Dunkirk steals the show from Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the 2018 Academy Awards, taking home Oscars in two of the film’s nominated categories.
Even though Star Wars: The Last Jedi boasts honors as the top Box office film of 2017 — in just two weeks of theatre time — the 2018 Academy awards were not so kind, with the latest Star Wars film shutout at the Oscars. We all can rightfully claim the same amount of Oscars as The Last Jedi. Zero.
I am forever connected to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as we are tied in Academy Award wins. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/6lrMxBEudC
— John Hoey (@JohnnyHoey) March 5, 2018
Star Wars: The Last Jedi was nominated in four categories:
- Best Sound Editing — Winner: Dunkirk
- Best Sound Mixing — Winner: Dunkirk
- Best Visual Effects — Winner: Blade Runner 2049
- Best Musical Score — Winner Shape of Water
Best Musical Score winner "The Shape of Water" was glorious.
— Sr. Helena Raphael Burns, fsp (@SrHelenaBurns) March 5, 2018
"Phantom Thread" was glorious as well.#Oscars
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Did the Academy Awards and those with votes get it right in neglecting The Last Jedi at the 2018 Oscars? As much as it pains me to say this, yes, yes they did. Dunkirk was well deserving in the two sound categories, while The Shape of Water musical score was flawless and beautiful. Blade Runner 2049 was also worthy, with stunning visual effects.
John Williams delivered his best Star Wars musical score to date, but, the competition was as stout as ever. It’s just an honor to be nominated in this year’s field.
The Force Awakens was also shutout in 2016, as was Rogue One to follow. So, when was the last time a Star Wars film won at the Oscars in a category, outside of a lifetime achievement award? You’ll have to go back to 1981 when The Empire Strikes Back won for Best Sound Mixing. A New Hope won six Oscars, with Return of the Jedi winning a Special Achievement for Visual Effects in 1984. The prequels were also nominated for a handful of awards but also blanked in the win column.
Unfortunately, Star Wars is unlikely to win an Academy Award again the near future. Even though George Lucas paved the way for visual effects and sound in films, Star Wars is just a fish in a vast pond — and that’s okay. Kathleen Kennedy and the story group at Lucasfilm are generating quality films and content, and we do not need the Oscars to tell us.
Next: Admiral Holdo is the hero that Poe needed in TLJ
The next shot for Star Wars as an Academy Award winner will be Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2018, but don’t get your hopes up for an Oscar win.