely be contending for Best Actor at the Oscars. Adrien Brody is a good comeback story, but this feels like Timothée Chalamet’s moment to grab the crown of Hollywood’s top movie star under 35. It also helps that Chalamet just completed a sensational press tour for A Complete Unknown.
Who should win: Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Who will win: Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
- Pamela Anderson – The Last Showgirl
- Angelina Jolie – Maria
- Nicole Kidman – Babygirl
- Tilda Swinton – The Room Next Door
- Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here
- Kate Winslet – Lee
This is a two-woman race between Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman. The two actresses have combined to win nine Golden Globes. The slight edge goes to Kidman, who won Best Actress at Venice.
Who should win: Nicole Kidman – Babygirl
Who will win: Nicole Kidman – Babygirl
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain
- Hugh Grant – Heretic
- Gabriel LaBelle – Saturday Night
- Jesse Plemons – Kinds of Kindness
- Glen Powell – Hit Man
- Sebastian Stan – A Different Man
Unfortunately, none of these six performers will go on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Jesse Eisenberg is probably the favorite, considering A Real Pain has the most nominations out of every movie in this category. The actor who should win is Glen Powell, who arguably won the year in Hollywood before Chalamet snatched the belt away at the last second.
Who should win: Glen Powell – Hit Man
Who will win: Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Amy Adams – Nightbitch
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
- Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
- Mikey Madison – Anora
- Demi Moore – The Substance
- Zendaya – Challengers
This is a very strong category with highly respected actresses. Demi Moore winning would be a sensational story because of her triumphant return to the spotlight. That being said, Mikey Madison and Cynthia Erivo are the two favorite candidates competing for the Globe. We’ll know how strong Wicked is with voters by the end of the ceremony. But Madison is a revelation in Anora and should win her first Globe ever.
Who should win: Mikey Madison – Anora
Who will win: Mikey Madison – Anora
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
- Yura Borisov – Anora
- Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
- Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
- Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
- Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice
- Denzel Washington – Gladiator II
This category is the easiest one to call since there’s been a clear frontrunner since the start of awards season. Kieran Culkin seems destined to win every supporting category this year on his way to the Oscars. I’m pulling for Yura Borisov as the henchman with a heart, but Mac’s little brother has this one in the bag.
Who should win: Yura Borisov – Anora
Who will win: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
- Selena Gomez – Emilia Pérez
- Ariana Grande – Wicked
- Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
- Margaret Qualley – The Substance
- Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
- Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Like Erivo, Ariana Grande has become a legitimate contender thanks to Wicked’s strong box-office success and word-of-mouth. Margaret Qualley winning here would be very cool. Yet, once Netflix decided Zoe Saldaña would run in the supporting actegory, it’s been her award to lose.
Who should win: Margaret Qualley – The Substance
Who will win: Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Best Director — Motion Picture
- Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
- Sean Baker – Anora
- Edward Berger – Conclave
- Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
- Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
- Payal Kapadia – All We Imagine As Light
A good indicator in this category is to side with the director of a film that can win either Best Drama or Best Musical or Comedy. 2019 was the last year when Best Director went to a person who helmed a movie that did not win one of the top two prizes. The race likely comes down to Brady Corbet and Jacques Audiard. Because of Emilia Pérez’s near record-breaking amount of nominations, Audiard is the pick.
Who should win: Sean Baker – Anora
Who will win: Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- A Real Pain
- Emilia Pérez
- The Substance
Anora and Conclave are the frontrunners in the screenplay category. This feels like an “it’s time” win for Baker, a well-respected independent filmmaker, as well as for Anora, the doomed love story that combines the romance of Pretty Woman with the anxiety of Uncut Gems.
What should win: Anora
What will win: Anora
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
- The Brutalist
- Challengers
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- The Wild Robot
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross made the most infectious score all year with Challengers. It’s banger after banger, especially on the tennis court. While a Reznor and Ross win would be amazing, Daniel Blumberg’s score to The Brutalist is arguably the most integral aspect of that movie’s success. The epic doesn’t work as well if Blumberg’s score wasn’t there.
What should win: Challengers
What will win: The Brutalist
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
- Beautiful That Way – The Last Showgirl
- Compress/Repress – Challengers
- El Mal – Emilia Pérez
- Forbidden Road – Better Man
- Kiss the Sky – The Wild Robot
- Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez
Conventional wisdom says to take the song from a musical. El Mal is more of an anthem than Mi Camino, giving it a slight edge. However, Kiss the Sky by Maren Morris could pull the upset.
What should win: Kiss the Sky – The Wild Robot
What will win: El Mal – Emilia Pérez
Best Motion Picture – Animated
- Flow
- Inside Out 2
- Memoir of a Snail
- Moana 2
- Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
- The Wild Robot
If there are legitimate discussions to include an animated movie in Best Picture, surely it should win in the animated category. The Wild Robot fits the criteria.
What should win: The Wild Robot
What will win: The Wild Robot
Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
- All We Imagine As Light
- Emilia Pérez
- The Girl With the Needle
- I’m Still Here
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig
- Vermiglio
Emilia Pérez delivered the best showing during the nomination process. It should win, but do not count out All We Imagine As Light.
What should win: All We Imagine As Light
What will win: Emilia Pérez
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
- Alien: Romulus
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Gladiator II
- Inside Out 2
- Twisters
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
Wicked can’t go winless, right? As previously stated, Wicked, an extremely popular movie, should win in this category, just like Barbie did last year.
Who should win: Twisters
Who will win: Wicked