Oscar Predictions: DiCaprio Wins Big, Chris Rock ‘Annihilates’ And Boycott Will Have No Impact

2016 Oscar predictions reflect the growing belief in the industry that Leonardo DiCaprio’s fifth Oscar nomination for The Revenant is going to win him the coveted golden statue at the 88th Academy Awards tonight.

Leo is the overwhelming favorite to finally take home an Academy Award during the ceremony that will be hosted by Chris Rock. The comedian is expected to bring his risqué style to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where presenters of color – more than the show has invited in its entire history…maybe – are expected to hand off awards to all white nominees/winners.

Let the countdown begin!

What time are the Oscars? Everything you need to know https://t.co/vB75bDJAy4 pic.twitter.com/CxBeGT7Vlr

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 28, 2016

Rock’s opening monologue will probably offend everyone equally, and that’s primary because more attention has been paid to the lack of diversity in the acting contenders. LA Times notes that when presenter Kevin Hart stepped onto the stage at the Dolby Theatre during rehearsals Saturday morning, he couldn’t resist a racial joke.

“Where am I sitting?” Hart said, gazing into the audience, where placards with pictures of the stars indicated the seating plan. “All the black people should be in the front row!”

Meanwhile, Harvey Weinstein continues to discourage the planned boycott over the #OscarsSoWhite controversy because he believes Chris Rock will ‘annihilate’ Hollywood.

“I just can imagine Chris Rock’s opening remarks,” says Harvey Weinstein, the co-chief of The Weinstein Co. “If anybody’s [planning on] boycotting the Oscars, don’t, because Chris Rock is gonna annihilate every one of us [leaders of Hollywood studios/distribution companies] in the first 20 minutes of the show, and it will be well worth watching. It will be an Oscars to remember.”

Will boycotting the Oscars promote real change and inclusiveness in Hollywood? Many remain skeptical, while acknowledging that the topic of diversity is certainly an important discussion to have.

Throughout Oscar season, many fans, bloggers, reviewers and film pundits find joy in exploring the best ways to predict the winners. The endless prediction lists make for a fun read, even better are the pearl-clutching moments when the most talented loses to a mediocre performance, and the surprise defeat is worthy of an emotional post-Oscars write-up.

What we do know about this year’s Oscar ceremony is that no single film will break the record of 11 wins shared by Ben Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003). Another prediction about tonight’s Oscar ceremony: the words “diversity” and “boycott” will be used so much that you may begin to suspect a PSA is being filmed, to air during a future ABC Afterschool Special.

BTW, if you need a reason to play the drinking game during your Oscar party, “diversity” and “boycott” are you trigger words.

#Oscars 2016: Variety critics pick who should win https://t.co/8x3RtZuKlj pic.twitter.com/cN7bVOOYDI

— Variety (@Variety) February 28, 2016

Newsweek reported that a “human-based artificial intelligence called UNU has predicted The Revenant will win four Academy Awards,” including Best Picture and Best Director.

“We focus on a unique form of artificial intelligence called artificial swarm intelligence,” UNU’s creator Louis Rosenberg told Newsweek in a recent interview. “Ninety-nine percent of AI currently being developed is about replacing and ultimately exceeding human intelligence. Ours is different. It’s about amplifying human intelligence.”

A full list of #OscarsSoWhite nominees are here, and check out a common list of winner predictions below:

Best Picture – The Revenant
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Brie Larson (Room)
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Best Director – A.G. Iñárritu (The Revenant)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
Best Makeup and Hair – Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Original Score – The Hateful Eight
Best Production Design – Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Animated Film – Inside Out
Best Cinematography – The Revenant
Best Costume Design – Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Foreign Film – Son of Saul
Best Visual Effects – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Documentary – What Happened, Miss Simome?
Best Adapted Screenplay – The Big Short
Best Original Screenplay – Spotlight

Presenters for the event tonight include: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Pharrell Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Emily Blunt, Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Common, Patricia Arquette, Margot Robbie, J.J. Abrams, Jason Segal, Chris Evans, Olivia Munn, Chadwick Boseman, Eddie Redmayne, Sofia Vergara, Jared Leto, Kerry Washington, Russell Crowe, Henry Cavill, Quincy Jones, Louis C.K., Morgan Freeman and Olivia Wilde.

The Oscar ceremony officially begins Sunday, February 28, at 8:30pm ET and 5:30pm PT, live on ABC on TV, and if you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, the network will also live stream the entire event (including the red carpet and special backstage access) on ABC.com or the ABC app.

Who are your Oscar predictions? Sound off below!

[Image courtesy John Phillips/Getty Images]