Oscar Predictions: Best Production Design — The Ships of ‘Frankenstein,’ the 1930s of ‘Sinners’ and the Futuristic Past of ‘Fantastic Four’ Battle for Voters

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Oscars Best Production Design Commentary (Updated Dec. 7, 2025): We’re celebrating world-building at its most ambitious, with artisans crafting environments as narratively expressive as the actors within them.

Netflix’s “Frankenstein,” led by Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau, stands out with its moody nautical interiors and steely industrial landscapes. It’s an incredible reimagining of gothic horror that’s anchored in the physicality of ships and machinery.

Oscar winner Hannah Beachler (“Black Panther”) and Monique Champagne’s work on Ryan Coogler’s “Singers” immerses viewers in a textured 1930s milieu, blending historical authenticity with heightened, morally charged atmosphere.

Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” adds a different dimension, offering a retro-futurist canvas where past and future collide through the sleek, stylized environments of Kasra Farahani and Jille Azis.

The category widens beyond the most obvious.

Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” is the reigning champion from last year, showcasing Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales’ vibrant expansion of Oz. At the same time, A24’s “Marty Supreme” finds the still Oscar-less Jack Fisk and Adam Willis grounding a character study in minimalist yet evocative 1950s New York City.

Epic world-building continues with James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” from Dylan Cole, Ben Procter and Vanessa Cole, and Focus Features’ “Hamnet,” constructed by Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton’s intimate, Tudor-period textures.

There will be more to come on this front.

NOTE: All titles, release dates, studios and listed and credited artisans are subject to change, and are ultimately determined by the Academy.

Eligible Artisans (Best Production Design)