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This year’s competition in the Best Sound category reflects a diverse array of Oscar contenders, featuring four nominees for Best Picture: A Complete Unknown, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, and Wicked, along with the frontrunner for Best Animated Feature, The Wild Robot.
Frontrunner: Dune: Part Two
In the realm of sound, much like Visual Effects, Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi sequel seems poised for success, aiming for consecutive wins in this category. The film’s sound effects team and its intricate composition of audio elements have highlighted its status as one of the two blockbuster films competing for recognition in both Sound and Best Picture categories, alongside Wicked.
Although sound designer Richard King did not contribute to the original film, his distinguished career, marked by four Oscars—three of which were awarded for projects with Christopher Nolan—underscores his expertise. Re-recording mixers Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill, both of whom earned their Oscars for the earlier installment in this franchise, enrich this team further. Hemphill, a notable figure with 11 nominations, secured his Oscar for his work on Michael Mann’s The Last of the Mohicans in 1993. Interestingly, while Hemphill previously received a nomination for his work on Walk the Line (2006), he did not participate in A Complete Unknown, another nominee this year. Gareth John, the production sound mixer credited with capturing dialogue in challenging desert settings, is the only first-time nominee among them.
Potential Spoiler: Wicked
The choice of a winner in the Sound category typically falls to more audacious films, giving an edge to Dune: Part Two. However, the inclusion of musicals, coupled with the intricate balancing of music, vocals, score, and sound effects, could pave the way for Wicked to clinch a third Oscar, building on its expected wins in categories like Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.
Andy Nelson, a distinguished figure in sound, boasts an eye-popping tally of 25 Oscar nominations, with his first dating back to 1989 for Gorillas in the Mist. He has won twice, once for Steven Spielberg‘s Saving Private Ryan (1998), reinforcing the Academy’s inclination towards louder films, and again for the 2013 musical Les Misérables. Other nominees from Wicked include supervising sound editor Nancy Nugent Title, re-recording mixer John Marquis, and supervising music editor Jack Dolman, all of whom are first-time nominees—though Marquis previously collaborated with director Jon M. Chu on the earlier musical In the Heights.
Underdog: The Wild Robot
Randy Thom stands out as one of the most experienced sound effects editors, gunning for the Oscars with 16 nominations across both sound categories, complemented by two wins. His accolades began with The Right Stuff in 1984 and continued with the 2005 Sound Mixing Oscar from Pixar’s The Incredibles. The Wild Robot marks Thom’s return to nominations since 2016, enhancing its competitiveness in the Animated Feature category as his body of work frequently features animated films.
In contrast, supervising sound editor Brian Chumney has only received two Oscar nominations, the most recent being for Steven Spielberg‘s West Side Story, which also competed in the sound category. Co-nominee Gary A. Rizzo has achieved two Oscars as well, both for his contributions to Christopher Nolan‘s films, while sharing a previous nomination with Thom for The Incredibles. Leff Lefferts enters this year’s race with his inaugural nomination, reflecting years of dedication to sound editing and mixing, particularly on DreamWorks’ animated projects.
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