‘One Battle After Another’ leads Golden Globe nominations, while ‘Wicked: For Good’ falters

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” emerged as the frontrunner at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards with nine nominations, solidifying its position as an Oscar favorite while giving Warner Bros. a significant win amid ongoing acquisition talks with Netflix.

The nominations, announced Monday in Beverly Hills, recognized Anderson’s direction and screenplay, along with performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, and Chase Infiniti. The film will compete in the comedy and musical category.

Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value,” directed by Joachim Trier, followed closely with eight nominations. The Neon release garnered recognition for four cast members: Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.

The Globe nominations arrive as Hollywood grapples with Netflix’s proposed $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that could fundamentally reshape the entertainment landscape by placing one of the industry’s most storied studios under streaming giant control. The potential merger has raised concerns throughout Hollywood, with the leading exhibitor trade group calling it “an unprecedented threat.” Recent developments include President Donald Trump suggesting the deal “could be a problem” due to market share concerns, while Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros.

Both companies feature prominently in this awards season. Warner Bros. earned 31 total nominations across film and television categories, including seven for Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed vampire film “Sinners,” which received nods for box office achievement, Michael B. Jordan’s performance, and Coogler’s direction. Meanwhile, Netflix secured 35 nominations, bolstered by Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” and the animated streaming sensation “KPop Demon Hunters.”

The boutique studio Neon emerged as the biggest surprise, dominating with 21 nominations. The specialty distributor has built its reputation on international releases, with five of the six international film nominees coming from its roster. This success came partly at the expense of major studio releases like Universal’s “Wicked: For Good,” which despite earning five nominations, including acting nods for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, was surprisingly overlooked in the best comedy or musical category.

The drama category features Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” with six nominations, including recognition for stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. It competes alongside “Frankenstein” and three Neon titles: “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” and “It Was Just an Accident.” The latter, directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, received four nominations. Panahi’s achievement is particularly notable as he was recently sentenced to a year in prison and a two-year travel ban by the Islamic Republic after years of facing restrictions while creating films.

This year’s Globes introduce a new category for best podcast, with nominees including “Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess,” and NPR’s “Up First.”

True to form, the Globes nominated numerous A-list performers, including Timothee Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” Jennifer Lawrence for “Die My Love,” Julia Roberts for “After the Hunt,” Emma Stone for “Bugonia,” and the stars of “The Smashing Machine,” Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

Following controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Globes were sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions. The awards are now determined by a more diverse voting body of over 300 members.

Comedian Nikki Glaser will return to host the ceremony on January 11, which will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. In separate celebrations, Helen Mirren will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award during a prime-time special on January 8, while Sarah Jessica Parker will be honored with the Carol Burnett Award.