Final Oscar Predictions: Production Design – A ‘Poor Things’ Win Scenario Could Create History-Making Outcome

Clayton Davis
·7 min read
Final Oscar Predictions: Production Design – A ‘Poor Things’ Win Scenario Could Create History-Making Outcome

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 reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

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2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Production Design

I'm Just Ken - Barbie
Barbie

Weekly Commentary (Updated March 7, 2024): If you’re keeping track of the contenders vying for Academy Awards this season, you might have noted Variety’s prediction that Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” could clinch a single award for production design, sparking a flurry of discussions within the punditry community.

Despite its impressive tally of 11 nominations and five BAFTA wins, the last film to solely win in the production design category was Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007). Interestingly, Burton’s films have achieved this distinction on two other occasions, with “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) and “Batman” (1989). Notably, none of these films received nominations for best picture, unlike other recognized efforts such as the period film “The Madness of King George” (1994).

The last best picture nominee to solely win the production design prize was Warren Beatty and Buck Henry’s “Heaven Can Wait” (1978). Since then, there have been instances where awards prognosticators predicted a victory only to witness a different outcome.

For instance, David Fincher’s “Mank” (2020) was heavily favored to win production design, but surprised everyone with a win in cinematography. Similarly, last year, many were tipping Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” for success after a triumphant season, despite its absence in the best picture category. However, it lost to the German-war drama “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which was a picture nominee.

So, what does this uncertainty mean for “Poor Things?” Perhaps it will also secure wins in costume design, makeup, and potentially even a best actress for Emma Stone. Or, worst-case scenario, it could leave empty-handed and join the ranks of films like “The Turning Point” and “The Color Purple” with the most Oscar losses in history.

In a more positive light, let’s imagine a brighter outcome for Bella Baxter.

Seven-time nominees Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer could still pull this off with “Barbie,” which could put the “Barbenheimer” craze back into full-force.

Will Win: “Poor Things” (Shona Heath, James Price, Szusza Mihalek)
Could Win: “Barbie” (Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer)
Should Win: “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Jack Fisk, Adam Willis)
Should have been here: “The Taste of Things” (Toma Baqueni) and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Patrick O’Keefe)

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.

The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10.

And the Nominees Are:

  1. “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Shona Heath, James Price (production designer), Szusza Mihalek (set decorator)

  2. “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Katie Spencer (set decorator)

  3. “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ruth De Jong (production designer), Claire Kaufman (set decorator)

  4. “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jack Fisk (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)

  5. “Napoleon” (Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures) — Arthur Max (production designer), Elli Griff (set decorator)

Eligible Titles (Alphabetized by Studio)**

  • “A Haunting in Venice” (20th Century Studios) — John Paul Kelly (production designer), Celia Bobak (set decorator)

  • “The Creator” (20th Century Studios) — James Clyne (production designer), Suntad “Eve” Pansombut (set decorator)

  • “Beau is Afraid” (A24) — Fiona Crombie (production designer), Laurent Déry-Lauzier (set decorator)

  • “Dream Scenario” (A24) — Zosia Mackenzie (production designer), Brittany Morrison (set decorator)

  • “The Iron Claw” (A24) — James Price (production designer), Tim Cohn (set decorator)

  • “Past Lives” (A24) — Grace Yun (production designer), Joanne Ling (set decorator)

  • “Priscilla” (A24) — Tamara Deverell (production designer), Patricia Cuccia (set decorator)

  • “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — Chris Oddy (production designer), Joanna Kus, Katarzyna Sikora (set decorators)

  • “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — François Audouy (production designer), Jan Pascale (set decorator)

  • “The Burial” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Kay Lee (production designer), Claire Sanchez (set decorator)

  • “Cassandro” (Amazon MGM Studios) — J.C. Molina (production designer), Vanessa Bryant (set decorator)

  • “Foe” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Patrice Vermette (production designer), Vanessa Cerne, Quinn Delany-Veldhuis (set decorators)

