Academy Award Nomination Predictions

The nominations for the 88th Academy Awards will be announced Thursday at approximately 8:40 A.M. EST. Here are the names I believe you'll hear called tomorrow morning at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Best Picture:
Bridge of Spies
The Big Short
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Locks: Carol, The Martian, The Revenant, Spotlight
Toss-Ups: Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Brooklyn, Creed, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, Joy, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton

Best Actor:
Matt Damon, The Martian
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
 
Locks: Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Redmayne
Toss-Ups: Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Steve Carell (The Big Short), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Will Smith (Concussion)

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Locks: Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander
Toss-Ups: Charlotte Rampling, Saoirse Ronan
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van), Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)

Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies 
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Locks: Christian Bale, Mark Rylance, Sylvester Stallone
Toss-Ups: Mark Ruffalo, Jacob Tremblay
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Ryan Gosling (The Big Short), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Michael Shannon (99 Homes), Benicio Del Toro (Sicario)

Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Locks: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rooney Mara, Kate Winslet
Toss-Ups: Rachel McAdams, Alicia Vikander
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Joan Allen (Room), Jane Fonda (Youth), Helen Mirren (Trumbo), Julie Walters (Brooklyn)

Best Director:
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road 
Ridley Scott, The Martian

Locks: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Tom McCarthy, George Miller, Ridley Scott
Toss-Ups: Todd Haynes
Most likely to pick up a surprise nomination: Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs), Adam McKay (The Big Short), Steven Spielberg (Bridge of Spies), Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)

Best Original Screenplay:
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina 
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Big Short
Carol
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs

Best Animated Feature:
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Cinematography:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario

Best Foreign Language Film:
The Brand New Testament
Labyrinth of Lies
Mustang
Son of Saul
A War


Best Documentary Feature:
Amy
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
Meru
The Look of Silence


Best Costume Design:
Brooklyn
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl 
Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Score:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
The Danish Girl 
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Black Mass
The Danish Girl
The Revenant  

Best Visual Effects:
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens