Julia Roberts' New Movie May Just Be Her Best Chance To Break A 24-Year Oscars Drought

Julia Roberts hasn’t won anything at the Oscars for 24 long years, but her new movie, After the Hunt, is looking like a major awards contender, so that drought could finally be over. The 2025 awards season just ended, but Hollywood is already getting ready for the 2026 awards season. There are some really early contenders for Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars that are already getting a lot of buzz, and Conan O’Brien has been confirmed to return to host next year’s ceremony.

2026 could be Roberts’ year to finally make a comeback at the Oscars. There have been similar cases in recent years that didn’t pan out. Angelina Jolie’s turn as Maria Callas seemed to be her ticket to a Best Actress win at the 2025 Oscars, but in the end, she wasn’t even nominated. But based on the talent involved in After the Hunt, and the socially conscious premise of its story, it could become a new favorite for the Academy.

Julia Roberts Hasn't Won An Oscar Since 2001

Roberts Won Best Actress For Erin Brockovich

After being nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her turn in Steel Magnolias in 1990 and Best Actress for her turn in Pretty Woman in 1991, Roberts finally won an Oscar in 2001. She earned Best Actress for her portrayal of the titular role in Erin Brockovich. In the 24 years since then, Roberts hasn’t won another Oscar — and she’s only been nominated once more, for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in August: Osage County in 2014.

Julia Roberts Could Finally Win Another Oscar For After The Hunt

After The Hunt Is A Timely Drama From Luca Guadagnino

Julia Roberts as Amanda gazing out a window in a quiet scene from Leave the World Behind — Julia Roberts as Amanda in Leave the World Behind

Roberts’ starring role in the upcoming drama After the Hunt could be the perfect chance for her to score another Oscar win for Best Actress. After the Hunt stars Roberts as a college professor who has to come to terms with her own dark past when one of her colleagues is met with a serious allegation. Amazon has set After the Hunt for a theatrical release on October 10, 2025, right around the start of awards season, meaning the studio is confident in its chances as an awards contender.

After the Hunt also stars Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny.

After the Hunt debuted its trailer at CinemaCon, and it’s already getting a lot of pre-release buzz. It’s being directed by Luca Guadagnino, who was snubbed for his recent double whammy of Challengers and Queer but scored a Best Picture nod for Call Me by Your Name. Given that Roberts is a Hollywood legend and After the Hunt is dealing with timely #MeToo-adjacent themes, there’s a good chance she’ll be nominated for Best Actress at the 2026 Oscars. If she can beat out Anne Hathaway for Mother Mary, she could win.