Netflix could break huge Oscars Best Picture record

Netflix could potentially break an 85-year-old record at next year’s Oscars, with the most Best Picture nominations from one studio.

The record is currently held by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which scored five nominations at the ninth Academy Awards in 1937: The Great Ziegfeld – a fictionalised tribute to Broadway legend Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. – went on to pick up the top prize. This was back when the Academy was nominating 10 movies in the Best Picture category – now, there’s usually eight or nine nominees in this category. 

Netflix has missed out in the past, with Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman both losing out on the Best Picture award in 2018 and 2019. But 2021 could be the year the streamer finally scores its big win.

Variety predicts that David Fincher’s Mank and Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 are in a safe position to make the cut, with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (featuring Chadwick Boseman’s last performance before his death) also standing a good chance. The publication also thinks George Clooney’s upcoming The Midnight Sky is in with a shot, which would mean the streamer would only need one more nomination to tie with MGM’s previous record and another to beat it. Chances are, that movie would be Da 5 Bloods, which scored positive reviews across the board.

With cinemas closed around the world, it’s no wonder that streaming platforms are set to dominate the upcoming awards season. Despite a lot of major studio releases such as No Time to Die being pushed into 2021 due to the pandemic, there are actually a record number of Oscar contenders this year. 

Make sure you’re up to date with all the new streaming releases before awards season rolls around – we’ve compiled a list of the best Netflix movies to watch right now.