This year’s Oscar nominations, which titles we can expect? Which of them have leaked online?
As 2019 and 2020 movies are promoted to Academy Jury members, many upcoming movies end up early online. Often ahead of their official VOD and physical release. They are called screeners and are distributed digitally, or as DVDs and Blu-Rays, to jury members. And 2020 is no different. While it took some time for the big titles to leak last year, as piracy group Hive-CM8 didn’t get a hold of screeners in time, we’re hoping to pick up the pace this year.
And it’s a big year. There are some incredible titles to look forward to.
Which movies can we expect to leak?
- 21 Bridges
- 1917
- A Beautiful Day In The Neigbourhood
- A Hidden Life
- Cats
- Ford vs Ferrari
- Frozen 2
- Harriet
- Honey Boy
- Jojo Rabbit
- Joker
- Knives Out
- Little Women
- Lucy In The Sky
- Motherless Brooklyn
- Queen & Slim
- Spies In Disguise
- The Lighthouse
- The Report
- Uncut Gems
When will they leak?
Likely starting mid December. But note that the first big titles didn’t leak until late December last year.
Which ones have leaked?
None. We’re updating the list when they become available, including releases from piracy group Hive CM8.
Where can I download screeners?
Not here. We only provide news updates and do not link to torrent or pirate streaming websites. But if you register a Where You Watch account you can receive email alerts as soon as they leak. Generally, Hive-CM8 is the piracy group who release these leaks.
Why are they sent as DVDs?
To somewhat combat piracy, screeners are often sent as low quality DVDs to avoid having the leaks effect sales and streams. If you want to watch Frozen 2 in high-end 4K you’ll have to wait. However, there have been exceptions where certain Jury members have been give Blu-Rays or digital downloads but they’ve yet to surface online.
Can you tell me more about this year’s movies?
Screener season isn’t all about piracy. It’s a celebration of movies and highlights some 2019 gems you don’t want to miss out on. Here’s a rundown.
Frozen 2
I don’t think I need to explain this one. Out of all screeners this year, Disney’s Frozen 2 is by far the most mainstream and will likely be the most popular download. Expect a huge number of parents searching torrent sites this holiday season. If you want to both impress and keep your kids in check, a Frozen 2 screener is your ticket to freedom. Wreck it Ralph 2 was actually the first title to leak last year, so it’s not impossible that this Disney franchise will be one of the first screener leaks.
- Our Frozen 2 page, with synopsis and trailers.
The Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse is one of those movies that are difficult to categorize. The movie follows the tale of two lighthouse keepers as they gradually become violent and deranged to escape the company of each other when one of them begins to question why he is not allowed to enter the mysterious lighthouse. It’s also being released by A24, so I’m already on board.
- Our The Lighthouse page, with synopsis and trailers.
1917
1917 is an upcoming war movie that follows the story of two young British soldiers who are given an extremely challenging mission. The plot is basically a race against time as the two soldiers must cross enemy territory and call off a deadly attack by delivering the message. If they fail to complete the mission, about 1,600 men will lose their lives, including one of the soldier’s brother.
The trailer of the film leaves a strong first impression, looking both utterly thrilling and intense. Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong are some of the folks in the stacked cast.
- Our 1917 page, with synopsis and trailer
Little Women
Directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Little Women is the latest adaptation of the 19th-century classic by Louisa May Alcott. The story, as you may already know if you have read the novel, revolves around the March sisters in the aftermath of the 1860s American Civil War. However, the upcoming film will mainly focus on the young-adult lives of the sisters, particularly after Amy, Beth, Jo, and Meg leave their home. The story of four young women who want to live their lives on their own terms is both timely and timeless.
Little Women has certainly put together an impressive cast including Emma Watson, Meryl Streep and Laura Dern, and although the story is going to be mostly the same, the film could be Gerwig’s ticket back to the Academy Awards. Lady Bird was also one of the most downloaded screeners in 2018.
Our Little Women page, with synopsis and trailer.
Uncut Gems
Adam Sandler plays the lead role in this fast-paced, exhilarating thriller which takes place in the corrupt world of diamond district in New York. Ratner must find a way to pay his debts and perform a dangerous high-wire act, balancing family, business, and enemies on all sides. Idina Menzel, Judd Hirsch, Eric Bogosian, and Lakeith Stanfield also star.
Our Uncut Gems page, with synopsis and trailer.
A Hidden Life
A Hidden Life is an upcoming US drama based on real events. Written and directed by Terrence Malick, the film follows the story of an unsung hero, an Austrian peasant farmer who refuses to sign an oath of loyalty to Hitler and can’t fathom why others don’t realize what’s going on in their midst.
When he is faced with the threat of execution for treason, the love for his wife and kids as well as his unwavering faith keep Franz Jägerstätter’s spirit alive. However, it would be a shame to download this as a DVD screener, since Malick is known for his visual language.
Our A Hidden Life page, with synopsis and trailer.
Knives out
Knives Out is an American whodunnit film in which everyone is a suspect. Directed by Rian Johnson, the plot of Knives Out is set in an old mansion with many family members who attend their father’s birthday party which soon comes to an end when he is murdered. Two detectives come to investigate the death and no one can leave the mansion until the murder mystery is solved. There are many twists and turns in the film as family members don’t like each other and start turning on each other when things begin to go south. A perfect screener for the holidays.
Features Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jaeden Martell, Lakeith Stanfield, Toni Collette, and more.
