For our second Rundown article, we look at a category that has been integral to film since the dawn of sound. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Original Score as well as general commentary about the race. Wednesday, we’ll cover a musical counterpart.

Best Original Score

Winner Predictions

• Black Panther
• BlacKkKlansman
• If Beale Street Could Talk (WL O) (PP R) [New] (TB O) (TL O)
• Isle of Dogs
• Mary Poppins Returns

Runner-Up Predictions

• Black Panther (PP R) [New] (TB O)
• BlacKkKlansman (WL R) [New]
• Mary Poppins Returns (TL O)

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Wesley Lovell: With one of the most honored scores of the year (First Man) left off the list, it’s left to another of the most recognized scores to take the mantle of frontrunner: If Beale Street Could Talk. If voters give the film a chance, even though they didn’t for Best Picture, it could be the easy winner. Otherwise, it’s hard to guess which of the other scores could prevail. BlacKkKlansman might have the best chance of the other four.
Peter J. Patrick: With First Man out of the running, Nicolas Britell’s haunting score for If Beale Street Could Talk seems a safe bet, but Black Panther, BlackKklansman, Isle of Dogs, and Mary Poppins Returns all have outside chances.
Tripp Burton: I could see someone making a case that any of these five could win, although the critical darling Beale Street probably has the edge here.
Thomas La Tourrette: I thought First Man had this in the bag, and then it was not even nominated. Without it in the mix, the somber and cello heavy score of If Beale Street Could Talk becomes the front runner. The score is pretty strong even if it felt slightly at odds with the movie. Alexandre Desplat is an Academy favorite, with ten nominations and two wins, but I do not see his Japanese-tinged work for Isle of Dogs succeeding here. The composers of the work from BlacKkKlansman and Black Panther scored their first Oscar nominations, but neither was that memorable. I think they stand the least chance of winning. That leaves the jaunty score from Mary Poppins Returns as a possible spoiler. Marc Shaiman scored his sixth and seventh nominations for it, but looks to still stay empty-handed. If the original could not win an Oscar for score, it would be surprising for the sequel to win. So Nicholas Britell wins on his second nomination for Beale Street.

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