Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

The fall festival circuit is heating up, and with it, the anticipation for potential Oscar contenders. Several high-profile films are poised for premieres, sparking conversations about directorial comebacks, actor campaigns, and the potential for breakout hits.

Paul Thomas Anderson‘s latest film, reportedly titled The Master Builder, has been notably absent from festival lineups. His last film to premiere at a festival was 2014’s Inherent Vice.With a release date of September 26th, a last-minute debut at the Telluride Film Festival remains a possibility.

Similarly, Scott cooper’s Bruce Springsteen biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere, has a later release date in late October, allowing more time for festival rollout. If jeremy Allen White is to be campaigned for Best Actor, Telluride is a likely starting point for that effort.

Is The Testament of Ann Lee the next Brutalist?

Last year, Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist generated significant awards buzz following its premiere at Venice. This year, Mona Fastvold, who cowrote The Brutalist with Corbet, is aiming for a similar trajectory with The testament of Ann Lee. this period musical, shot in 70mm and starring Amanda Seyfried, chronicles the founding of the Shakers.Like The Brutalist, The Testament of Ann Lee will be seeking a distributor at the festival. The question remains whether it will also achieve multiple Oscar nominations.

Is Gus Van Sant Back?

It has been seven years as Gus van Sant’s last feature directorial effort. The two-time Oscar-nominated director is returning to a genre reminiscent of his 2008 film Milk, his last critically acclaimed work. His new film, Dead Man’s Wire, is a true-crime story featuring Bill Skarsgård, dacre Montgomery, and Colman Domingo.

Is Daniel Day-Lewis back-back?

Another film absent from current festival slates is Anemone, the directorial debut of Ronan Day-Lewis. The project marks the return of his father, Daniel Day-Lewis, to acting. Daniel Day-Lewis has been retired from acting since Phantom Thread, and this marks his second return. The question remains whether one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation will continue to act after this project.

Can Steven Soderbergh out-Soderbergh himself?

Steven Soderbergh has a history of releasing multiple films in a single year.In 2000, he released both Traffic and Erin Brockovich, even competing against himself for Best Director, an award he won. With the proclamation of The Christophers,starring ian McKellen and Michaela Coel,premiering at TIFF,Soderbergh will have three films released in 2025,following Presence and Black Bag.This raises the possibility of an internal Oscar competition for Soderbergh.