Other follow-up contenders, like Glass Onion and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, were shut out, though they received support in other categories.

The Academy has historically shied away from honoring sequels.

Only two sequels have ever won best picture: The Godfather Part II and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

 Precious few others have even received nominations in that category, though notable outliers like Mad Max: Fury Road and Toy Story 3 have certainly paved a trail in the past.

Top Gun: Maverick also picked up an impressive additional four noms, for sound, adapted screenplay, original song, and visual effects. Avatar: The Way of Water, meanwhile, also cracked sound, production design, and visual effects.

Rian Johnson’s Knives Out didn’t crack best picture, but scored an original screenplay nom. Glass Onion follows a similar path, racking up a sole nomination for adapted screenplay.

Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther made history in 2020 as the first Marvel film nominated for best picture.

While it didn’t take home that prize, it did win for original score and costume and production design, and was nominated in three other categories. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever didn’t make best picture like its prequel, but it did land Marvel its first-ever acting nom for Angela Bassett in supporting actress. It also scored an impressive haul with noms in costume design, original song, makeup and hairstyling, and visual effects.

Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were all considered box office successes (Glass Onion only had a limited release before heading straight to Netflix).

Many pundits are expecting films that prove moviegoing can still be a financially viable industry to be at the top of the Academy’s priority list come Oscars night.