Hollywood awards race intensifies as Golden Globes unveil nominations

Hollywood's awards season accelerates today as nominations for the Golden Globes are announced, with the hit musical "Wicked: For Good", Shakespearean family drama "Hamnet" and period horror "Sinners" emerging as early frontrunners.

Paul Thomas Anderson's politically charged "One Battle After Another", led by Leonardo DiCaprio, and the mid-century sports dramedy "Marty Supreme", starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, are also prominent contenders. The Globes—scheduled for January 11—are widely regarded as a key indicator for the Academy Awards, with many of today's top hopefuls already featuring in Oscars discussions.

With separate categories for dramas and comedies/musicals, the Golden Globes broaden the field of talent expected to hit the red carpet, heightening anticipation. "The headline of this year is: Comedy is where the drama is," Variety's senior awards editor Clayton Davis told AFP.

"Wicked: For Good" will compete for best comedy/musical alongside "One Battle After Another" and "Marty Supreme". Yorgos Lanthimos' apocalyptic satire "Bugonia", featuring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, is also in the mix, with both actors tipped for nominations. Davis noted that "Wicked", the blockbuster conclusion to the Broadway adaptation, remains the "populist choice" with broad appeal. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo—starring as Glinda and Elphaba—are once again considered strong awards contenders, despite Erivo's omission from the Critics Choice shortlist.

This year, each main category at the Globes will feature six nominees instead of the usual five, with Davis describing the best actress race as a "Murderers' Row" of talent.

'Hamnet' and 'Sinners' dominate drama race

Period stories lead the drama field. Chloe Zhao's "Hamnet" stars Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare, striving to establish himself as a playwright while his wife Agnes, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, navigates the dangers of plague-era England. Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's acclaimed novel, the film draws on historical evidence that the couple's son, Hamnet, bore a name indistinguishable from "Hamlet" at the time.

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners", led by Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, follows twin brothers entangled in Mississippi's 1930s criminal underworld as they confront a malevolent force. A major box office success, the film dominated the Critics Choice Awards with 17 nominations. Davis noted its cultural impact, adding that he "will not sleep a wink" until Coogler secures an Oscar nomination for directing.

Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein", featuring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, is also seen as a key contender.

With Oscar nominations set for January 22, the Globes lineup is expected to further clarify the awards trajectory.

The Golden Globes will also recognise television, with top Emmy nominees "Severance" and "The Pitt" in drama categories; "The Studio" and "Hacks" in comedies; and the limited series "Adolescence" forecast to perform strongly.

Actors Marlon Wayans and Skye Marshall will announce the main nominees for the 83rd Golden Globes at 1315 GMT on Monday.

Now in the third year of its organisational overhaul, the Globes saw strong viewership last year, with host Nikki Glaser drawing more than 10 million viewers. Glaser returns to host the January 11 gala in Beverly Hills.