Kane Parsons' horror sensation "Backrooms" has emerged as one of the most intriguing wild cards in this year's Oscar race for best production design, according to the latest predictions commentary from Variety's Awards Circuit, which was updated on Nov. 5.
The film's unnerving visual world, a labyrinth of jaundiced wallpaper created by production designer Danny Vermette, helped transform an internet creepypasta into A24's biggest hit ever. That achievement has made "Backrooms" a tantalizing question mark for awards watchers: can something so inventive and cool find love from the Academy?
The challenge ahead is formidable. The contenders "Backrooms" is destined to face include Nathan Crowley's ancient Mediterranean world built for "The Odyssey," the claustrophobic starship of "Project Hail Mary," the lush period setting of "La Bola Negra" and Patrice Vermette's return to Arrakis in "Dune: Part Three."
Horror has cracked this category before, but historically it has usually needed something along the lines of a Gothic mansion or a haunted hotel to do so. "Backrooms" offers neither, relying instead on its disquieting, liminal spaces. If the branch wants to prove it can reward cool over costly, this could be the year to do it.
The predictions are curated by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis and reflect the current standings in the race rather than personal preferences for any individual contender. As formal and informal polls suggest, competitions remain fluid and can shift in response to buzz and events. The prediction pages are updated every Thursday.
The awards calendar is about to grow busier. The Governors Awards, which will hand out honorary Oscars to Glenn Close and Ridley Scott, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Preliminary voting for the Oscars shortlist in 12 categories runs Dec. 7 through 11, with the shortlist announcement to follow on Tuesday, Dec. 15. After the eligibility period closes on Dec. 31, nominations voting will run Jan. 11 through 15, 2027.
The official Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2027. The 99th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2027, hosted by Conan O'Brien. The ceremony will air live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
Whether "Backrooms" can turn its internet-born creepiness into an Oscar nomination will become clearer as those dates approach, but its presence in the conversation already marks a striking moment for horror in a category long dominated by period epics and fantasy worlds.
