After quite a mediocre, awkward, hybrid of a socially distanced and virtual award show season earlier this year, cinephiles and critics alike are awaiting the upcoming 2022 award show season. Let’s dive into all of the key dates, nominations, and predictions!

The Golden Globes are known for kicking off the big-name award show season the first week of January. Nominations for the Globes will be announced on December 13 with a ceremony date of January 9. However, there will be one major change to the award show this year: NBC will not air it on television. NBC announced back in May that they will not air the Golden Globes in 2022 due to complaints surrounding the lack of diversity of selections by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. According to a statement from NBC, “We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes.” NBC stated they expect to return to air the Golden Globes in 2023. Nevertheless, fans can still tune in to other major award ceremonies in the upcoming months. 

Although the Golden Globes will not be aired in January, it’s going to be a big month for award shows as usual. The Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on the same night as the Golden Globes. On top of this, nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award will be announced on January 12 with the ceremony of February 28. Later in January, the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences will begin voting for Oscar nominations. Oscar nominations will be announced on February 8, and the ceremony will not be held until March 27. As usual, the Oscars will conclude the award show season.

As major award show nominations creep closer, who are the favorites to be nominated? The film leading the pack is anticipated to be House of Gucci. Although reviews have been mixed, lead actress and Academy Award winner Lady Gaga has been a favorite for her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani. House of Gucci also has Academy Award winner Jared Leto and nominee Adam Driver, making this a film to watch out for as nominations come rolling in.

Other films gaining momentum include Dune, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Belfast, The Tragedy of Macbeth, West Side Story, Last Night in Soho, and Spencer, the latest biopic starring Kristen Stewart who has quickly earned Oscar buzz for her depiction of Princess Diana. As of now, Stewart is the favorite to win Best Actress.

As many theaters continue to reopen, fans are able to experience cinema outside of their living rooms again, making this award show season even more thrilling. “It is way more exciting to now be able to go to theaters to see the new movies and enjoy the red carpets and in-person events that I feel like we missed out on last year,” said Joliet West senior Haley Maser, who is an avid movie theater attendee. “I’m really looking forward to award shows hopefully being back to normal this upcoming year.”