7 Movies That Are Destined To Get Snubbed at the Oscars

These 7 Movies Are Destined To Get Snubbed at the Oscars (And I’m Already Mad About It)

Tessa Thompson, Tom Bateman, and Nicholas Pinnock talk during a fancy party in Hedda

Tessa Thompson, Tom Bateman, and Nicholas Pinnock in HeddaImage via Prime Video

By Robert Lee III Published 1 minute ago Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

As awards season has officially started and the best films of 2025 are beginning to be nominated for various award bodies, a select few films like Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Hamnet are standing out as clear winners with their myriad of nominations. However, for every film that receives widespread praise by the industry with award recognition, there are also a selection of still great films that will inevitably be ignored and snubbed by the Academy. Even more painful than the already recognized films that get snubbed for select awards, some truly great films don't end up getting nominated for a single one.

While awards season has only just started, there are a few films that, through early word and murmurs of the industry, seem all but inevitable to be entirely snubbed by the Academy. While they may have a chance from some of the other award bodies, there is little hope that these incredibly deserving films will be recognized by the Academy. Whether it be due to unfortunate release timing or being vastly overshadowed by a similar film, these films will sadly be overlooked despite deserving to be in the conversation of the best films of the year.

7 'Ne Zha 2'

A young warrior running out of an explosion in Ne Zha 2

Ne Zha is a 2019 Chinese animated fantasy film directed and written by JiaoziImage via Chengdu Coco Cartoon

The race for Best Animated Feature this year, while considerably less stacked than previous years, still has its fair share of notable snubs that have persisted throughout the year. While films like KPop Demon Hunters and Zootopia 2 will have no issue receiving a wide array of nominations, this isn't shared with the highest-grossing movie of 2025 and the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Ne Zha 2. It's a genuine shame that the film won't be nominated, as its high-octane spectacle and masterful action filmmaking have made it one of the definitive animated films of the decade so far.

Ne Zha 2 has been facing insurmountable odds of being nominated long before it was released, as not only are Chinese films largely ignored by the Academy, but it's a sequel to a film that also wasn't nominated. The film is so deeply engrossed and tailored to Chinese audiences and Chinese culture as a whole that it's a relative impossibility for it to be nominated by the majority of Western awards bodies. A24's attempts at rereleasing the film with an English dub featuring Michelle Yeoh didn't help as much as they'd hoped, as it saw little to no interest from American audiences at the box office. One still wishes that an animated film of this quality would find a way to be recognized by the Academy.

6 'Lurker'

Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) taking a photo in 'Lurker'Image via Mubi

A deeply unsettling thriller for the modern era of parasocial fans and social media stalkers, Lurker takes these concepts to their absolute extremes to make for one of the year's best and most underrated thrillers. The film follows a retail clerk who weasels his way into the friend group of a rising popstar, acclimating himself with their group and grasping at an opportunity in the limelight. As his attempts to cling to potential fame and friendship grow more desperate, he takes drastic measures to ensure that he'll stay a part of their group until the end.

There are many inherent attributes to Lurker that are easily deserving of award recognition, from its brilliant original screenplay to a great, disturbing lead performance by Theodore Pellerin and an equally exceptional supporting performance by Archie Madekwe. However, while the film received a great deal of praise both during its premiere at Sundance and after its release in the late summer, the younger style and approach that the film takes simply doesn't align with the older tastes of the Academy. While its potential at the Academy seems nonexistent, Lurker is the exact type of film that will grow to be a defining cult classic of the era in due time.

5 'Hedda'

Tessa Thompson wears an ornate gown and looks off camera in HeddaImage via Prime Video

While director Nia DaCosta is more commonly recognized and associated with her franchise films like The Marvels, Candyman, and the upcoming 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the director returned to her dramatic thriller roots with an adaptation of the classic play, Hedda. The film does a great job of translating the all-time classic theatrical character into the realm of a modern dramatic thriller, maximized by some exceptional performances that further elevate the material. One could have easily seen the film making an impact with Academy voters if it had been released closer to the end of the year, but with the excitement of the film all fizzled out, so have its chances at nominations.

If the film had any chance of earning a nomination, it would be for its two central performances, with Tessa Thompson giving a great lead performance as Hedda Gabler and Nina Hoss delivering a standout, scene-stealing supporting performance as Eileen Lovborg. However, with films like Hamnet, Sentimental Value, and Wicked: For Good dominating both actress categories, there is little to no room for these performances to squeeze in and make a statement at the various award bodies. It's yet another case of a deserving film being overshadowed by more prominent, widely celebrated competition.

