Final Oscars Predictions: Best Sound – Voters Feel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Must be Rewarded, so Why Not Its Aural Effects?

Clayton Davis
·4 min read
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Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

LAST UPDATED: March 9, 2023

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2023 Oscars Predictions: Best Sound

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, (aka IM WESTEN NICHTS NEUES), 2022. ph: Reiner Bajo /© Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, (aka IM WESTEN NICHTS NEUES), 2022. ph: Reiner Bajo /© Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection

CATEGORY COMMENTARY:

Starting with “Gravity” (2013) and continuing to last year’s “Dune” (2021), all of the winners for best film editing have also taken home the sound category (NOTE: the sound categories merged in 2020, so prior, the film that won editing, also took home one of the sound categories for either mixing or sound editing). That run also includes some stunning upsets like “Hacksaw Ridge” (2016) over “La La Land.”

However, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” not nominated in sound, is considered the favorite by many in editing. “All Quiet on the Western Front” won BAFTA and was not nominated in editing, so that split could make the most sense.

The “Top Gun: Maverick” pairing could be the safe choice for traditional, establishment voters.

Will Win: “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) – Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor
Could Win: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix) – Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
Should Win: “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)
Should have been here: “The Northman” (Focus Features) – James Harrison, Steve Little, Paul Cotterell, Mark Taylor

See the latest film predictions, in all 23 categories, in one place on Variety’s Oscars Collective. To see the ranked predictions for each individual category, visit Variety’s Oscars Hub.

See the 2022-2023 Awards Season calendar for all key dates and timelines.

Countdown to the Oscars with Variety here.

ALL AWARDS CONTENDERS AND RANKINGS:

And The Nominees Are:

Rank

Film

Sound mixer(s), sound editor(s) and sound designer(s)

Distributor

1

“Top Gun: Maverick”

Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

Paramount Pictures

After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

2

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte

Netflix

A young German soldier’s terrifying experiences and distress on the western front during World War I.

3

“Elvis”

David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller

Warner Bros.

The life of American music icon Elvis Presley, from his childhood to becoming a rock and movie star in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

4

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges

20th Century Studios

Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet.

5

“The Batman”

Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson

Warner Bros.

When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption and question his family’s involvement.

2023 Academy Awards Predictions

BEST PICTURE | DIRECTOR | ACTOR | ACTRESS | SUPPORTING ACTOR | SUPPORTING ACTRESS | ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY | ADAPTED SCREENPLAY | ANIMATED FEATURE | PRODUCTION DESIGN | CINEMATOGRAPHY | COSTUME DESIGN | FILM EDITING | MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING | SOUND | VISUAL EFFECTS | ORIGINAL SCORE | ORIGINAL SONG | DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | INTERNATIONAL FEATURE | ANIMATED SHORT | DOCUMENTARY SHORT | LIVE ACTION SHORT

The 95th Oscars ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre and televised live on ABC on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

2022 category winner: "Dune" (Warner Bros.) - Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett

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