Does Avengers: Endgame deserve plaudits at the Oscars solely because of its Box-Office record? Moreover, does global fandom automatically ascertain that it’s a cinematic masterpiece?
Well, the Oscars aka The Academy Awards are around the corner. So, Disney has started an all-out campaign to woo the jury into conferring the ultimate prize on the ‘Movie of the Year’ Avengers: Endgame.
With the conclusion of Phase 3 and the farewell of several A-list Hollywood heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney wants an emotional farewell. The highest-grossing movie of all time, Avengers: Endgame is potential solidification of the genre as an Oscar fit way of movie-making.
Disney has kicked off a campaign to woo The Academy
Consequently, Disney and the Kevin Feige-led Marvel Studios have started an Oscar campaign similar to what helped its epic Black Panther garner 7 nominations. Disney is certainly hopeful of great Oscar exploits with four more films apart from Avengers: Endgame in the running: The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen II and Toy Story 4.
But its Avengers: Endgame, the classic end to a huge global saga created by the Marvel Cinematic Universe is by far their biggest priority on the biggest stage of credit in Hollywood. As per reports, there is a big chance that Endgame will garner a Best Picture nomination at this years’ Oscars.
Disney has kicked off the campaign to woo The Academy through “For Your Consideration” screenings of Avengers: Endgame.
So, to ensure these reports turn out to be true, Disney has kicked off the campaign to woo The Academy through “For Your Consideration” screenings of Avengers: Endgame. However, does the Avengers: Endgame’s phenomenal worldwide success that saw it overtake Avatar and Titanic automatically qualify it for ‘The Oscar for the Best Picture’?
How many plaudits does Avengers: Endgame deserve?
A better question might be: Was the Avengers: Endgame’s global success due to it being a cinematic masterclass, or just because of the cult comic book following and the growing fandom?
We can be certain to an extent that the Avengers: Endgame will get the same worth as its blockbuster James Cameron-directed counterparts at the Oscars. But it would be almost blasphemous to the art of movie-making if it wins the biggest prize.
Quite literally, it would mean that a movie’s CGI and VFX is considered enough to shadow the basic parameters of cinematography, storyline, and direction. Endgame was big, no doubt. Even more awesome were its perfect CGI action-packed theme. However, probably none of the viewers would vouch for it to be among the greatest movies of all time.
Does the Marvel tag guarantee Avengers: Endgame Oscar exploits?
Unfortunately, not. Despite the millions of fans globally, MCU movies are not very close to the hearts of the Academy Jury. Historically, Black Panther is the only MCU movie to win at Oscars. The movie garnered seven nominations, three out of which took home the prize.
That said, we cannot ignore that Black Panther had more cultural significance and power than any other MCU movie. It gathered some of the best Hollywood’s coloured actors who put together a cinematic masterpiece.
Ask any fan and they’ll tell you that Avengers: Endgame doesn’t rank anywhere close to Black Panther, theatrically speaking of course.
What’s the difference? Black Panther was more of a passion project than a business endeavour. On the other hand, Avengers: Endgame ticks all the circles as an out and out Franchise project. So, there is a huge chance that Avengers: Endgame could be slotted in the exact fold that the other MCU movies, apart from Black Panther, were snubbed into before.
At best, we believe that the movie might light the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. But the idea of it becoming the Best Picture of 2019 is highly contentious.
So, what about the actors in Avengers: Endgame?
One area where we might think Avengers: Endgame has a superior chance than other movies is the acting nominations. With a galore of star power enlisting some great actors like Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and the lead Robert Downey Jr., one might speculate that the movie has built up a huge chance of garnering Oscars in individual categories.
And the biggest chance among them would be of the emotional and dynamic Tony Stark, arguably played to perfection by Robert Downey Jr. However, if you have any clue of how the Academy decides its actors, RDJ stands almost no chance.
Although Downey Jr. player Iron Man has been central to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008, its more his star power and uber-maverick persona that’s gained attention rather than the acting. After portraying the character in eight different MCU movies, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man received a better farewell than any other of the outgoing stars.
But an emotional farewell and an arguably strong performance under the suit surely won’t transform into the Best Actor prize, even if he does get a nomination.
What categories do we foresee for Avengers: Endgame at the Oscars?
With Marvel Studios, Disney and mastermind Kevin Feige strategizing victory for Avengers: Endgame at the Oscars with marketing campaigns (read Academy screenings) in the US and UK, the movie stands the chance of gaining at least five nominations.
While a spot in the race for the Best Picture is guaranteed, another spot might or might not come to Robert Downey Jr. for the Best Actor Oscar. Another which we think is a certainty is the Best Visual Effects category. This nomination has the highest chance of converting into an award.
Best Visual Effects category has the highest chance of converting into an award.
Another category will be the ‘Best Direction’. In all probability, the Russo brothers will immensely vouch for Avengers: Endgame being one of their best works. And finally, we can also speculate that the Sound Effects category is another area where Avengers: Endgame will count itself as deserving.
The Academy Ideology and Power that Disney holds
But all that said and done, Avengers: Endgame might be a role model for what the Cinematic Evolution and the age of global fandom can conquer. But its plaudits being regarded as the ultimate piece of work this year is unlikely.
If that happens, we know something is fishy and not right. The Academy is not particularly biased except when it thinks the age and era need empowering a certain type of niche. But then, we all know the kind of power Disney holds, so if Avengers: Endgame does win The Best Picture at the Oscars, it won’t be that big a surprise after all.
