The Saturn Awards will also celebrate the year of "Barbenheimer"

by Nathaniel R

The 51st Annual Saturn Awards will take place on February 4th this year in Los Angeles. Universal has reason to celebrate as the nomination leader with films like Oppenheimer, Renfield, and M3GAN in the mix. While Paramount is not far behind with titles like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Dungeons and Dragons. The Saturn awards have been honoring genre film and television for decades and they once had that all to themselves but in the 21st century mainstream awards bodies like the Oscars and the Emmys aren't as afraid of genre entertainment as they once were so a few of the honorees each year are also awards player in the more mainstream ceremonies.

The Saturn Awards don't run with a full calendar year so there's always a mix of last year's titles and this year's. Avatar The Way of Water, released in 2022, is the nomination leader this time with 12 citations (a record) while 2023's atypical summer blockbuster Oppenheimer is just behind with 11 nods. Given its zeitgeist appeal, Barbie also competes in a few categories...

Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney / Lightstorm) leads the nominationsBest Science Fiction Film: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

• The Creator (20th Century Studios) 

• M3GAN (Universal Pictures/Blumhouse) 

• Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu) 

• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Paramount/Hasbro) 

Best Fantasy Film: 

• Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures/Hasbro) 

• Haunted Mansion (Walt Disney Studios) 

• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

• The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios) 

Best Horror Film: 

• Barbarian (20th Century Studios) 

• Evil Dead Rise (Warner Bros. Pictures)  

• Insidious: The Red Door (Screen Gems/Blumhouse) 

• Renfield (Universal Pictures) 

• Scream VI (Paramount Pictures) 

• Smile (Paramount Pictures) 

• Talk to Me (A24) 

Horror aficionados can tell us if this is a good list or a bad one given how very many horror films are released each year. 

Best Superhero Film: 

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 

• Blue Beetle (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• The Flash (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 

As per usual it feels as if they have just nominated everything that was eligible.

Best Action / Adventure Film: 

• Bullet Train (Sony Pictures) 

• The Equalizer 3 (Sony Pictures) 

• Fast X (Universal Pictures) 

• John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Films) 

• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount Pictures) 

• The Woman King (TriStar Pictures) 

Best Thriller Film: 

• Don’t Worry Darling (Warner Bros./  New Line Cinema) 

• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix) 

• The Lesson (Bleecker Street)

•  The Menu (Searchlight Pictures) 

• Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures) 

• Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) 

Best Animated Film: 

• Elemental (Pixar/Walt Disney Studios) 

• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Dreamworks/Universal)

•  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures/Marvel) 

• The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal Pictures) 

• Suzume (Crunchyroll) 

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount Pictures)

Best Actor in a Film: 

• Ralph Fiennes The Menu (Searchlight Pictures) 

• Harrison Ford Indiana Jones and  the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

• Ben Kingsley Jules (Bleecker Street) 

• Cillian Murphy Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) 

• Chris Pratt Guardians of the Galaxy – Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)

• Keanu Reeves John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Films)

•  Sam Worthington Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

Chris Pratt?

Best Actress in a Film: 

• Viola Davis The Woman King (TriStar Pictures)

•  Mia Goth Pearl (A24) 

• Anya Taylor-Joy The Menu (Searchlight Pictures) 

• Amber Midthunder Prey (20th Century Studios/Hulu)

•  Margot Robbie Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Zoe Saldana Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

A respectable list!

Best Supporting Actor in a Film: 

• Nicolas Cage Renfield (Universal Pictures) 

• Robert Downey Jr. Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) 

• Ryan Gosling Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Michael Keaton The Flash (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Stephen Lang Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

• Mads Mikkelsen Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

While we are Mads Mikkelsen fans this is just lllllllllllaaaazzzzzyyy voting. Come on. Especially given that their other nominations show us Glass Onion was eligible. Edward Norton was right there! Or if you want to stick to sci-fi fantasy Hugh Grant is very enjoyable in Dungeons & Dragons.

