The Hollywood Reporter

‘Palm Springs,’ ‘Lovecraft Country’ Lead Nominations for Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards

 Hulu’s Palm Springs and HBO’s Lovecraft Country lead the nominations for the inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards, the more pop culture and genre-oriented version of the Critics Choice Awards. 

By Borys Kit | November 19, 2020

'Palm Springs' and 'Lovecraft Country' COURTESY OF SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL; ELIZABETH MORRIS/HBO

Hulu’s Palm Springs and HBO’s Lovecraft Country lead the nominations for the inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards, the more pop culture and genre-oriented version of the Critics Choice Awards.

The awards promise to honor the movies and television shows that power most of the current entertainment industry, the one that fall into the superhero, science fiction/fantasy, horror, action, and animation space.

The Critics Choice Association, the organ behind awards and the more established Critics Choice Awards, certainly picked one heck of a year to kick off its’ genre edition. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most tentpoles have largely vacated the release calendar, including what one would consider some of the most obvious contenders for this category, the Marvel Studios movies.

Also missing notably is Wonder Woman 1984, the DC Comics-based movie that has had its release pushed several times and on Wednesday was given an industry-shaking HBO Max plus limited theatrical release for Dec. 25.

Palm Springs garnered a total of five nominations, including best science fiction/fantasy movie, best actor in a science fiction/fantasy movie for Andy Samberg, best actor in a science fiction/fantasy movie and best villain in a movie for J.K. Simmons and finally best actress in a science fiction/fantasy movie for Cristin Milioti. Released July 10, the romantic comedy told of two people who become stuck in a time loop and forced to relive the same day over and over.

With Marvel sidelined, the best superhero movie category sees the nominees being Warner Bros.’s Birds of Prey, Netflix’s The Old Guard, Disney+’s Secret Society of Secondborn Royals, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog, and Warner Bros. Animation’s Superman: Man of  Tomorrow.  The category includes both comic book and video game-inspired works.

Lovecraft Country received the most television nominations, with a total of six, including best horror series, best actor in a horror series for Jonathan Majors, best actor in a horror series for Michael K. Williams, best actress in a horror series for Wunmi Mosaku, best actress in a horror series for Jurnee Smollett, and best villain in a series for Abbey Lee.

Amazon’s The Boys, based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, received five nominations including best superhero series, best actor in a superhero series and best villain in a series for Antony Starr, best actor in a superhero series for Karl Urban, and best actress in a superhero series for Aya Cash.

The Critics Choice Association will also present the Legacy Award to the Star Trek franchise, recognizing “the cultural impact it has had across multiple decades while continuing to appeal to and grow its loyal fanbase with new stories and characters,” according to the organization. Patrick Stewart, and Star Trek: Discovery actress Sonequa Martin-Green will accept the honor.

The winners will be revealed in a special television presentation, which will be produced remotely following COVID safety protocols, hosted by filmmaker and geek specialist Kevin Smith and actress/writer Dani Fernandez.  The ceremony will air on The CW Network on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, at 8 p.m.

The full list of the numerous categories and their nominees can be found below:

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Bad Boys For Life (Sony)

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Extraction (Netflix)

Greyhound (Apple TV+)

The Hunt (Universal)

Mulan (Disney+)

The Outpost (Millennium Media)

Tenet (Warner Bros.)

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Tom Hanks – Greyhound (Apple TV+)

Chris Hemsworth – Extraction (Netflix)

Caleb Landry Jones – The Outpost (Millennium Media)

Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)

Will Smith – Bad Boys For Life (Sony)

John David Washington – Tenet (Warner Bros)

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Betty Gilpin – The Hunt (Universal)

Yifei Liu – Mulan (Disney+)

Blake Lively – The Rhythm Section (Paramount)

Iliza Shlesinger – Spenser Confidential (Netflix)

Hilary Swank – The Hunt (Universal)

BEST ANIMATED MOVIE

Onward (Disney+)

Over the Moon (Netflix)

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (Netflix)

Soul (Disney+)

The Willoughbys (Netflix)

Wolfwalkers (Apple/GKIDS)

BEST VOICE ACTOR IN AN ANIMATED MOVIE

Jamie Foxx – Soul (Disney+)

Will Forte – The Willoughbys (Netflix)

Tom Holland – Onward (Disney+)

John Krasinski – Animal Crackers (Netflix)

Chris Pratt – Onward (Disney+)

Sam Rockwell – The One and Only Ivan (Disney+)

BEST VOICE ACTRESS IN AN ANIMATED MOVIE

Tina Fey – Soul (Disney+)

Honor Kneafsey – Wolfwalkers (Apple/GKIDS)

Maya Rudolph – The Willoughbys (Netflix)

Phillipa Soo – Over the Moon (Netflix)

Octavia Spencer – Onward (Disney+)

Eva Whittaker – Wolfwalkers (Apple/GKIDS)

BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE

Birds of Prey (Warner Bros.)