Our Knives Out page, with synopsis and trailer.
Queen & Slim
Melina Matsoukas’ upcoming drama/thriller film Queen & Slim has been collecting some amazing buzz recently. The movie follows the story of a black man, a retail employee, and a black woman, a defense lawyer, who go on their first date but soon start to face various challenges when they are pulled over for a minor traffic violation. When the man kills the police officer in self-defense, the situation escalates, creating tragic and sudden results. Terrified, both are forced to go on the run. However, the incident is captured on video and goes viral, making the couple a symbol of pain, grief, terror, and trauma for people across the country.
The film basically introduces modern day Bonnie and Clyde. It is a complex movie which plays like a study looking at police racism and brutality.
Our Queen & Slim page, with synopsis and trailer.
A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood
A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood is the upcoming film adaptation of Fred Rogers – one of the most famous and beloved children’s television hosts. The film takes place somewhat late in Roger’s career, as can be seen from the trailer. The movie is loosely based on Tom Junod’s article for Esquire in 1998. The plot follows a journalist who is hired to write an article on Fred Roger. The writer is not a fan of Roger’s optimistic message. However, when he spends some time with him, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about decency, kindness, and empathy from America’s most beloved neighbor. If there’s a movie which will get leaked as a DVD screener early, I bet it’s this one.
Our A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood page, with synopsis and trailer.
The Report
Directed by Scott Z. Burns, The Report is an upcoming Amazon film in which Adam Driver portrays the Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones who exposed the secrets of the government regarding the CIA’s use of torture in its Detention and Interrogation Program. The film had a splashy debut at Sundance and is generating a bit of an Oscar buzz.
The Report is a bold, dense film. Just like any decent journalism film, The Report will throw a lot of information at the you and demand your full attention while showing you a series of events, names, and facts. The film also starts Maura Tierney, Jon Hamm, Corey Stoll, Dianne Feinstein, and Annette Bening.
While it’s too early to predict the awards chances of this movie, one thing is for sure, the film has the based-on-a-true-story sheen as well as a great cast and this combination definitely appeals to Academy voters.
Ford v Ferrari
Directed by James Mangold, the upcoming car racing drama Ford v Ferrari has been creating a lot of awards season buzz since its first trailer debut. The film centers around the true story of the efforts of the Ford Motor Company to beat the recurring winner Ferrari at a prestigious endurance racing event held in France.
Ford v Ferrari is more than just a racing movie featuring two car companies, it is also a film about big personalities i.e. Henry Ford II, Ken Miles, and Carroll Shelby played by big movie stars Tracy Letts, Christian Bale and Matt Damon. The trailer of the film looks promising as it is filled with amazing cars, crashes, and speed. Ford v Ferrari will hit theaters on November, with a screener to follow.
Our Ford V Ferrari page, with synopsis and trailer.
Honey Boy
My personal pick this year. Written by Shia LaBeouf and directed by Alma Har’el, Honey Boy is a semi-autobiographical movie about a young child actor trying to repair his relationship with his alcoholic and abusive father. LaBeouf plays a version of his own father in this film which is quite interesting. Honey Boy is being considered a possible Oscar contender by many.
The audience gets two perspectives in the film, one form the younger Otis and the other from the older Otis. Singer/dancer FKA twigs also makes her feature-film debut in Honey Boy, playing a kindred spirit and neighbor to the younger Otis. Honey Boy is a unique and interesting collaboration between subject and filmmaker, exploring art as imagination and medicine as hope through the life and times of a traumatized, talented performer who dares to go in search of himself. The film is scheduled to be released on November 8, 2019, which makes it a perfect DVD screener material.
Our Honey Boy page, with synopsis and trailer.
Motherless Brooklyn
Based on the excellent detective mystery novel by Jonathan Lethem, Motherless Brooklyn is a story that has been tweaked from modern Brooklyn neo-noir into a New York neo-noir of 1950s. The film follows the story of Lionel Essrog, a private detective who tries to solve the mystery behind the murder of his friend and mentor Frank Minna. The more he investigates, the more he finds himself being pulled into a major conspiracy and mystery going on in NYC surrounding Moses Randolph.
Our Motherless Brooklyn page, with synopsis and trailer.
Jojo Rabbit
Described as a “World War II satire”, Jojo Rabbit follow the story of Jojo, a bullied and lonely German boy who longs to be a part of Hitler Youth. When Jojo discovers that there is a young girl hiding in their attic, he must confront his nationalistic and prejudiced beliefs and decide which side of history he will be on. Apart from writing and directing the movie, Taika Waititi also starts in it as an imaginary version of Adolf Hitler, who appears in the daydreams of Jojo.
Our Jojo Rabbit page, with synopsis and trailer.
Harriet
The first trailer of the upcoming film Harriet got released a while ago and it has been creating a lot of buzz since then. Harriet is a film biopic of 19th-century abolitionist, Underground Railroad hero, and legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, Harriet is the first feature-length movie that tells the story of a hero who was born into slavery, then managed to escape to Philadelphia, and made history by escorting 300 slaves to freedom via the network of secret routes and houses known as the Underground Railroad.
British actress Cynthia Erivo portrays as the legendary hero Harriet Tubman. The film also stars Leslie Odom, Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monae. The film will hit theaters on November 1, 2019. DVD Screener and VOD likely just after.
Our Harriet page, with synopsis and trailer.
Any movies I might have missed?