Best Supporting Actress in a Film: 

• Angela Bassett Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 

• Emily Blunt Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) 

• Jane Curtain Jules (Bleecker Street) 

• Melissa McCarthy The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios)  

• Phoebe Waller-Bridge Indiana Jones and  the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

• Sophie Wilde Talk to Me (A24)

Best Younger Performer in a Film: 

• Halle Bailey The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Studios) 

• Vivien Lyra Blair The Boogeyman (20th Century Studios) 

• Jack Champion Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)

•  Xolo Mariduena Blue Beetle (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• Violet McGraw M3GAN (Universal Pictures/  Blumhouse) 

• Noah Schnapp The Tutor (Vertical Entertainment) 

Best Film Direction: 

• James Cameron Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

• Greta Gerwig Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

•  James Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy – Vol. 3 (Marvel/Walt Disney Pictures)

•  James Mangold Indiana Jones and   the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

• Mark Mylod The Menu (Searchlight Films) 

• Christopher Nolan Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures) 

• Danny Philippou &  Michael Philippou Talk to Me (A24) 

Best Film Screenwriting: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water James Cameron and Rick Jaffa  & Amanda Silver (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 

• Barbie Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

• The Menu Seth Reiss & Will Tracy (Searchlight Films) 

• Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Erik Jendresen &  Christopher McQuarrie (Paramount Pictures) 

• Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan (Universal Pictures) 

• Pearl Ti West & Mia Goth (A24) 

Best Film Music (Composer): 

• Avatar: The Way of Water Simon Franglen (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) Barbie Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt (Warner Bros. Pictures) Indiana Jones and the  

• Dial of Destiny John Williams (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 

• The Little Mermaid Alan Menken (Walt Disney Pictures) 

• Renfield Marco Beltrami (Universal Pictures) 

• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Daniel Pemberton (Sony Pictures/Marvel)

Best Film Make-Up: 

• The Covenant Donald Mowat (United Artists Releasing) 
• Evil Dead Rise Luke Polti (Warner Bros. Pictures) 
• Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3 Alexei Dmitriew (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 
• Oppenheimer Luisa Abel, Jason Hamer (Universal Pictures) 
• Prey Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. (20th Century Studios/Hulu) 
• Renfield Christien Tinsley (Universal Pictures) 

Best Film Editing: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner,  John Refoua, James Cameron (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 
• Fast X Dylan Highsmith, Kelly Matsumoto, Corbin Mehl, Laura Yanovich (Universal Pictures) 
• Indiana Jones and the  Dial of Destiny Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker,  Dirk Westervelt (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 
• John Wick: Chapter 4 Nathan Orloff (Lionsgate Films) 
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Eddie Hamilton (Paramount Pictures) 
• Oppenheimer Jennifer Lane (Universal Pictures) 

Best Film Production Design: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water Dylan Cole, Ben Proctor (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 
• Barbie Sarah Greenwood (Warner Bros. Pictures) 
• Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3 Beth Mickle (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 
• John Wick: Chapter 4 Kevin Kavanaugh (Lionsgate Films) 
• Oppenheimer Ruth De Jong (Universal Pictures) 
• Renfield Alec Hammond (Universal Pictures) 

Best Film Costume: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water Bob Buck, Deborah Scott (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 
• Barbie Jacqueline Durran (Warner Bros. Pictures) 
• Black Panther: Wakanda  Forever Ruth E. Carter (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 
• Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3 Judianna Makovsky (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 
• Indiana Jones and the  Dial of Destiny Joanna Johnston (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 
• Oppenheimer Ellen Mirojnick (Universal Pictures)

Best Film Visual / Special Effects: 

• Avatar: The Way of Water Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham,  Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett (Walt Disney/Lightstorm) 
• The Creator Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts, Neil Corbould (20th Century Studios) 
• Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3 Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios) 
• Indiana Jones and the  Dial of Destiny Andrew Whitehurst, Kathy Siegel, Robert Weaver, Alistair Williams (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney) 
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco,  Jeff Sutherland, Neil Corbould (Paramount Pictures) 
• Oppenheimer Andrew Jackson, Giacomo Mineo, Scott Fisher, Dave Drzewiecki (Universal Pictures) 

Not a bad list at all. Isn't it odd that Oscar has completed ignored even the tech elements of the always well produced Mission Impossible series? 

Best Independent Film: 

• Aporia (Well Go USA) Brooklyn 45 (Shudder) 
• Fall (Lionsgate Films) 
• Jules (Bleecker Street) Pearl (A24) 
• The Tutor (Vertical Entertainment) Best International Film: 
• Madeleine Collins (Greenwich Entertainment) 
• Missing (Dark Star Pictures) 
• The Origin of Evil (IFC Films) 
• Ransomed (Well Go USA) 
• Speak No Evil (Shudder) 
• Sisu (Lionsgate Films)

A truly bizarre collection. While I personally love Madeleine Collins, that Virginie Efira drama looks bizarrely out of place in this list of horror and sci-fi films. How did it qualify as "genre"? 

