At The Movies: Oscar no “Good” for “Wicked”
BY PAUL WILLISTEIN
pwillistein@tnonline.com
“Say kids, what time is it”?
It’s time for the “At The Movies” Snub Hub.
We select movies released in 2025 and actors and directors not nominated for Oscars.
The 98th Academy Awards will be telecast, 7 p.m. March 15, on ABC and Hulu from The Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Oscar nominees were announced Jan. 22.
“Sinners,” the southern Gothic African-American blues vampire horror film, leads the 2026 nominees with 16 nominations.
That’s more than the previous record-setters: “La La Land” (2016), “Titanic” (1997) and “All Above Eve” (1950), which each had 14 nominations.
Next in line in the 2026 Oscars nominations totals are “One Battle After Another,” 13 nominations; “Marty Supreme,” nine; “Frankenstein,” nine; “Sentimental Value,” nine, and “Hamnet,” eight.
But enough about potential Oscar winners. Let’s hear it for the sure Oscar losers.
The winner of the Snub Hub Award for most Snubs is:
“Wicked: For Good,” which grossed $335.4 million and was No. 6 at the domestic theatrical box office in 2025, received no Oscar nominations.
“Wicked,” the first part of the two-fer, received 10 Oscar nominations in the 2025 Academy Awards.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande again sang their hearts out, but their voices fell on Oscar’s deaf ears.
Runnerup in the Snubbies is director James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which grossed $250.3 million and was No. 10 at the domestic theatrical box office in 2025, received two Oscar nominations for Visual Effects and Costume Design.
Other Snubbies in major Oscar categories include:
Actor: Jesse Plemons, a Screen Actors Guild nominee, but no Oscar nominee for his lead role in “Bugonia”;
Freedom High School, Bethlehem Area School District graduate Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, in the title role of Mixed Martial Arts fighter Mark Kerr in “The Smashing Machine,” receiving one Oscar nomination for Makeup and Hairstyling, and written and directed by Benny Safdie, brother of “Marty Supreme” director Josh Safdie, and
Jeremy Allen White, as Bruce Springsteen in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” which received no Oscar nominations.
Actress: William Allen High School graduate Amanda Seyfried, in the title role of “The Testament of Ann Lee,” which received no nominations.
Miss Amanda is in good company.
Also snubbed: Chase Infiniti, in her feature movie debut in “One Battle After Another”; Jennifer Lawrence, “Die My Love”; Julia Roberts, ”After the Hunt,” and Julia Garner, “Weapons.”
Supporting Actor: Paul Mescal, who played William Shakespeare in “Hamnet.” The “To be or not to be” role as The Bard was an Oscar nominee not to be.
Supporting Actress: Odessa A’zion and Gwyneth Paltrow, “Marty Supreme.” and Mia Goth, “Frankenstein.”
Director: Guillermo del Toro, even though his “Frankenstein” received nine nominations.
Picture: “Jay Kelly,” starring George Clooney; “Is This Thing On?,” directed by Bradley Cooper; “Truth & Treason,” based on the story of Helmuth Hübener, who led a teen resistance group in Nazi Germany, and “Nuremberg,” with a terrific performance by Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring.
International Film: “No Other Choice,” directed by the acclaimed South Korean director Park Chan-wook, was shut out.
Some Oscar-nominated films can still be viewed in movie theaters, including “One Battle After Another,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sentimental Value,” “Hamnet,” “Song Sung Blue” (one nomination: Kate Hudson, Actress), and “Zootopia 2” (one nomination: Animated Feature Film).
Read reviews of Oscar-nominated films and films not nominated for Oscars in “At The Movies” on the Lehigh Valley Press website: https://www.lvpnews.com/
Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Feb. 13-15: “Wuthering Heights,” starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in the Romance Drama based on the classic novel, $34.8 million in 3,682 theaters, opened at No. 1 on the Valentine’s Day Presidents’ Day weekend. Feb. 16 numbers could change the outcome.
2. “GOAT,” the animated feature film produced by NBA star Stephen Curry, $26 million in 3,863 theaters, opening. 3. “Crime 101,” starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry in the Crime Drama, $15.1 million in 3,161 theaters, opening. 4. “Send Help” dropped three places after two weeks in a row at No. 1, with $8.9 million in 2,975 theaters, $47.8 million, three weeks. 5. “Solo Mio” dropped three places, $6.8 million in 3,000 theaters, $17.3 million, two weeks. 6. “Zootopia 2” stayed in place, $3.7 million in 2,200 theaters, $419.3 million, 12 weeks. 7. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” starring, Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz and Michael Peña in the Science-Fiction Action Comedy, $3.6 million in 1,610 theaters, opening. 8. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” stayed in place, $3.3 million in 1,650 theaters, $396 million, nine weeks. 9. “Iron Lung” dropped six places, $3.3 million in 2,374 theaters, $34.1 million, three weeks. 10. “Dracula” dropped five places, $3 million in 1,787 theaters, $9 million, two weeks.
Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Feb. 15 may be subject to change.
Unreel, Feb. 20:
“How to Make a Killing,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 45 minutes. John Patton Ford directs Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Ed Harris and Topher Grace in the Dark Comedy. A man disowned at birth by his wealthy family tries to claim his inheritance.
“Psycho Killer,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 32 minutes. Gavin Polone directs Malcolm McDowell, Georgina Campbell and Logan Miller in the Supernatural Horror film. A police officer tracks a killer after her husband, a highway patrolman, becomes a victim.
“The Dreadful,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 34 minutes. Natasha Kermani directs Sophie Turner, Kit Harington and Marcia Gay Harden in the Horror Thriller. A man from the past brings havoc to a mother and daughter.
“I Can Only Imagine 2,” MPA rated PG; 1 hour, 50 minutes. Andrew Erwin and Brent Mccorkle directs Milo Ventimiglia, Dennis Quaid, Arielle Kebbel, Sophie Skelton and Trace Adkins in the Drama. The lead singer of a rock band faces a personal crisis.
Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database may be subject to change.








