Which Director Will Shine At The Oscars?
The 90th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is due to take place in less than 7 weeks’ time at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Jimmy Kimmel will play host for the second successive year and all eyes will be on the winners and losers on the night. One category that has so far led to a lot of discussion is that of “Best Director” with plenty of great names in the mix. So who will run out as winner on the night?
Well, if you’re taking the odds in the betting market run by market leader Unibet, the only real two potential winners are Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water and Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk. It’s currently Guillermo del Toro who is heavy odds on favourite as the night edges closer but Nolan isn’t too far behind in the eyes of many. There are reason why both men could run out as winner at the ceremony but there also reasons against too, which could see others sneak into the thinking of voters.
Guillermo del Toro’s Shape of Water was a superbly directed film and he has been tipped by the majority of experts when asked who will win the best director award. He’s had near misses before with the likes of Pan’s Labyrinth and has managed to build up a lot of respect over the years. The Shape of Water was technically stunning and this often stands directors in good stead. The drawback is probably that the film is slightly strange and obscure and it could put voters off but del Toro’s skills should shine through here.
Christopher Nolan’s war film Dunkirk has once again earned him plenty of credit as a director and he has once again delivered in terms of an audience friendly film, just like he has done for many years. Dunkirk has been one of the best reviewed and critically acclaimed films over the last 12 months so he’s certain to be in the running for the award. He has however been overlooked in the past for stunning films such as The Dark Night and Inception and it could be the case once again here.
You can’t really look past del Toro and Nolan when it comes to the main challengers in the category but their closest rivals will probably be Greta Gerwig for Lady Bird and Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. While they are the closest to del Toro and Nolan in the betting with top online casino and sports betting operators such as Unibet, they’re unlikely to be much of a threat on the night. Greta Gerwig is said to be a natural director, but her best years are probably still yet to come while Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri is likely to do well in other categories; it’s unlikely to deliver him the best director award this time around.