TELEVISION 

Best Science Fiction Television Series: 

• Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+)  
• Foundation (Apple TV+) 
• The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+)  
• The Peripheral (Amazon) Silo (Apple TV+) 
• Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 

Best Fantasy Television Series: 

• Ghosts (CBS)  
• Good Omens (Amazon)  
• House of the Dragon (HBO/Max) 
• The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (Amazon) 
• Mayfair Witches (AMC) 
• Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)  
• Wednesday (Netflix)  

No Shadow and Bone or  The Wheel of Time ? Give me those over some of these. 

Best Horror Television Series:  

• American Horror Story (FX/Hulu) 
• Chucky (NBC/Universal/Syfy) 
• Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)  
• From (MGM+) 
• Interview with the Vampire (AMC) 
• The Last of Us (HBO/Max) 
• What We Do in the Shadows (FX/Hulu)

Best Superhero Television Series: 

• Doom Patrol (HBO/Max) 
• The Flash (Warner Bros. Television)  
• The Sandman (Netflix) 
• Secret Invasion (Marvel/Disney+) 
• She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law (Marvel/Disney+) 
• Stargirl (Warner Bros. Television)
• Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television) 

May the best show win (best is an alternate spelling of "The Sandman")

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Television Series: 

• La Brea (NBC/Universal) Manifest (Netflix) 
• Outlander (Starz) 
• Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal) 
• Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (Amazon) 
• The Witcher (Netflix) 
• Yellowjackets (Showtime) 
• Best Television Presentation: 
• Black Mirror (Netflix) 
• Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix) 
• Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+) 
• Marvel’s Werewolf by Night (Marvel/Disney+) 
• The Midnight Club (Netflix)  
• Mrs. Davis (Peacock)  
• The Munsters (Universal 1440 Entertainment) 

Best Animated Television Series or Special

• Chainsaw Man (Crunchyroll) 
• Gremlins: Secrets of Mogwai (HBO/Max) 
• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix) 
• Harley Quinn (HBO/Max) 
• My Adventures with Superman (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim) 
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+) 
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Best New Genre Television Series: 

• Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• The Ark (Electric Entertainment/Syfy) 
• The Last of Us (HBO/Max)  
• Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (Amazon) 
• Silo (Apple TV+) 
• The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC) 
• Wednesday (Netflix) 

Best Actor in a Television Series: 

• Tyler Hoechlin Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television) 
• Sam Heughan Outlander (Starz) 
• Diego Luna Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• Anson Mount Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Pedro Pascal The Last of Us (HBO/Max) 
• Harold Perrineau From (MGM+) 
• Patrick Stewart Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 

Best Actress in a Television Series: 

• Caitriona Balfe Outlander (Starz) 
• Lauren Cohan The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC) 
• Emma D’Arcy House of the Dragon (HBO/Max) 
• Rebecca Ferguson Silo (Apple TV+) 
• Tatiana Maslany She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law (Marvel/Disney+) 
• Rose McIver Ghosts (CBS) 
• Elizabeth Tulloch Superman & Lois (Warner Bros. Television) 

Curiously Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) were both demoted to "Best Younger Performer" category

Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series: 

• Jonathan Frakes Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Harvey Guillen What We Do in the Shadows (FX/Hulu) 
• Ernie Hudson Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal) 
• Ethan Peck Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Ed Speleers Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Matt Smith House of the Dragon (HBO/Max) 
• Todd Stashwick Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS)

Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series: 

• Jess Bush Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Celia Rose Gooding Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Genevieve O’Reilly Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• Jeri Ryan Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Katee Sackhoff The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• Sophie Skelton Outlander (Starz) 
• Rebecca Wisocky Ghosts (CBS) 

Best Younger Performer in a Television Series: 

• Milly Alcock House of the Dragon (HBO/Max) 
• Freya Allan The Witcher (Netflix) 
• Zachary Arthur Chucky (NBC/Universal/Syfy) 
• Brec Bassinger Stargirl (Warner Bros. Television) 
• Jenna Ortega Wednesday (Netfix) 
• Bella Ramsey The Last of Us (HBO/Max) 
• Igby Rigney The Midnight Club (Netflix) 

Best Guest Star in a Television Series: 

