"Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" -- the unlikely pair of films that dominated the box office and spawned countless internet memes this summer -- are expected to lead the newly revamped Golden Globes when nominations are unveiled Monday.
Collectively dubbed "Barbenheimer" after their theatrical releases happened to fall on the same date, both movies are likely to score highly with voters for the Globes, which kick off Hollywood's film awards season.
"Barbie," a vivid, feminist satire about the all-conquering line of plastic dolls -- was 2023's top-grossing movie, earning more than $1.4 billion globally. It is tipped to earn nods for its stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, as well as writer-director Greta Gerwig.
"Oppenheimer," Christopher Nolan's critically adored drama about the inventor of the nuclear bomb, managed a remarkable $950 million at the box office worldwide.
It should rack up nominations for cast members including Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr, as well as its director.
Organizers of the Globes will hope that the enduring hype and attention surrounding "Barbenheimer," as well as other popular and acclaimed films such as "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Poor Things," can shift the focus away from the gala's recent notoriety.
The Golden Globes have endured a rough few years, after a Los Angeles Times expose in 2021 showed that the awards' voting body -- the Hollywood Foreign Press Association -- had no Black members.
That revelation triggered the airing of a wide range of other long-simmering criticisms about the HFPA, including allegations of amateurism and corruption.
Earlier this year, the awards' assets and trademarks were purchased and overhauled by a group of private investors including US billionaire Todd Boehly, and the HFPA was disbanded.
Hollywood-based former HFPA members have been banned from accepting gifts, and will now be paid a salary to vote for their favourite films and shows, while more than 200 non-member (and unpaid) voters from around the world have been added to the Globes mix.
Box office
Cedric ‘The Entertainer’ and Wilmer Valderrama will announce the Globes nominees on "CBS Mornings" from 1330 GMT.
One of the United States' biggest national television networks, CBS has stepped in to become the new home of the Globes, after long-standing host NBC ended its deal to broadcast the event.
CBS bosses will be hoping for vastly improved ratings, after the 2023 Globes slumped to a new low of just 6.3 million viewers, even as other shows such as the Oscars recovered from pandemic viewership nadirs.
A new category for "best cinematic or box office achievement" has been added, paving the way for nominations for popular films that would not usually earn critical recognition, such as Universal's $1.3 billion-grossing "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." and Marvel superhero film "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3."
In another seeming bid to honor more household names, the number of nominees in each category has been increased.
A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio -- the star of Martin Scorsese's crime epic "Killers of the Flower Moon" -- and Emma Stone for her turn in female Frankenstein-esque drama "Poor Things" are also widely expected to score nominations.
Others likely to feature are Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers"), Bradley Cooper ("Maestro"), Timothee Chalamet ("Wonka") and Natalie Portman ("May December.")
The Globes also honor television, with dramas "Succession" and "The Last Of Us" likely to rack up nods, alongside comedies "The Bear" and "Ted Lasso."
The 81st Golden Globes ceremony will take place in Beverly Hills on January 7.
