Why Tom Cruise & Matt Damon Best Actor Oscar Chances Just Got a Whole Lot More Complicated

Evolve EditorsThu, September 3, 2026 at 8:20 PM UTC

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(Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures)

The Best Actor Oscar race just got even more crowded, with Tom Cruise and Matt Damon already among the early contenders. However, a new name in the conversation could complicate both actors’ chances.

John Malkovich‘s performance in Wild Horse Nine could add another serious contender to the Best Actor race. Martin McDonagh’s new dark comedy has reportedly received strong early reactions from critics.

The movie recently had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Malkovich plays a veteran CIA operative who is sent to Easter Island, and his performance has quickly become one of the movie’s biggest talking points.

Early reactions have praised Malkovich’s work, with some suggesting that the performance could become a major part of the upcoming awards season conversation.

@MendezMovieRPT sent a subtle warning to the top contenders and wrote, “Based on the *EARLY* reactions I’m seeing for ‘Wild Horse Nine,’ Matt Damon and Tom Cruise might have a problem and his name is John Malkovich.”

@ordatirxela commented, “Adding John Malkovich to my Oscar clients this season,” while quoting another quote praising Malkovich’s performance.  @bullock25 wrote, “The praise for John Malkovich in #WildHorseNine is unanimous: ‘one of his best performances,’ ‘it may be the best of his career’ and ‘Oscar material.’ His name is already among the top favorites for Best Actor #Venezia83.”

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@umurtas wrote “All the rumors about Wild Horse Nine turned out to be true. He’s busy drowning in praise in Venice. They’ve also mentioned him in the In Bruges vineyards. YOU’LL DIE. But John Malkovich got name-dropped the most. We’ve written his name next to Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, and Andrew Scott in the race, and we’re waiting.”

Why Are Tom Cruise and Matt Damon Currently Considered Oscar Frontrunners?

Cruise and Damon have emerged as early names to watch for different reasons. Damon has reportedly received significant praise for his performance in The Odyssey. The actor stars as Odysseus in the large-scale historical epic, which has already generated considerable attention for its ambitious scale.

Cruise, meanwhile, is part of the early Oscar conversation for his performance in Digger. However, there is still uncertainty surrounding his chances because the movie has not yet been released.

The Mission: Impossible actor has never won a competitive Academy Award for acting despite being one of Hollywood’s biggest stars for decades. That has led some awards watchers to argue that he could benefit from a long-overdue narrative. Still, early Oscar predictions can change quickly, especially once major movies begin premiering during festival season.

Originally reported by Nitish Singh on ComingSoon.net.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”