HAMNET leads Oscar race

In the ever-shifting Oscar landscape, HAMNET has pulled off the biggest move in a month: overtaking what had seemed to be the prohibitive favorite, Paul Thomas Anderson’s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, in the Gold Derby odds for predicted Best Picture nominees.

The Shakespeare-inspired drama now leads the pack by a narrow margin, with a 96.8 percent chance to be nominated, compared to 95.8 percent for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. Directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, HAMNET is a deeply emotional dramatization of the real-world circumstances that may have inspired William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and the Focus Features film, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, has been on a remarkable trajectory since its festival debut.

The film occupied the top slot in September after its warm reception at the Telluride Film Festival, followed by winning the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, but in early October, Anderson’s film surged to number one following a strong opening weekend and had held the spot until this past weekend. The two films are both considered locks for nominations and expected to be competing for top prizes throughout awards season, though the race is playing out differently across various categories.

For the predicted Best Director field, Anderson still has the lead over Zhao, while in the acting categories, Buckley leads the predicted Best Actress nominees and Leonardo DiCaprio continues to dominate Best Actor predictions for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. Despite HAMNET’s strong showing in Best Picture predictions, both Zhao and Mescal were overlooked in recent predictions for director and supporting acting categories, suggesting the film’s path to Oscar glory may be more complicated than its current frontrunner status suggests. HAMNET could see another boost when it opens nationwide on November 27, potentially widening its lead in what is shaping up to be a very close race just two months before the January 22 Oscar nominations, when voters will finally reveal whether this Shakespeare-inspired drama can maintain its momentum or if Anderson’s latest work will reclaim its crown.

** NEW TRAILER ALERT **

Roadside Attractions has unveiled the first trailer for H IS FOR HAWK, and it's breathtaking. Brendan Gleeson appears as the father whose absence shapes everything, bringing his signature depth to a role that haunts the entire film.

Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.

...

🎬 HAMNET has officially overtaken Paul Thomas Anderson's ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER as the Oscar frontrunner!

Chloé Zhao's Shakespeare-inspired drama now leads with a 96.8% chance of nomination, fueled by its Telluride buzz and Toronto People's Choice win. 

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

The DERRY GIRLS creator is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST — and it's the show Lisa McGee says she's always wanted to make. 🍀

Three childhood friends. One mysterious death. A wake that goes sideways. Eight episodes of chaos, secrets, and arguments about eyelash extensions.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Pierce Brosnan trades his 007 tuxedo for raw, devastating drama in CURTAIN CALL—arriving on digital November 10.

Starring opposite Jessica Lange, Brosnan continues his brilliant pivot from action hero to serious character actor, exploring the heartbreaking reality of dementia in the theatre world.

Watch trailer on irishfilmtv.com.

...

Colin Farrell's latest is dividing audiences, but everyone agrees on one thing: his performance is absolutely magnetic ✨

The Oscar-nominated Irish actor stars as Lord Doyle, a spiraling gambler in neon-soaked Macao searching for redemption. 

Don't miss Farrell at his destructive best, now on @netflix!

...

Daniel Day-Lewis is BACK and we're not ready for how devastating ANEMONE is 😭

After 7 years away from the screen, Day-Lewis returns in this quiet Irish masterpiece directed by his son Ronan. It's not a flashy comeback—it's something far more powerful. A meditation on isolation, guilt, and the human connections we can't outrun, no matter how far we go.

ANEMONE is now on Prime!

...

Barry Keoghan goes blonde and badass for CRIME 101! 🎬

The Irish star trades blows with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo in this high-stakes crime thriller, playing Orman, a thief whose methods are as disturbing as they are effective. With Detective Lou Lubesnick (Ruffalo) closing in and rival criminal Davis (Hemsworth) in his way, this heist is about to get messy.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

When Colin Farrell had to choose between a guaranteed paycheck on a hit TV show and a one-in-a-million shot at Hollywood, everyone told him he was insane. His friends said don't do it. His family couldn't understand it. He did it anyway.

Now in BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (in select UK/Ireland cinemas Oct 17, Netflix Oct 29), he plays a man who understands risk better than anyone. Because Farrell's been there. He bet everything on himself when he had nothing, and that decision changed everything.

Sometimes the craziest move is the only one worth making. 🎬

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Andrew Scott's hot streak continues 🔥

From the Hot Priest in FLEABAG to his heartbreaking turn in ALL OF US STRANGERS, he's now bringing that signature intensity to BLUE MOON as composer Richard Rodgers. 

The film hits theaters Friday, more at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Michael Fassbender is trading the big screen for Netflix royalty! 

The Irish-German powerhouse is set to play Joe Kennedy Sr. in KENNEDY, an 8-episode drama diving deep into America's most mythologized family. No release date yet, but with Fassbender leading, this one's already on our watchlist. 👑

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

🔥 The feud that stopped a nation. 

SAIPAN brings the explosive 2002 World Cup confrontation between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy to the big screen—and it's not about football glory, it's about ego, standards, and two men whose rivalry became bigger than the game itself.

Watch the new trailer at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Pierce Brosnan is trading martinis for mountains. 

The legendary Irish actor stars in the CLIFFHANGER reboot as Ray Cooper, a seasoned mountaineer running a luxury chalet in the Dolomites with his daughter.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Brendan Gleeson is bringing all the feels in H IS FOR HAWK 🎬🦅

Playing the beloved father in this beautiful 2025 drama based on Helen Macdonald's bestselling memoir, Gleeson delivers a performance that's both tender and powerful. 

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...

Netflix's BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER has an amazing new trailer!

Colin Farrell plays an Irish fugitive hiding in Macau's neon underworld as "Lord Doyle," gambling desperately to outrun his past. 

The film opens in theaters Oct. 15 and starts streaming Oct. 29 on Netflix.

Watch now via link in bio.

...

Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the '60s! 🎸

The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes' wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle. 

She'll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

...