  • “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Suzie Davies (production designer), Charlotte Dirickx (set decorator)

  • “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jack Fisk (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)

  • “Napoleon” (Apple Original Films/Sony Pictures) — Arthur Max (production designer), Elli Griff (set decorator)

  • “Golda” (Bleecker Street) — Arad Sawat (production designer), Celia De La Hey (set decorator)

  • “Asteroid City” (Focus Features) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Kris Moran (set decorator)

  • “The Holdovers” (Focus Features) — Ryan Warren Smith (production designer), Markus Wittman (set decorator)

  • “BlackBerry” (IFC Films) — Adam Belanger (production designer), Lucy Larkin (set decorator)

  • “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studio) — Toma Baqueni (production designer), TBA (set decorator)

  • “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures) — Cabot McMullen, Brandon Mendez (production designers), David Hack (set decorator)

  • “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate) — Steve Saklad (production designer), Selina van den Brink (set decorator)

  • “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (Lionsgate) — Uli Hanisch (production designer), TBA (set decorator)

  • “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Marvel Studios) — Bet Mickle (production designer), Rosemary Brandenburg (set decorator)

  • “The Marvels” (Marvel Studios) — Care Brower (production designer), Jet Azis (set decorator)

  • “The Boys in the Boat” (MGM) — Kalina Ivanov (production designer), Jude Farr (set decorator)

  • “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” (MGM) — Martyn John (production designer), Linda Wilson (set decorator)

  • “Ferrari” (Neon) — Maria Djurkovic (production designer), Sophie Phillips (set decorator)

  • “Origin” (Neon) — Ina Mayhew (production designer), Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo (set decorator)

  • “The Killer” (Netflix) — Donald Graham Burt (production designer), Brandi Kalish (set decorator)

  • “May December” (Netflix) — Sam Lisenco (production designer), Jess Royal (set decorator)

  • “Maestro” (Netflix) — Kevin Thompson (production designer), Rena DeAngelo (set decorator)

  • “Nyad” (Netflix) — Kara Lindstrom (production designer), TBA (set decorator)

  • “Rustin” (Netflix) — Mark Ricker (production designer), Amy Wells (set decorator)

  • “Dungeons & Dragons” (Paramount Pictures) — Raymond Chan (production designer), Naomi Moore (set decorator)

  • “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures) — Gary Freeman (production designer), Raffaella Giovannetti (set decorator)

  • “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Paramount Pictures) — Yashar Kassai

  • “Elemental” (Pixar) — Dan Shank (production designer)

  • “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures) — Sarah Finlay (production designer), Marian Murray (set decorator)

  • “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures) — Karen Murphy (production designer), Lotty Sanna (set decorator)

  • “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Shona Heath, James Price (production designer), Szusza Mihalek (set decorator)

  • “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Patrick O’Keefe (production designer)

  • “Freud’s Last Session” (Sony Pictures Classics) — Luciana Arrighi (production designer), John Neligan (set decorator)

  • “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ruth De Jong (production designer), Claire Kaufman (set decorator)

  • “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (Warner Bros.) — Bill Brzeski, Sahby Mehalla (production designers), David Morison (set decorator)

  • “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — Sarah Greenwood (production designer), Katie Spencer (set decorator)

  • “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.) — Jon Billington (production designer), Jennifer M. Gentile (set decorator)

  • “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.) — Paul D. Austerberry (production designer), Larry Dias (set decorator)

  • “Wonka” (Warner Bros.) — Nathan Crowley (production designer), Lee Sandales (set decorator)

  • “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Adam Stockhausen (production designer), Anna Pinnock (set decorator)

  • “The Little Mermaid” (Walt Disney Pictures) — John Myhre (production designer), Gordon Sim (set decorator)

2022 category winner: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix) — Christian M. Goldbeck, Ernestine Hipper

Oscars Predictions Categories

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

About the Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners have been selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Seventeen branches are represented within the nearly 10,000-person membership. The branches are actors, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films and feature animation, sound, visual effects and writers.

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