This year’s awards race has seen a dramatic shift, moving away from conventional picks towards an embrace of genre cinema, according to inverse.com. The line-up for the Golden Globe nominations, announced this week, highlights this unconventional trend, with horror and fantasy projects securing major recognition.
The unexpected frontrunner is Ryan Coogler’s hybrid film, Sinners, which combines historical drama, classic vampire horror and musical elements. It leads the genre pack with an impressive seven nominations.
Guillermo del Toro’s latest monster movie, Frankenstein, also made a significant impression, securing five nominations. Del Toro, who previously won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for the fantasy-drama The Shape of Water in 2018, is seen as a key figure in destigmatising “left-of-centre storytelling.”
Even the chilling horror-comedy Weapons picked up a nomination for Amy Madigan in a supporting role, whose performance as Aunt Gladys is already being celebrated.
While the historical drama One Battle After Another remains a strong overall contender with nine nominations, its fiercest competition is now coming from the horror genre.
This growing acceptance of genre films follows a trend starting in the late 2010s and was significantly amplified by the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, which won Best Picture at the 2023 Academy Awards. Its victory signalled that awards voters are more open to unconventional projects than ever before.
This shift has benefited films like The Substance—a stylish horror movie that earned awards attention beyond its role as a comeback vehicle for lead actress Demi Moore—and now potentially Weapons, particularly for Madigan’s Supporting Actress campaign.
The competition for Best Picture is shaping up to be a close contest between Sinners and One Battle After Another. As the two films compete in different categories at the Golden Globes, potential wins for each will only intensify the competition as Oscar season approaches. Surprising nominations for Frankenstein in the acting categories also boost its chances for future Oscar consideration.
For horror fans, this level of recognition across major categories is already being celebrated as a significant win, cementing the genre’s new, elevated status in the prestigious awards conversation.
