No Apple TV+ film won an Oscar on Sunday, despite for Martin Scorsese’s historical epic Killers of the Flower Moon earning ten Oscar nominations — including Best Picture — and Ridley Scott’s historical epic Napoleon earning three noms.
Despite the final results, Apple made it clear that it is honored to be nominated. And both films have drawn large audiences since they debuted on Apple’s streaming service.
Apple TV+ gets 10 Oscar nominations for Killers of the Flower Moon and 3 for Napoleon
From the start, Apple TV+ execs set their sights on winning industry awards to garner attention for the upstart streaming service. This year, Apple Original Films received 13 Academy Awards nominations in total for the two Apple Original Films — ten for Killers of the Flower Moon and three for Napoleon.
In addition to Best Picture, previously won by CODA, Killers of the Flower Moon got a notable nod for Lily Gladstone for Actress in a Leading Role. She already made history as the first indigenous woman to win the equivalent award from the Golden Globes, and now she’s done so again with the Oscar nomination.
And two other indigenous artists got nominations — the late guitarist and arranger Robbie Robertson for Best Original Score and Osage member Scott George for Best Original Song “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People).”
Also of note, Scorsese’s nod for Best Director makes him the most-nominated living director in history with 10 nominations, Apple said.
13 nominations, but no wins
Apple TV+ snatched just one win off 14 nominations in the Golden Globes. These are often seen as a predictor of Oscar awards, and that held true once again in 2024.
But Apple made it clear it’s proud of the nominations.
“Thank you to the Academy for these nominations that celebrate both Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s powerful film that has moved and inspired audiences across the globe, and Ridley Scott’s spectacular epic Napoleon, two stories that illuminate the human experience,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video.
“From the dynamic and complex performances of Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, and the gorgeous cinematography, design, editing, and soundscape that immersed viewers in the world of the Osage Nation, to the majestic costumes, sets, and visual effects that brought Napoleonic France to vibrant life on screen, it is wonderful to see so many members of these brilliant creative teams recognized today,” he added. “We applaud you all.”
Apple historical epics faced stiff competition
Photo: Apple TV+
Scorsese’s film, based on Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, the 2017 nonfiction book by journalist David Grann, also got a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Robert De Niro as well as a best director nomination and nods for film editing, cinematography, music and more.
Napoleon, a biopic about the rise of French conqueror and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, received nominations for production design, costume design and visual effects.
The competition at the Academy Awards was stiff for Best Picture and other categories. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, most notably, racked up 13 Oscar nominations and took home the 2024 Best Picture Oscar. (It won the same award at the Golden Globes.)
Nomination for Killers of the Flower Moon:
- Best Picture
- Directing: Martin Scorsese
- Actress in a Leading Role: Lily Gladstone
- Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert De Niro
- Film Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker
- Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto
- Production Design: Jack Fisk, Adam Willis
- Costume Design: Jacqueline West
- Music (Original Score): Robbie Robertson
- Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People), Music (Original Song): Scott George
Nominations for Napoleon:
Photo: Apple TV+
- Production Design: Arthur Max, Elli Griff
- Costume Design: Janty Yates, David Crossman
- Visual Effects: Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco, and Neil Corbould
Sources: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Apple TV+
Note: This article was originally published on January 23, 2023. It was updated after the results of the Oscars ceremony.