Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The 2025 Oscar nominations delivered two acting nods for The Apprentice, a stronger-than-expected showing for A Complete Unknown, and a Best Picture breakthrough for Brazil’s I’m Still Here. At the same time, several prominent performers and entire films—including Challengers—were left out. “Snub” and “surprise” describe how those outcomes compared with awards-season expectations; they are not official Academy categories.
What counts as a snub or surprise?
The Academy announced nominations for the 97th Oscars on January 23, 2025. The ceremony, held March 2, honored films released in 2024. The Academy’s official list is the factual baseline: it names the nominees, while judgments about who was expected to make the cut come from contemporary awards coverage and precursor recognition.
There is no objective ranking of the day’s shocks. A contender who missed one acting category is a different case from a film that received no nominations at all; an unexpected nomination may also matter because it marks an unusual category breakthrough. The examples below distinguish those kinds of outcomes rather than presenting a definitive numbered ranking.
The Academy’s 2025 ceremony page identifies the event and eligible film year, and the official nominee list records the nominations.
#1 Best Overall
- EASY-TO-PLAY: Test your cinema knowledge and take a trip down memory lane as you reflect on favorite box office hits, Oscar winners, and classic movie quotes. Movie Trivia is an easy to learn game making it perfect to play with family and friends.
- FAMILY FAVORITE: Movie Trivia spans the Hollywood classics to modern day movies. Teens to adults will enjoy answering these trivia questions.
- TRIVIA CATEGORIES: Movie Trivia Game includes the following categories: Comedy/Animation, Action/Adventure, Drama/Musical, and Horror/Sci-Fi.
- INCLUDES: 110 Double-sided cards (880 questions), Score pad, Pencil, Instructions.
The biggest nomination surprises
The Apprentice landed two acting nominations
Sebastian Stan earned a leading-actor nomination and Jeremy Strong a supporting-actor nomination for The Apprentice. The pairing was striking because the film’s awards prospects had appeared uncertain. The Associated Press noted that Strong, but not Stan, had received a Screen Actors Guild nomination. The Academy list confirms both Oscar placements, making the film’s two acting nods a clear break from the momentum suggested by that particular precursor.
A Complete Unknown reached beyond its expected footprint
The Bob Dylan biopic received nominations that included James Mangold for directing and Monica Barbaro for supporting actress, as well as costume design. Vanity Fair characterized the film as an overperformer; that is an assessment of its awards-season showing, not a formal measure. The directing and acting nominations are confirmed by the Academy’s list.
I’m Still Here broke into Best Picture
The Brazilian film received nominations for Best Picture and international feature, while Fernanda Torres was nominated for leading actress. Contemporary coverage treated its Best Picture place as unexpected, and Vogue connected Torres’s awards-season rise with her Golden Globe win. The nominations themselves are confirmed by the Academy; the surprise rests on how the result compared with expectations.
Rank #2
- CINEMA TRIVIA GAME: This game is for the movie buff, testing everyone’s knowledge of comedy, cartoon, action, adventure, drama, musicals, sci-fi, and horror movies.
- MOVIES TRIVIA CONTENTS: For 2 or more players ages 12 years and up, Movies Trivia is a fun game that includes 880 questions and answers with 4 categories on each card.
- QUIZ QUESTIONS: Besides having the benefits of improving and expanding your knowledge, trivia games are also a fun way to get everyone involved at any game night or party.
- FAMILY FUN: The rules are easy to learn and the game is difficult to stop playing, it’s that much fun! It’s the perfect game for families that allows the kids, teens, and parents to all get involved.
- TRAVEL ACTIVITIES: This compact, portable game can easily fit in a purse or backpack, making it perfect as an on the go activity for long road trips in the car and long waits at the restaurant.
Nickel Boys made the ten-film Best Picture field
Nickel Boys secured a Best Picture nomination, one of ten in the category. The Associated Press and Vanity Fair described its inclusion as a relative surprise. The distinction matters: the film was recognized in the Academy’s top category, but it missed cinematography despite the distinctive point of view discussed in coverage of the film.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Flow earned nominations in two feature categories
Latvian animated film Flow was nominated for both animated feature and international feature. The Associated Press described its international-feature nomination as a first for Latvia. This was a notable category crossover, not an omission story.
The most talked-about omissions
Daniel Craig, Queer — leading actor
Craig’s Oscar omission came after a campaign that the Associated Press said had not gained traction. CBS also noted that he was the exception to an otherwise closely matching Screen Actors Guild leading-actor lineup. That precursor comparison helps explain why his absence drew attention without implying that a nomination was assured.
