We had one film release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

The Last Duel

Ridley Scott’s first of two new films this year sounds like an Oscar contender on paper. The film stars Oscar nominees and winners Adam Driver, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. It’s written by Affleck, Damon, and Nicole Holofcener. Photography by Darius Wolski and costumes by Janty Yates. Editing by Claire Simpson, music by Harry Gregson-Williams, and production design and set decoration by Arthur Max and Judy Farr. The problem is that on paper, a lot of what Scott does could be Oscar contenders, but to be frank, his Oscar-capable projects have more often than not turned out the opposite.

The solid reviews for The Last Duel are encouraging and could men it has more support than early naysayers had been thinking. It’s a period drama about the last duel of the middle ages. It tackles events that are seldom given adequate representation in film and could well benefit from a groundswell of support if Scott’s other film, House of Gucci, turns out to be a disappointment. That said, I expect his film about the backbiting mysteries surrounding the founding of the fashion House of Gucci and the subsequent murder and investigation make the film sound far more engaging than this one. It also features lots of Oscar-familiar actors and designers, so it has about the same appeal as The Last Duel.

Right now, I only expect nominations for Last Duel in Production Design and Costume Design, but wouldn’t be surprised if it builds momentum later in the season.