When it comes to the Oscars, winning the award is the ultimate prize. But, there is also something to be said about those movies that earn several nominations. These movies also tend to be very good, and some are even considered better than the eventual winners. Check out these fifteen movies with the most Oscar nominations in history, and see if you recognize all of the films.
15. The King’s Speech (2010)
The first Oscar-nominated movie on our list came out in 2010 and is based on a true story. The King’s Speech focuses on Britain’s Prince Albert, who must ascend and become King George VI – even though he has a speech impediment. To help her husband, Queen Elizabeth hires Australian actor and speech therapist Lionel Logue to help overcome Albert’s stammer. As the two work together, Albert and Logue create a strong bond, even when Logue uses unconventional means to help the monarch learn how to speak like a champ.
– Nominations: 12
– Wins: 4
14. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
What if instead of growing older, you grew younger? In The Curious Life of Benjamin Button, this question is explored through Benjamin, who was born under unusual circumstances and starts his life as an elderly man in New Orleans. Fascinating, right? Twelve years after being born, he meets Daisy, a child who appears throughout his life as she grows up into a dancer. It is this connection to Daisy that keeps Benjamin waiting for the day when the two will finally be the same age, and he can express his emotions for her.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 3
13. The Shape of Water (2017)
Guillermo del Toro’s film The Shape of Water received four Oscars and thirteen nominations after premiering in 2017. Taking place during 1962 in Cold War era America, mute janitor Elisa works in a life of isolation. When she discovers a secret experiment with her co-worker Zelda, a whole new world is opened up to her when she meets the creature lurking in the water, with bizarre results.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 4
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12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Fellowship of the Ring won four of their whopping thirteen Oscar nominations. Plunging viewers into the world of Middle Earth, the film focuses on the ancient One Ring that was once lost and is now in the possession of a Hobbit named Frodo. When Gandalf discovers that it is the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, Frodo must band together with his allies on a journey to destroy it once and for all.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 4
11. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is next on our most Oscar nominations list, earning a total of thirteen nominations, five of which they won. In the film, history professor George and his wife Martha arrive home from a cocktail party, planning to have a nightcap with new instructor Nick and his timid wife Honey. When they arrive though, the night turns quickly into a torrent of marital angst and verbal tirades.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 5
10. Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins is a huge part of the film industry and rightly earns its spot on the list with thirteen nominations and five wins at the Oscars. In the film, Jane and Michael Banks are awaiting their new nanny, and are surprised to meet the magical Mary Poppins. Embarking on outlandish adventures, the two children then try to pass on Poppins’ sunny attitude to their parents.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 5
9. Chicago (2002)
Chicago racked up thirteen nominations and six wins at the Oscars after premiering in 2002. In the movie, murderers Velma and Roxie find themselves on death row together and must fight their way to fame to escape the gallows in 1920s Chicago. Including brilliant singing portions and a shady lawyer who agrees to help the women out, there is a lot to appreciate in this classic.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 6
8. Forrest Gump (1994)
Tom Hanks won an Oscar for Forrest Gump in 1995, setting up one of the most syndicated films out there. The film went on to win five other Oscars out of the thirteen total nominations and still enraptures hearts with its tale. In the film, Forrest Gump is a man with good intentions and a low I.Q. While he goes on to achieve many feats, his best friend from childhood Jenny messes up her life. But Forrest doesn’t care about that, he loves Jenny just the way she is.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 6
7. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Take a trip back to Shakespeare’s time in Shakespeare in Love, which received thirteen Oscar nominations and won seven of them. The romantic comedy is set in the 1590s when Shakespeare is young, and out of cash and ideas. When he meets his ideal woman though, Shakespeare becomes so inspired he begins to write one of his most famous plays – Romeo and Juliet.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 7
6. Oppenheimer (2023)
Even though Oppenheimer didn’t win any of its thirteen Oscar nominations, the blockbuster film still pulled in numerous awards from other places, such as the Screen Actors Guild. The movie is a dramatization of the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who contributed a large part to the creation of the atomic bomb. Going from his university days to post-WW2, Oppenheimer gradually must face what he had created, and the politics he was embedded into.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 7
5. From Here to Eternity (1953)
Our fifth most Oscar-nominated movie is From Here to Eternity, which premiered back in 1953. Set in 1941, the film documents several people’s lives as the day of Pearl Harbor draws near. One of these people is Robert E. Lee Prewitt, who has requested an Army transfer and ends up in Hawaii. Captain Dana Holmes hears about Prewitt’s boxing prowess and wants him to fight, but Prewitt denies him. As several lives twist together in the movie, it gives a small glimpse into the World War II era.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 8
4. Gone with the Wind (1939)
Though quite controversial now, there is no denying the impact Gone With the Wind had when it first hit theaters in 1939. The epic Civil War drama earned thirteen Oscar nominations and eight wins after premiering. The main focus of the movie is Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara, who must survive the tragic history of the South during the Civil War, all while figuring out her love affairs with Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler.
– Nominations: 13
– Wins: 8
3. All About Eve (1950)
There’s an evil plot hiding in plain sight in our third Oscar-nominated film. All About Eve centers around Eve Harrington. Eve is a super fan of aging Broadway star Margo and has been to every performance of Margo’s current play. When Margo and her friends bring Eve into their fold, only theatre critic Addison DeWitt sees Eve’s evil plan to take Margo’s parts and her fiancé. The film received fourteen Oscar nominations and won in six categories.
– Nominations: 14
– Wins: 6
2. La La Land (2016)
One of the biggest films that came out in 2016 was La La Land. It has also earned a spot on our most Oscar nominations list. Receiving fourteen nominations and winning six times, there is much to love in this musical. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star as the lead couple, one an aspiring actress and the other a jazz musician. As they scrape by playing cocktail party gigs, success starts to lean in their favor and the couple must make decisions about their love affair, and the dreams they’ve worked so hard to attain.
– Nominations: 14
– Wins: 6
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1. Titanic (1997)
Finally, the most Oscar-nominated movie in history. It’s no surprise that Titanic takes the title, receiving fourteen nominations and winning a staggering eleven. The film follows Rose DeWitt, an upper-class woman who falls in love with artist Jack Dawson on the first and last voyage of the Titanic. To this day, people still rave about the movie and watch the tragic history of all those on board.
– Nominations: 14
– Wins: 11
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