For our fifteenth Rundown article, we look at the category that makes something from nothing. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Visual Effects as well as general commentary about the race. Wednesday, we’ll cover The categories most responsible for the setting of the film.

Best Visual Effects

Winner Predictions

• 1917 (WL R) [New] (PP O)(WL R) [New]
• Avengers: Endgame
• The Irishman
• The Lion King (TB O)
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Runner-Up Predictions

• 1917 (TB O)
• Avengers: Endgame (PP R) [New]
• The Lion King (WL O)(TL O)

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Wesley Lovell: This has turned into one of the most competitive categories of the year. Most of the year, everyone seemed to agree that Avengers: Endgame would finally win a prize for the franchise. The Visual Effects Society disagreed and gave it to the all-visual-effects The Lion King. Then BAFTA stepped in and said something else giving it to 1917. Any one of those three could actually win and I’m not sure which. I ultimately settled on 1917 in one of the night’s biggest nail-biters.
Peter J. Patrick: The BAFTAs seem to have it made it clear that the World War I war film is the one to beat. Its closest runner-up is probably Avengers: Endgame.
Tripp Burton: BAFTA winner 1917 could win here, but I’m guessing the most visual effects carries the day.
Thomas La Tourrette: My guess keeps changing in this category. It is easily the most up in the air race with four films each having a reasonable chance of winning. Originally I thought it would be The Lion King. It is by the same team that did the Oscar-winning effects of The Jungle Book, and they looked likely to repeat. Then when The Irishman came out and everyone was talking about how effective the anti-aging techniques in the film were, it seemed the likely winner. That film’s Oscar chances seem to be fading in every category, including visual effects, so it no longer seems as strong a possibility though it did win some awards at the VES. Then the common consensus settled on Avengers: Endgame. Most prognosticators were picking it, even though Marvel films have not done that well in this category. Then it was completely shut out at the Visual Effects Society awards, which really hurts its chances. The BAFTAs went to 1917, though since it is a British film, it stood a better chance of winning there. Now it is the film rising in prominence. The latest Star Wars film never has had much of a chance in this race. So at this point it feels like a battle between Lion King and 1917, with perhaps Avengers or Irishman in consideration as spoilers. My first gut reaction is to go with Lion King, but I wonder if 1917 is turning into a juggernaut and that Academy members are just planning on voting for it in most categories. I will predict 1917, but would not be surprised if Lion King wins.

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