(Bloomberg) — “The Power of the Dog,” a slow-burn western from Netflix Inc. starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, snagged 12 Oscar nominations, the most for a film this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences said Tuesday.
The movie is up for best picture and best director for Jane Campion, among other categories. Netflix has never won a best picture Oscar.
Warner Bros.’ “Dune” followed close behind with 10 nominations, while Walt Disney Co.’s “West Side Story” and Focus Features’ “Belfast” each received seven, according to a release from the academy. The Japanese drama “Drive My Car” was nominated for both best picture and best international film.
The awards are the most prestigious in the film industry, but the nominees are rarely the one’s most seen by audiences. Sony Group’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was the highest-grossing 2021 release, with global ticket sales approaching $1.8 billion. It received just one nomination, for visual effects.
Another Netflix film that could be poised for a big night next month is “Don’t Look Up,” a dark comedy about a comet flying toward Earth that features Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep. The film pulled in four nominations, including best picture and original screenplay.
Other films recognized with multiple nominations include Warner Bros.’ “King Richard,” a best-picture nominee that stars Will Smith as the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, and Disney’s “Encanto.”
Apple Inc. got its first nomination for best picture, with “CODA,” a picture about a deaf family, one of three awards it’s up for.
The academy again waived requirements that nominated films be shown in theaters due to the pandemic. This year’s awards program airs March 27 on ABC.
(Updates nominations starting in third paragraph.)
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