Star Wars: The Last Jedi already generating Oscar buzz
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has a world premiere date, and is already generating some Oscar buzz…
Variety has revealed that Star Wars: The Last Jedi will premiere worldwide, for the media that is, on December 8, 2017.
Labeled as an Oscar “contender” and that Rian Johnson and his film are “worth keeping an eye on,” the highly anticipated saga series will be eligible for Academy Award nominations in 2018, with the cut-off date being December 31, for a film to be considered for Oscar-recognition this March.
Over the years, Star Wars has garnered recognition from the Academy for special effects and sound, accumulating nominations within these prestigious categories:
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Composer Ennio Morricone (2nd L) wins the Best Original Score award for ‘The Hateful Eight’ with fellow nominated composers (L-R) John Williams, Carter Burwell and Thomas Newman during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Oscar Wins:
A New Hope
- Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
- Best Sound
- Best Film Editing
- Best Effects/Visual Effects
- Best Original Score: John Williams
- Special Achievement Award for sound effects and creation of alien, creature and robot voices.)
The Empire Strikes Back
- Best Sound
- Special Achievement Award for visual effects
Return of the Jedi
- Special Achievement Award for visual effects
Oscar Nominations:
A New Hope
- Best Picture
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Alec Guinness
- Best Director/Best Original Screenplay: George Lucas
The Empire Strikes Back
- Best Original Score: John Williams
- Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
- Best Sound
Return of the Jedi
- Best Original Score: John Williams
- Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
- Best Effects/Visual Effects
- Best Sound
The Phantom Menace
- Best Effects/Visual Effects
- Best Sound
- Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing
Attack of the Clones
- Best Visual Effects
Revenge of the Sith
- Best Achievement in Makeup
The Force Awakens
- Best Original Score: John Williams
- Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
- Best Effects/Visual Effects
- Best Sound
- Best Achievement in Film Editing
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Best Effects/Visual Effects
- Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MARCH 11: Producer/directors Ron Howard and George Lucas attend the Academy of Television Arts
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The last time Star Wars won an Academy Award was in 1983, receiving a special achievement award for visual effects. If you are keeping track, Star Wars over the years has been nominated 30 times, winning just 9 (with 7 being main category nominations), according to IMDb.
Does The Last Jedi have a chance to get a nod, or even win, a major category? I say yes. If I had to pick one, I would say Mark Hamill gets nominated for best supporting actor. I have not seen the film and this is just pure speculation. With Luke Skywalker in a deep and dark place, this creates the avenue for Hamill to finally get recognized as an elite actor, in something other than voice acting, where he’s won a handful of awards.
In a long shot, Rian Johnson could join George Lucas and A New Hope, as the only Star Wars films to be nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. I believe he has the chops to pull it off, but it’s not up to me. He will need to impress the Academy and to do so, The Last Jedi must be groundbreaking and something like we’ve never seen in any film before.
Next: 50 Most Memorable Moments from Star Wars Rebels
Time will tell if Star Wars: The Last Jedi is worthy of Oscar recognition, but I can tell you one thing, it cannot get here soon enough, when it finally hits theaters this December 15.