Does The Winter Soldier have any shot at a Best Picture nod?

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Something Roger Ebert once said that has always stuck with me is that you have to rate a film within the genre that it's going for. Under those terms, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is easily one of the best of it's genre. It's no stretch to think that a lot of people probably have it as number one on their comic book films list. Movies like THE WINTER SOLDIER and THE DARK KNIGHT haven't so much as redefined the genre, but opened up the scope a little to allow others to see just exactly what these movies are able to accomplish when given care and attention. I realize that because you're reading this I'm probably preaching to the choir, but it's a sad fact that while THE WINTER SOLDIER will end up on a lot of top ten lists this year, the Academy's will most likely not be one of them. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo had a bit to say on that matter, of which you'll find some highlights below.

Joe Russo on the mistreatment of comic book films in regards to the Academy:

It’s strange that the comic-book film genre is so often thought of only in terms of its economic merits. Yes, it’s shockingly popular and continues to grow, and yes, the box office success of these films can often embarrassingly outweigh their merits, but as Christopher Nolan perhaps first proved, real and valuable filmmaking can be achieved with the genre. It’s sad that some people, seemingly soured by having to endure the massive cultural presence and expectations that even mediocre or poor examples of the genre can generate, react by trying to reject the genre as a whole. Snubbing comic book movies because of their ubiquity is akin to dismissing the Western as matinee fodder.

Joe Russo on why no attempt will be on Marvel's end to push WINTER SOLDIER for an Oscar nod:

That’s a very interesting question. I think you look at all those awards ceremonies, there’s a whole process of advocacy for those awards, right? What is the value of the award? And why should [Marvel] spend the money required to go down that road? To create the box office? They already have the box office.

Anthony Russo on the matter:

It’s a real movie, real filmmaking, and it has really high aspirations, in terms of what cinema can be and what it can do, and what our experience of it is. It has every intention on the part of the filmmakers to reach audiences on the deepest level. It’s fascinating, very interesting, very enigmatic how it all works, the Academy.

So does CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER have a chance at cracking the list of ten films that will get that best picture nod? Probably not, but when will that viewpoint change? Comic book or superhero films, like any other genre, have their weak and strong films. If you want to talk domestic box office, currently four of the top ten grossing films of this year were derived from a comic book. There has to be something to a film that brings the audiences en masse. Sure, the popular actors, well-choreographed action and great special effects are nice to look at, but there's something deeper there that speaks to people of all ages. The Academy should take this into account when coming up with that list. There's more to a film than how it looks on the screen and that's the effect it has on a generation.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is now on Blu-ray/DVD!