When Oscar nominations are announced, actors, directors, producers, and crew members alike hold their breath in anticipation of the global recognition of their work from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Fans of the productions, as well, hope to see that their favorite movie receives proper acknowledgments for its work. For the fans of the Harry Potter franchise, this is no different. But, like the letter from Hogwarts that never came, neither did any major nominations for the movie franchise.
It would seem logical, that after 10 years, eight movies, $7.7 billion in revenues worldwide, endless critical acclaim, a theme park, and a series that defined its generation, that Harry Potter would have been nominated for an Academy Award, or that at least one person of the impressive cast list would be recognized for his or her work in the movie. Unfortunately, that doesn’t hold true for Harry and his friends. Fans hoped that the final installment of the series, released in July of 2011, would break the mold, but it has been seemingly overlooked by the Academy.
This year, unlike many years before, the “Best Picture” category only has nine movies named, when there are usually 10. Many people felt Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 should have filled that slot. Aside from the movie itself, critics and fans alike were outraged when Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Severus Snape, was also snubbed for a nomination. He developed perhaps one of the most complex characters in movie history, taking a seemingly slimy, evil teacher and finally revealing his true motives after 10 years.
Perhaps it is because the Potter franchise was made for children and is categorized as science fiction or because it’s the eighth movie in its installment, and the second of a two-part finale that the Academy felt it was undeserving. But a number of movies like the Lord of the Rings franchise and more recently, the children’s movie Hugo have received awards from the Academy.
Who knows, maybe the dementors got to the Academy first, or the owl carrying the nomination lost its way. For now, fans will be left wondering why their favorite boy wizard never got his own gold statue.