'Joker' is the most Oscar-nominated comic book movie of all time

Tom Butler
·Editor, Yahoo Entertainment UK
Warner Bros - Joaquin Phoenix as Joker.
Warner Bros - Joaquin Phoenix as Joker.

Following the groundbreaking Best Picture nomination for Black Panther at the in 2019 Academy Awards, today marks another watershed moment for superhero movies.

Not only is Todd Phillips’ Joker the most nominated film at this year’s Oscars, it’s also the most nominated comic book movie ever.

Earlier it was announced that the DC film, inspired by Batman’s arch-nemesis and starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, is up for eleven Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards in February.

It’s up for (deep breath):

Best Picture

Best Actor - Joaquin Phoenix

Directing - Todd Phillips

Cinematography - Lawrence Sher

Original Screenplay - Todd Phillips and Scott Silver

Costume Design - Mark Bridges

Editing - Jeff Groth

Makeup and Hairstyling - Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou

Original Score - Hildur Gudnadottir

Sound Editing - Alan Robert Murray

Sound Mixing - Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland

Read more: Oscars snubs and surprises

Joker bests the previous record set by The Dark Knight over a decade ago, which was up for an Oscar in eight categories at the 2009 ceremony, although was denied a Best Picture nod.

The film ultimately won two, including a Best Supporting Actor won posthumously by Heath Ledger, playing the same role as Joaquin Phoenix, who is favourite to win this year too.

Christopher Nelson, second from left, Giorgio Giorgio, center, and Alessandro Bertolazzi, second from right, winners of the award for best makeup and hairstyling for "Suicide Squad" pose in the press room with Kate McKinnon, left, and Jason Bateman, right, in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

The first comic book property to earn an Oscar nomination was Superman in 1941. It was up for Best Animated Short Subject, but lost to a Mickey Mouse cartoon Lend a Paw. 1978’s Superman and 1989’s Batman both won Oscars, the former for special achievement in visual effects, the latter for Best Art Direction.

Roy Conli, left, and Don Hall pose backstage with their award for best animated feature film for “Big Hero 6” arrives at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Roy Conli, left, and Don Hall pose backstage with their award for best animated feature film for “Big Hero 6” arrives at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Other comic book movies to earn nominations include Dick Tracy, Batman Returns, The Mask, Batman Forever, Men In Black, Ghost World, Road To Perdition, Spider-Man, American Splendour, Spider-Man 2, Batman Begins, A History of Violence, Superman Returns, Persepolis, The Dark Knight, Hellboy II, Iron Man, Wanted, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, The Wind Rises, Big Hero 6 (which won Best Animated Feature), Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Doctor Strange, Suicide Squad (which famously won Best Makeup), Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Logan, and Black Panther.

To date no films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has won an Academy Award.

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, 9 February, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and will be televised live. Read the full list of nominations here.

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