Time for an interesting little thought experiment. We all know that the upcoming Oscar ceremony has been delayed into April, with Academy Award hopefuls getting until the end of February to be released for consideration. However, today I want to think about what the Academy’s choices would be if they had held tight on their original date. As a way of making an extreme example, I’m just going to list the nominees based on films already out in release. Basically, this exercise is meant to show that it wouldn’t exactly be slim pickings if voters weren’t given quite as many movies to choose from, this time around. Sure, the nominees would look a lot different than usual, but at least in terms of winners, the victors would still be hugely deserving, that’s for sure. Take a look below at what an Oscar lineup would look like, just pulling from movies already in release. Though unreleased Sundance Film Festival titles are not included, just remember that flicks like Palm Springs and Promising Young Woman would certainly be in contention, along with other completed films awaiting potential festival bows like Ammonite and The French Dispatch. Throw in soon to be released offerings like The Outpost and this list gets even deeper… BEST PICTURE 1. Da 5 Bloods 2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always 3. The Invisible Man 4. The King of Staten Island 5. Onward 6. The Way Back 7. Swallow 8. The Assistant 9. Birds of Prey 10. The Banker BEST DIRECTOR 1. Spike Lee – Da 5 Bloods 2. Leigh Whannell – The Invisible Man 3. Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always 4. Judd Apatow – The King of Staten Island 5. Gavin O’Connor – The Way Back BEST ACTOR 1. Ben Affleck – The Way Back 2. Pete Davidson – The King of Staten Island 3. Anthony Mackie – The Banker 4. Harrison Ford – The Call of the Wild 5. Tom Hardy – Capone BEST ACTRESS 1. Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always 2. Elisabeth Moss – The Invisible Man 3. Julia Garner – The Assistant 4. Haley Bennett – Swallow 5. Anya Taylor-Joy – Emma. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 1. Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods 2. Bill Burr – The King of Staten Island 3. Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods 4. Clarke Peters – Da 5 Bloods 5. Aldis Hodge – The Invisible Man BEST […]