Oscar Predictions: Best Original Score

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 16th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: Anna Karenina, Argo, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Skyfall

This year’s locks: Gravity, 12 Years a Slave

Very likely: Philomena

Possible: All is Lost, Rush, The Book Thief, Saving Mr. Banks, Captain Phillips, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Unlikely: Any of the remaining contenders

The rundown: 114 films are officially eligible for this category this year. There isn’t an egregious snub this year, so we’ll have to save that for Oscar nominations day. Newcomer Steven Price should join veteran Hans Zimmer for their scores of Best Picture rivals Gravity and 12 Years a Slave, respectively. I’m predicting that two surprise nominees for Best Motion Picture – Drama at the Golden Globes that weren’t recognized for their scores, Philomena and Rush, will appear here, from familiar names Alexandre Desplat and Zimmer, once again. Another Globe nominee and Oscar newbie likely to be nominated is Alex Ebert for All is Lost. Golden Globe nominees John Williams (you may have heard of him) and Alex Heffes may be honored for The Book Thief and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, respectively, while Saving Mr. Banks (Thomas Newman) and the enthralling score from Captain Phillips (Henry Jackman) could also contend. I’m sure this category has a surprise or two in store this year.

One possible crazy scenario: An action piece like Ender’s Game scores a nod.

Forecasted winner: I think it will be Gravity.