For our seventh Rundown article, we look at the category that’s most responsible for creating things that don’t exist in real life. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Visual Effects as well as general commentary about the race. Friday, we’ll cover the individual most responsible for the direction a film goes.

Best Visual Effects

Winner Predictions

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Avatar: The Way of Water (WL O) (PP R) [New] (TB O) (TL O)
• The Batman
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Top Gun: Maverick

Runner-Up Predictions

• Top Gun: Maverick (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)

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Wesley Lovell: This is the only category this year that is beyond a shadow of a doubt. Avatar: The Way of Water has dominated all year and there’s no response to suspect otherwise.
Peter J. Patrick: The extraordinary world created by James Cameron and company for Avatar: The Way of Water and the visual effects that brought it home should win this one, but Top Gun: Maverick contained some impressive work as well so it could really go to either one.
Tripp Burton: No revisions or commentary provided.
Thomas La Tourrette: This is one of the most set awards for the Oscars. If anything besides Avatar: The Way of Water wins, this will be a major upset. It has dominated the precursor awards, including the BAFTAs. It won every category it was nominated in at the Visual Effects Society awards. Top Gun and All Quiet on the Western Front will get a few token votes, but Avatar is assured of winning.

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