The 2025 Critics Choice Awards, an event where the greatest of the greatest are honored, was supposed to take place in Los Angeles this year, but due to the raging fires in LA County, the event had to be postponed. The good news is that event planners aren't waiting long.
Hosted by Chelsea Chandler, the 2025 Critics Choice Awards will take place on January 26th instead of January 12th. Surprisingly, the venue hasn't changed. It'll still happen at the Santa Monica Airport's Barker Hanger. Be aware that the fires around Los Angeles haven't died down, meaning further damage could prevent the awards show from taking place at Barker Hanger. There are plenty of other venues around Los Angeles that can facilitate the event, but if the awards show is specifically contracted with the Santa Monica Airport, it may prevent the event from happening anywhere else as long as the venue is still intact. The airport presumably gains business from hosting the event, so moving it would be an unexpected loss.
Whatever the case—delays or not—the awards will be announced. Here are the most foreseen picks of 2025. *Not confirmed, simply predictions*
Best Picture: Wicked
Only two of the candidates for Best Picture stand out, and either one is deserving of the win. The two in question are Conclave and Wicked. While the latter isn't a traditional movie for Best Picture, it made quite the impression on audiences. There's even a sequel in the works, which bodes well for Wicked's 2025 Critics Choice nomination.
Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes
Without playing favorites because The Brutalist was an amazing picture and Adrien Brody put on one of the best performances of his career, Ralph Fiennes will likely take home the win for his role in Conclave. Everything he's done has been phenomenal—whether it's Harry Potter, Red Dragon, or The Menu—Fiennes knows how to act. That's why it's easy to visualize him winning Best Actor this year.
Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo will win Best Actress. There's no questioning it. Wicked has already taken home so many awards that the movie's top-billed actress has one coming, at least one, if not more. Demi Moore is in close contention for The Substance, but people fell in love with Erivo's performance. She has everything going for her.
Best Supporting Actor: Denzel Washington
No matter the category, if Denzel is in it, he's won. Denzel Washington was nominated for his role in Gladiator II as Macrinus, which, more than sufficed as one of Washington's last movie roles. The veteran actor has announced his retirement following a handful of projects, including three movies. He'll also be in a pair of Broadway productions.
Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
Again, the pair of leads from Wicked are bound to take home yet another win. While Erivo is a shoo-in for Best Actress, her co-star is equally worthy of Best Supporting Actress. It may be asking too much for them to win both awards, but the movie was a hot commodity.
Best Young Actor/Actress: Alisha Weir
Most of the actors/actresses in contention for this award didn't have the most memorable performances. Although, one managed to stand out more than others: Alisha Weir in Abigail. Her ability to play an authority figure while seemingly playing the victim is a testament to her ability as an actress. Weir should win unless Maisy Stella's part in My Old Ass beats her out for it.
Best Acting Ensemble: Conclave
Conclave has a good chance of winning the "ensemble" award, considering that it has Ralph Fiennes in the movie, as well as several other noteworthy actors, including Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow. Whenever these actors are in a project, the whole cast puts on a splendid performance. And after watching Conclave, they pulled it off again.
Best Director: Denis Villeneuve
The category for Best Director is a bit harder to pin down since execution doesn't always reflect the dedication put in by a director. A director can give it all their effort, but if the actors don't play their part, it won't turn out well. That said, Denis Villeneuve probably takes home Best Director for Dune: Part Two.
Best Original Screenplay: The Substance
Out of all the screenplays last year, The Substance made the most impact on audiences. It sent so many moviegoers reeling from the constant twists and turns, putting it in top contention for the award in 2025. The Brutalist could be higher in the rankings, although Demi Moore's flick received more recognition in the news/media.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Wicked
Wicked isn't going to sweep the Critics Choice Awards this year, but don't be surprised by several wins, and Best Adapted Screenplay will likely be among the wins that the musical-drama claims. Wicked was adapted by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox.
Best Cinematography: Nosferatu
Nosferatu, while an outlier in this group, is the ideal candidate to win. Various scenes from the movie were crafted so carefully that it's remarkable that most of it was done practically. Regardless, the film deserves to win in this category.
Best Production Design: Gladiator II
Without a doubt, Gladiator II will win the Best Production Design this year. With all the sets, the action, and the attention to detail; you can't point out a single glaring problem with the movie. That said, every film in this category was crafted with equal vigor, so it shouldn't surprise viewers to see Dune or Wicked win. Some might not see Wicked as a contender in this category, but again, remember that the Jon M. Chu flick has been everything cinephiles talked about for nearly six months.
Best Editing: Conclave
Best Editing is always up to interpretation, especially this year. Of course, the likeliest candidates will probably be Nick Emerson for Conclave or David Jancso for The Brutalist.
Best Costume Design: Nosferatu
While Conclave is the predictable pick for Best Costume Design based on the detailed outfits worn by the Catholic priests, it's not the best of this year's candidates. Nosferatu's Bill Skarsgard has become the talk of the town and there isn't even a clear image of the vampiric horror available yet. Moviegoers can see the intricate costume in Nosferatu, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one on the web.
Best Hair And Makeup: Wicked
Here's another category up for interpretation, although most people are going to gravitate to Wicked's Francis Hannon, Sarah Nuth, and Laura Blount. Wicked is deserving of the award, but so are the other candidates in this category; hence why it'll be interesting to see how the category plays out.
Best Visual Effects: The Substance
The Substance has an easy win coming in the Best Visual Effects category. They were few and far between, but any time, an effect signifying a transformation happened onscreen, it blurred the line between reality and visual effects. There's no question about the winner of this category.
Best Animated Feature: Inside Out 2
There weren't a lot of top-tier candidates in last year's selection, but if one had to stand out, it was Inside Out 2. Riley's story only continues to get better and better, and everyone sees that.
Best Comedy: Deadpool & Wolverine
We might be a little biased but Deadpool & Wolverine will take away at least one win this year. The comedy wasn't slapstick or played out in an over-the-top, but the subtle jabs throughout the film warrant consideration.
Best Foreign Language Film: Emilia Perez
Emiliia Perez wasn't a major release in Northern America but it's probably going to win this year. There was a major buzz in Europe and for the Best Foreign Language feature, it's probably going to win.
Best Score: Dune Part Two
We all know Hans Zimmer is taking home the award for Best Score. Zimmer's track record is enough evidence to go off, and he hasn't lost a step. With that known, Dune: Part Two is the most likely candidate for this category.
The 2025 Critics Choice Awards airs on Sunday, January 26th. You can watch either on the E! Channel or Peacock