Rank #3
- How to Play: Compete with your friends to identify popular movies from the most convoluted movie summaries possible. Has your mom ever tried to explain a film that she just watched? Did it make one ounce of sense? Of course not–and that’s precisely the inspiration for this game. For example: A goose suddenly dies and it makes everyone really depressed. Psst, it’s 'Top Gun’.
- Package Includes: Features 125 game cards–each featuring a uniquely-terrible description of a movie. Includes instructions for two distinct ways to play (competitive & casual). Suitable for 2 to 8 players.
- Perfect for parties: Brass Monkey’s “Poorly Explained Movies Game” is the perfect party game to make sure everyone has a great time, bring it to your next college dorm game night, happy hour, or even bachelor/bachelorette party and see for yourself.
- Gift Ideas: Ideal gift for birthdays, graduation, holiday gifts, and Christmas
Angelina Jolie, Maria — leading actress
Jolie’s performance in the biographical drama was a prominent awards-season contender, but she did not make the leading-actress field. The Associated Press and Vogue covered the omission. Its visibility reflected the profile of the role and the expectations around it, not a guarantee of Academy recognition.
Nicole Kidman, Babygirl — leading actress
Kidman, who won the acting prize at Venice for Babygirl, was not nominated. Contemporary writers differed on how surprising that outcome was, so it is more accurate to call it a notable omission than a certain near-miss.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchMarianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths — leading actress
The Associated Press called Jean-Baptiste’s omission confounding, and Vanity Fair noted that Hard Truths received no nominations. Her absence therefore stood alongside a complete shutout for the film, rather than being the sole missed category in an otherwise recognized contender.
Rank #4
- TWISTED TERROR: Challenge your friends on frightening facts with a trivia game that tests your knowledge on horror facts in every genre. Call a priest, gas up the chainsaw, and sharpen the machete…will you survive the night?
- HORROR FANS: Think you know all there is to know about creepy dolls, psycho killers, haunted places and legendary monsters? Try to answer trivia questions with your knowledge of scary movies, books and tv shows to win.
- QUICK PLAY TRIVIA GAME: Survive the night by answering multiple questions correctly to collect weapon cards. The first player or team to collect 3 different weapons cards wins. Each card has 2 ghoulish questions, play time: 20 mins.
- GAME NIGHT GORE: A variety of questions covers classic and modern horror. Easy questions for the horror novice and more challenging questions for die hard fans make the game fun for the whole group!
- THE GORY DETAILS: Horror Trivia is perfect for 2 or more players or teams and is an absolute "scream" at parties. Ideal for horror fans, adults and teens ages 13 years and older, game includes 150 cards with 300 questions and answers.
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II — supporting actor
Washington was among the high-profile supporting-actor omissions highlighted by both the Associated Press and CBS. The Academy nominated other performers in the category, but the available coverage does not establish one specific replacement as the direct cause of his absence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Films that missed the nominations entirely
Challengers
Challengers received no nominations, despite the cultural and critical attention Vanity Fair discussed. A complete shutout is different from losing a single anticipated category: the film did not appear anywhere on the Academy’s nominee list.
Hard Truths
Like Challengers, Hard Truths was shut out. That made Jean-Baptiste’s acting omission part of a broader absence for the film, rather than an isolated miss in a nominated production.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteBest Value
- 🎬 You do not need to be a movie buff to jump in. I’M Your Movie turns games for adults and family into a fast mix of trivia, acting and movie challenges that get 4+ players talking, guessing and laughing from the first round.
- 🍿 One deck moves through movie trivia, acting, spoilers, casting and soundtrack challenges instead of repeating one task. That variety gives adult card games a more active feel, with 200 cards keeping 4+ players switching gears.
- 🎭 A typical game lasts about 30 minutes, giving 4+ players enough time to move through different movie challenges without making the night drag. It fits games for adults and family that need a clear, lively session length.
- 🎁 Made for movie lovers, families and groups of friends ages 14+, I’M Your Movie works well among games for adults and family, giving 4+ players the same mix of trivia, acting, guessing and movie-based challenges
- ⏱️ Inside the box are 200 cards and 1 die, giving the group a broad mix of movie prompts and challenge types to work through. That tangible content helps adult card games feel varied across a 30-minute session for 4+ players.
Other notable acting misses
Coverage also called attention to omissions for Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), and Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing). These names broaden the picture of a crowded acting field, but the sources do not establish a single objective scale for how shocking each absence was.
Where to verify the results
For category-by-category confirmation, consult the Academy’s official 97th Oscars nominee list. The Associated Press, Vanity Fair, CBS, and Vogue provide contemporary context for how the outcomes compared with expectations.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
