This week has seen the theatrical release of Sundance hit Train Dreams before it premieres on Netflix on 21st November 2025, and the acclaim that it has received from audiences and critics alike may end up helping the film become the streaming service’s main contender in this year’s Awards race.
While Guillermo Del Toro’s gothic drama Frankenstein, Noah Baumbach’s comedy-drama Jay Kelly, and Kathryn Bigelow’s political thriller A House of Dynamite may look like stronger contenders on paper, particularly due to the prestige of the filmmakers attached, none of them can replicate the impact that Train Dreams is having on audiences. With a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86 ‘universal acclaim’ rating on Metacritic, Clint Bentley’s adaptation of Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella is one of the most lauded films of the year.
The advantage that films on streaming services have when it comes to awards season is that box office simply doesn’t matter. Netflix is well known for their reluctance to share box office figures for their films that they release theatrically prior to streaming, so their films can’t be harmed by news of having performed poorly at the box office, something that has tanked the odds of many contenders already this year. This is notably the case in the Best Actor category, where Dwayne Johnson’s and Jeremy Allen White’s chances of a nomination have drastically fallen after The Smashing Machine and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere both tanked at the box office. This could open the door for Train Dreams’ leading man Joel Edgerton to score his first Oscar nomination for what is a career-best turn from the Australian actor. Additionally, with Oscar favourites Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) competing in the Comedy/Musical categories at the Golden Globes; Edgerton is now likely to receive his second nomination from the HFPA for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, following his nod for Loving in 2016, and, in an open race, he could easily win that category, which would be a massive boost for his and the film’s Oscar chances.
Train Dreams is co-written by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, the team behind last year’s stunning prison drama Sing Sing, a film that, despite critical acclaim, underperformed during most of the awards season, particularly at the Oscars. However, where Sing Sing did score nominations were in the Best Actor category for Colman Domingo, and in the writing category for Best Adapted Screenplay, two categories where Train Dreams looks strongest for awards traction. As of 10/11/2025, Train Dreams is currently ranked 7th in contenders in Adapted Screenplay on predictions website GoldDerby, with its odds on the rise. Outside of the frontrunners One Battle After Another and Hamnet, it is an open race, and with Bentley and Kwedar having previous received recognition from the Writers Branch of the Academy, it wouldn’t be surprising if they get recognised again.
Someone else that is looking to score back to back nominations in their category is Felicity Jones, who is once again competing in the Best Supporting Actress category after being nominated last year for her role opposite Best Actor winner Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. In Train Dreams, she portrays Gladys, the wife of Edgerton’s Robert, and delivers another emotionally stirring performance, establishing herself as one of the most talented actresses working today. However, a nomination for her is unlikely this time around due to limited screen time and her work is more collaborative with Edgerton than individually spectacular, even though it would be nice to see her recognised for another terrific, subtle display.
Where Train Dreams really shines as a film is in its technical elements. As anyone that saw Bentley’s debut film Jockey can testify, the director has a flair for visual style, and the cinematography on show in his sophomore effort is just as impressive as in his previous work. Reteaming with cinematographer Apolpho Veloso, the film showcases a strong capability to find beauty in its exterior settings, and the shots of the woodlands, landscapes and skyline are breathtaking, and would be a worthy nominee in that category. Currently 7th in the GoldDerby odds, if it picks up a few precursor nominations, it could be in real contention for an Oscar nomination.
Also impressive is the score by Grammy winner Bryce Dessner, who provides a delicate and beautiful soundtrack which complements the film’s aesthetic style perfectly. While Best Original Score is more competitive, Dessner would be certainly deserving of a nomination.
Overall, at this stage of the year, it is still a case of wait and see. Following a Best Feature nomination from the Gotham Awards, Train Dreams is expected to receive a heap of nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards, and from there it’ll most likely depend on how hard Netflix campaign the film for the major televised ceremonies. In terms of quality, there is no doubt that Train Dreams will have its supporters, it just needs wider visibility to translate that support into nominations. Because if it is campaigned effectively, it can definitely sneak into that 10th spot for Best Picture by January 2026.
Joseph Trusson is a BA Graduate in Film and Television Studies from the University of Nottingham and an MA Graduate in Film Distribution and Marketing from Birmingham City University. He specialises in film awards analysis and hosts the Best Picture Must Be Doing Something Right Podcast, and is covering the 2025/26 Awards Season for Celestial Cinephile. You can find him on Letterboxd @JosephT.
