Via Mic.com:
On Jan. 24, nominations for the 89th Academy Awards will be announced. While it is all but certain that critically acclaimed films like La La Land, Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea will receive major Oscar nominations, could there be a few surprises as well? Almost definitely. Could one of those be a nomination for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? Keep reading.

It should not be all that shocking to anyone at this point that Rogue One, the first of several planned Star Wars anthology films, has been a smash hit. To date, the film is estimated to have earned over $500 million domestically and nearly $1 billion worldwide. When the dust settles, Rogue One will likely be the second highest-grossing Star Wars film, behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Like The Force Awakens, Rogue One has been very well received by both fans and critics, with the film holding an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes (and an 88% from users). But can Rogue One do what The Force Awakens did not and secure a major nomination at the Academy Awards?

There was some speculation last year that Star Wars: The Force Awakens could nab a best picture nomination at the 88th Academy Awards. After all, with the Academy now allowing more than just five best picture nominations, there is some flexibility to recognize blockbuster films that otherwise would be ignored at the awards ceremony. In the end, the film earned five nominations, but all for below-the-line categories.

Rogue One will almost certainly receive at least one of the nominations The Force Awakens received last year. Nominations for the film’s visual effects, sound editing, sound mixing and editing are all likely in play. Rogue One could also potentially receive a nomination for its score, as Michael Giacchino did a tremendous job not only incorporating elements of John Williams’ famous music, but making his own.

Will Rogue One receive a best picture nomination?

Of course, we still have not answered whether Rogue One could sneak a major nomination. You can take it to the bank that Rogue One will not be recognized in any of the acting categories. This is not a knock on Felicity Jones (who was excellent), but rather, recognition of the crowded best actress field. It is also unlikely that Rogue One would receive a nomination for its screenplay, though that’s probably more likely than it receiving an acting nomination. Furthermore, while Edwards directorial effort was superb, the best director field is just too crowded. Edwards will most likely not come up with a nomination. This leaves only best picture as a possibility.

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