• Gael Garcia Bernal Marvel’s Werewolf by Night (Marvel/Disney+) 
• Giancarlo Esposito The Mandalorian (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• Nick Offerman The Last of Us (HBO/Max) 
• Amanda Plummer Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Andy Serkis Andor (Lucasfilm/Disney+) 
• Paul Wesley Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+/CBS) 
• Catherine Zeta-Jones Wednesday (Netflix)

HOME ENTERTAINMENT 

Best Classic Film Home Media Release: 

• Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (Warner Archives) 
• Invaders from Mars 4K (Ignite) 
• It Came from Outer Space 4K (Universal Home Entertainment) 
• It, The Terror from Beyond Space 4k (Kino Lorber) 
• The Manchurian Candidate 4K (Kino Lorber) 
• The Night of the Hunter 4K (Kino Lorber) 
• Secret of the Incas (Kino Lorber) 

Best Television Home Media Release: 

• Better Call Saul (The Complete Collection) (AMC) 
• Creepshow (Season 3) (Shudder) 
• Doctor Who: The Abominable Snowman (BBC) 
• Interview with the Vampire (Season 1) (AMC) 
• Loki (Season 1) – 4K Steelbook (Disney Home Media) 
• Night Gallery, Season 3 (Kino Lorber) 
• Quantum Leap, Season 1 (Universal Home Entertainment) 

Best 4K Home Media Release: 

• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 4K (Criterion) 
• The Exorcist 50th Anniversary Edition 4K (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) 
• Cujo 4K (Kino Lorber) 
• John Wick, Chapter 4 - 4K (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) 
• Needful Things 4K (Kino Lorber) 
• To Live and Die in L.A. 4K (Kino Lorber) 
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition 4K (Paramount Home  Entertainment)

Best Film Home Media Collection: 

• Arsene Lupin Collection (Kino Lorber) 
• Irwin Allen: Master of Disaster Collection (Shout Factory) 
• Mr. Wong Collection (Kino Lorber) 
• Shawscope: Volume Two (Arrow Video) 
• Superman 1978-1987 4K Collection (Warner Home Video) 
• Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror, Volume 2 (Universal Home  Entertainment) 
• Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary 25 Film Collection: Vol. 4 (Thrillers, Sci-fi, Horror)   (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) 

Comments

[Cláudio Alves]

Nominating Sophie Wilde as a supporting actress for TALK TO ME is one of the most ludicrous cases of category fraud I've seen in a while.

[Tony L]

Love shows ‘Chucky’ and ‘Interview with a Vampire’ - sad they didn’t nominate Jacob Anderson, he’s amazing in IWaV.

[Wae Mest]

Nothing on the NBR winners? Already annoyed by the Gladstone early steamroll.

[Robert G]

The horror nominations are interesting. M3gan got bumped to sci-fi, even though it’s a pretty typical pg13 slasher with a robot. Otherwise, they went for all the big talking point horror films sans the polarizing Skinamarink. It’s not a bad list, and their eligibility period makes it hard to track what big indies they may have missed. Talk to Me should easily take it, but it is very bleak compared to what usually wins at the Saturns.

[Joe G.]

They have way too many series categories. I get spreading the love, but there are very few television series that aren't nominated.

But, yay for Schmigadoon.

[Mr Ripley79]

That's one great list for the Horror section,swap out Renfield for The Outwaters even though it's hard to sit through and at points repulsive and not enjoyable but it jarred me like no film this year and the list is stellar.

Evil Dead Rise or Barbarian would be my pick.

None the acting is Indiana Jones esp Waller bridge deserves a mention,Alison Williams was better in Megan.

Mia Goth should take Best Actress for a turn that i'd have amongst last years Oscar nominees,she's singular in it and people should check it out

[Philip H.]

No shade to the Saturns, but this is a hot mess.

There are way too many categories, it feels like they nominated everything eligible.

Scream VI should not be nominated for anything. I saw Scream V and enjoyed it enough even if it didn't work overall for me (they've taken the fun out of the Scream franchise, which was what always made Scream what it was), and the last one was legitimately a horrendous parody of the franchise. I will never seen another one, and I pray they stop making them altogether.

Barbarian deserves to win that category for sure.

[Robert G]

I just realized Prey also got bumped to sci-fi. There's a stronger argument there, for sure, but I still think it's a horror film. Swap that with Scream VI and you have a stronger lineup.

Pearl or The Outwaters (good callout Mr Ripley) also could've taken over for Scream VI.