4 'The Life of Chuck'

Tom Hiddleston's Chuck and Annalise Basso's Janice are caught up in a heavy argumentImage via Neon

When the critically acclaimed Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck, first premiered at TIFF 2024, it seemed as if it was poised to be a major awards contender last year. It took home the highly coveted People's Choice Award, with the last time the winner of this award wasn't nominated for Best Picture being back in 2011 with Where Do We Go Now? It even ended up taking this award over the likes of the year's eventual Best Picture winner, Anora. Yet The Life of Chuck was nowhere to be seen, as when NEON picked up the film, they planned to release it in 2025 to focus on Anora as their primary award contender.

After being unceremoniously released in the middle of summer to critical praise but minimal impact, the film has once again been shafted by NEON in favor of more prominent and pressing award contenders. With the majority of NEON's focus this year being on Sentimental Value, It Was Just an Accident, No Other Choice, and The Secret Agent, there just isn't room for The Life of Chuck to be in NEON's plans as an awards contender, even despite its potential and clear appraisal by audiences and critics alike.

3 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'

Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.Image via A24

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You has quickly risen to be one of the fan-favorite dramatic thrillers of 2025, sporting an exceptional lead performance by Rose Byrne as she deals with the unrelenting stress and pain of her life of motherhood that is spiraling out of control. The film has frequently been compared to that of a maternal version of Uncut Gems, with its focus on stressing out the audience as much as possible with its non-stop ride of chaos. While this has made the film highly acclaimed in the eyes of critics, similarly to Uncut Gems, it has set the stage for its central masterpiece performance to be completely ignored and snubbed by the Academy.

Rose Byrne easily gives a career-best performance in a raw, emotional display of pain and toxicity that is rarely ever shown in cinematic depictions of motherhood. She manages to give edge and impact to each scene, delving deeper and deeper into madness until it ultimately consumes her in an array of shocking, impossible-to-handle situations that wear away at her psyche. While Byrne is far from the only exceptional aspect of the film, she's undeniably the aspect most deserving of a nomination, despite the fierce competition for Best Lead Actress.

2 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'

Jennifer Lopez in Kiss-of-the-Spider-WomanImage via Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions

A modern musical remake of a Best Picture-nominated drama about the power of movies in times of distress, released 40 years after the original, Kiss of the Spider Woman has all the facets of a surefire Academy Award hit. The shift to a musical not only doesn't distract from the emotional weight and storytelling of the original film, but actively builds and improves upon its themes, more directly correlating its two distinct stories being told more cohesively. Even more so, the musical element allows the film to be a visual feast for the eyes, with exceptional costumes and production design that both deserve nominations.

The real highlight of the film, however, comes in the form of Jennifer Lopez's supporting performance, portraying the lovely lead actress starring in the retelling of the film that comforts these two doomed prisoners. It's a performance that Lopez feels right at home in, almost as if she were born to play this exceptional role that makes use of her musical talents, acting capabilities, and overall exceptional screen presence. While the film has all the markings and potential to be nominated, its lackluster box-office performance has completely doomed its chances of awards recognition. Considering how Lopez was also snubbed by the Academy in 2020 for her great supporting performance in Hustlers, it just stings to see another great performance of hers inevitably snubbed.

1 'Sorry, Baby'

Agnes (Eva Victor) holding up a kitten in Sorry, BabyImage via Sundance Institute

Sorry, Baby stands out as the quintessential example of a small-scale indie darling that, while overwhelmingly loved by critics and audiences who experience it, simply won't be recognized by the Academy due to the timing of its release and other focuses by distributor A24. It's the type of film that will certainly see success at independent awards bodies like the Indie Spirit Awards, but this attention won't translate to Academy recognition. It doesn't help that A24 is seemingly putting all of its focus on Marty Supreme as its awards contender this year, barely even considering pushing any of its other films.

However, the film still features an undeniable quality and brilliance to it that, even if its great performances and masterful screenplay aren't recognized by the Academy, doesn't take away from the beauty of the film as a whole. Eva Victor has crafted an emotional juggernaut of the cycles and difficulties of dealing with trauma in adult life, showing just how much trauma can eat away at someone and derail their plans. It's one of the most promising directorial debuts of recent memory and will easily go down as one of the best films of 2025, whether or not it has Academy Award nominations to its name.

Like Follow Followed Sorry, Baby R Drama Comedy 8 10 Release Date June 27, 2025 Runtime 103 minutes Director Eva Victor Writers Eva Victor

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Eva Victor Agnes Ward
Naomi Ackie Lydie

Genres Drama, Comedy Powered by

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