Contender: 'War Horse'

'War Horse'Steven Spielberg and war certainly are a potent honours combination ("Schindler's List," "Saving Private Ryan"), similar to the 2-time Best Director champion and tales of youthful friendship ("ET"). Why not mention his history with creatures ("Jaws") too? Simply, this storied filmmaker's eagerly anticipated realization of author Michael Morpurgo's children's novel a great British farm lad's deep link to a equine shipped for everyone inside the Great War is decided to excite the Academy's adoration for spectacle, history, emotion and Spielberg, and increase the risk for director's seventh nomination. (Just like previous years when he's had two releases, it's doubtful he'll be splitting votes in this particular category while using more popcorn-centric entry, in this particular situation his "Tintin" movie.) Expect the normal nom onslaught, too, for his regulars: cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (two wins), editor Michael Kahn (three-time champion) and composer John Williams (five-time champion), and also the chance of tech recognition overall. Previous scribe nominees Richard Curtis ("Four Wedding events together with a Funeral") and Lee Hall ("Billy Elliot") look obvious on getting an adaptation nom. Acting nods are iffier: outdoors of unknown Jeremy Irvine inside the lead - as well as, it's an not-nominatable equine nobody stars - the narrative sprawl signifies a raft of supporting possibles, introduced by two-time nominee Emily Watson since the boy's mother.Release date: 12 ,. 25 Disney Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com