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Hoping to make a successful hat-trick, his latest movie Demolition stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an investment banker struggling to cope after his wife dies in a car crash.
And judging by the trailer, Demolition already looks likely to win over scores of critics and fans when it’s released in April 2016.
Set to the fitting jazz number “Heartaches and Pain” by Charles Bradley and The Menahan Street Band, the trailer sees Gyllenhaal’s character David Mitchell begin to write a complaint letter to a vending machine company that turns into a rant about various people in his life.
His letter catches the attention of customer service representative Karen, played by Naomi Watts, who forms an unlikely connection with David.
With the help of Karen and her son, David starts to rebuild (quite literally judging from the trailer) a new life, beginning by demolishing the life he once knew with his late wife.
Show all 16 Cate Blanchetts next movie was first tipped as an Oscars contender at Cannes, where it received glowing reviews and won her co-star Rooney Mara the Best Actress gong. Both actresses are early favourites. as is the film itself, about a woman in a loveless marriage who sparks a connection with a 20-something department store clerk. Features a stellar score, too.
Press handout
Oscars predictions The Revenant Not just any film, but the film that might just prove seventh time lucky for Leonardo DiCaprio. 'Poor Leo' has been nominated again and again without taking home a golden man but, as a 19th century fur trapper hellbent on revenge, he'll be hoping for glory next February. Last year's Best Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is behind the camera and the first trailer looks gritty and awesome.
20th Century Fox
Jennifer Lawrence is set to be back in the front row at next year's ceremony with a nomination for Joy. The previous Best Actress winner plays a single mother turned multi-millionaire businesswoman in David O'Russell's biopic of Miracle Mop creator Joy Mangano. Out at Christmas, just in time for peak Oscars buzz.
20th Century Fox
Oscars predictions Everest Baltasar Kormákur’s disaster thriller about the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster is set to open Venice next month, where previous titles selected to kick off the film festival have included Oscar winners Birdman and Gravity. The star-studded cast also bodes well for what looks set to be one of the biggest films of the autumn, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin and Sam Worthington.
Oscars predictions Steve Jobs This film may be somewhat infamous for all its problems en route to the cinema, but with Danny Boyle in the director's chair it's finally making waves. Michael Fassbender plays late tech pioneer Jobs while Seth Rogen is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Yet another biopic, but the Academy does love them.
Universal Pictures
Oscars predictions The Danish Girl Eddie Redmayne returns in another challenging role as pioneering transgender artist Lili Elbe, who became the first man to undergo gender reassignment surgery. The 33-year-old Brit won last time around for his performance as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and was so excited then that we're not sure he could actually cope with the ecstasy of triumphing twice.
Working Title/Universal Pictures
Tom Hardy is playing not one but both Kray twins in this mobster biopic about notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie, who ran an organised London crime ring in the Sixties. Surely that deserves some Academy credit?
Oscars predictions Son of Saul A sure-fire hit in the foreign language category after winning the Grand Prix at Cannes, Son of Saul focuses on the Holocaust in a uniquely horrifying way. The story is told through the eyes of a Hungarian-Jewish prisoner who works in Auschwitz burning bodies after gas chamber extermination and is intent on giving his dead son a proper burial. This is the first film from director Laszlo Nemes, who could well leave Los Angeles with an Oscar or two next year.
Oscars predictions Inside Out Lego Movie fans were less than impressed when the film was snubbed at the Oscars last year, but there’s little doubt Inside Out will not suffer the same fate. The clever Pixar movie about the inner workings of the mind is already the animated film of the year, winning five star accolades from a number of critics. The ‘children’s film’ succeeds in appealing to viewers of all ages, from under-10s to adults brushing up on Freudian displacement.
Pixar
Oscars predictions Black Mass Warner Bros is touting this crime drama as a definite awards season favourite. Following the recent trend for biopics, the film is based on the true story of violent American criminal Whitey Bulger, who became an FBI informant. Johnny Depp stars as Bulger, and - should the Oscars campaigning pay of - this could be the film that turns his career around after a series of box office flops
Warner Bros
Oscars predictions Macbeth Michael Fassbender stars as Shakespeare’s Scottish King in this thrilling, blood-spattered adaptation directed by Justin Kurzel. Marion Cotillard appears alongside the Irish-German actor as Lady Macbeth in the film, which was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. The movie shares the same producers as The King’s Speech and Shame.
Oscars predictions Sufragette Expect uproar from feminist campaigners if this film doesn’t get any Oscar nominations. Directed by Sarah Gavron (a rare female director) and based on a screenplay by Abi Morgan, the movie - as the title suggests - follows the early members of Britain’s women’s suffragette movement. Meryl Streep, who starred in Morgan’s The Iron Lady, returns to play another historic British woman, Emmeline Pankhurst, while Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff, Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai and Ben Whishaw also star.
Oscars predictions Snowden Oliver Stone's political thriller brings to life the recent news story about American computer professional Edward Snowden's decision to leak classified information from the NSA to the Guardian in 2013. Based on The Snowden Files by Guardian journalist Luke Harding, the film sounds promising, but whether teen movie favourite Joseph Gordon-Levitt can give a convincing performance as Snowden will be up to the critics to decide.
Oscars predictions In the Heart of the Sea Chris Hemsworth takes on a huge whale in Ron Howard’s ocean-based drama about the true story of a whaling ship attacked by a whale in 1820. Warner Bros clearly backs it, moving its release date from March to peak-awards season in December and the trailer suggests we're in for a stormy ride at sea.
Warner Bros
Oscars predictions Jurassic World We're not predicting this one to make a showing in the acting categories, but Colin Trevorrow may be in for a shot as Best Director. This blockbuster scored the highest opening of any movie ever earlier this year, and is tipped to pick up some gongs for visual effects and sound editing.
Oscars predictions The Lady In The Van Could an adaptation of an obscure-sounding Alan Bennett story win over US Academy voters? British films have fared well across the pond in recent years (The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything and The King’s Speech to name a few), which could give Nicholas Hytner’s movie a boost. Starring Maggie Smith (and we all know how much Americans love Downton), Dominic Cooper and James Corden, this charming film deserves a look in.
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