Top Gun: Maverick just kicked into high gear in the race for the Oscars. The high-flying blockbuster is a finalist for the Producers Guild of America’s highest honor, alongside The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Tarthe organization announced on Thursday.
The day before, the directors of these same five feature films found themselves in the running for the prize for best director awarded by the Directors’ Guide.
The Producers Guild annually nominates 10 films for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Best Motion Picture Producer. Productions Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and The Whale were also selected.
The Producers Guild picks are usually a good predictor for Oscar night. Last year, the association rewarded the production teams of CODA, Encanto and summer of soulall of which won Oscars in their respective categories.
The ten films nominated by the PGA this year were all directed by men, which leaves out the acclaimed feature films by female directors like The Woman King (by Gina Prince-Bythewood) and Women Talking (by Sarah Polley). The film babylon by Damien Chazelle was not selected either.
The PGA also awards TV shows. Among the selected drama series are Andor, Better Call Saul, Ozark, Severance and The White Lotus. The comedy series in the running are Abbott Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building.
The PGA, a non-profit trade organization, represents more than 8,500 producers working in film, television and new media.
The awards will be presented at an untelevised ceremony in Los Angeles on Feb. 25, where Tom Cruise will be honored with the David O. Selznick Achievement Award.