The Old Guard (Netflix)

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (Disney+)

Sonic The Hedgehog (Paramount)

Superman: Man of Tomorrow (Warner Bros. Animation)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE

Skylar Astin – Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (Disney+)

Jim Carrey – Sonic The Hedgehog (Paramount)

Chiwetel Ejiofor – The Old Guard (Netflix)

Ewan McGregor – Birds of Prey (Warner Bros.)

Ben Schwartz – Sonic The Hedgehog (Paramount)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE

Kiki Layne – The Old Guard (Netflix)

Peyton Elizabeth Lee – Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (Disney+)

Margot Robbie – Birds of Prey (Warner Bros)

Jurnee Smollett – Birds of Prey (Warner Bros)

Charlize Theron – The Old Guard (Netflix)

BEST HORROR MOVIE

Freaky (Universal)

The Invisible Man (Universal)

Relic (IFC Films)

The Rental (IFC Films)

Sputnik (IFC Films)

BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE

Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù – His House (Netflix)

Pyotr Fyodorov – Sputnik (Sony Pictures)

Michiel Huisman – The Other Lamb (IFC Films)

Dan Stevens – The Rental (IFC Films)

Vince Vaughn – Freaky (Universal)

BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR MOVIE

Haley Bennett – Swallow (IFC Films)

Angela Bettis – 12 Hour Shift (Magnet Releasing)

Elisabeth Moss – The Invisible Man (Universal)

Kathryn Newton – Freaky (Universal)

Sheila Vand – The Rental (IFC Films)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE

Love and Monsters (Paramount)

Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)

Possessor (Neon and Elevation Pictures)

Synchronic (Well Go USA)

The Vast of Night (Amazon Studios)

BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE

Christopher Abbott – Possessor (Neon and Elevation Pictures)

Jake Horowitz – The Vast of Night (Amazon Studios)

Anthony Mackie – Synchronic (Well Go USA)

Andy Samberg – Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)

J.K. Simmons – Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE

Ally Ioannides – Synchronic (Well Go USA)

Katherine Langford – Spontaneous (Paramount)

Sierra McCormick – The Vast of Night (Amazon Studios)

Cristin Milioti – Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)

Andrea Riseborough – Possessor (Neon and Elevation Pictures)

BEST VILLAIN IN A MOVIE

Jim Carrey – Sonic The Hedgehog (Paramount)

Katherine Langford – Spontaneous (Paramount)

Kathryn Newton – Freaky (Universal)

Martin Short and Jane Krakowski – The Willoughbys (Netflix)

J.K. Simmons – Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)

Hilary Swank – The Hunt (Universal)

Still with us? Just making sure. Now the nominations for series.

BEST ACTION SERIES

9-1-1 (Fox)

Hanna (Amazon)

unters (Amazon)

S.W.A.T. (CBS)

Vikings (History)

Warrior (Cinemax)

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION SERIES

Daveed Diggs – Snowpiercer (TNT)

Andrew Koji – Warrior (Cinemax)

Logan Lerman – Hunters (Amazon)

Alexander Ludwig – Vikings (History)

Shemar Moore – S.W.A.T. (CBS)

Al Pacino – Hunters (Amazon)

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION SERIES

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (Fox)

Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (TNT)

Esme Creed-Miles – Hanna (Amazon)

Mireille Enos – Hanna (Amazon)

Katheryn Winnick – Vikings (History)

Alison Wright – Snowpiercer (TNT)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Archer (FXX)

BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

Big Mouth (Netflix)Central Park (Apple TV+)

Harley Quinn (HBO Max)

Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)

Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

BEST VOICE ACTOR IN AN ANIMATED SERIES

Will Arnett – BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

Jon  Benjamin — Archer (FXX)

Nick Kroll – Big Mouth (Netflix)

John Mulaney – Big Mouth (Netflix)

Jack Quaid – Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

Justin Roiland – Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)

J.B. Smoove – Harley Quinn (HBO Max)

BEST VOICE ACTRESS IN AN ANIMATED SERIES

Kaley Cuoco – Harley Quinn (HBO Max)

Tawny Newsome – Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

Maya Rudolph – Big Mouth (Netflix)

Amy Sedaris – BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

Aisha Tyler – Archer (FXX)

Jessica Walter – Archer (FXX)

BEST SUPERHERO SERIES

The Boys (Amazon)

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)

Doom Patrol (DC Universe and HBO Max)

The Flash (The CW)

Lucifer (Netflix)

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO SERIES

Jon Cryer – Supergirl (The CW)

Tom Ellis – Lucifer (Netflix)

Grant Gustin – The Flash (The CW)

Antony Starr – The Boys (Amazon)

Karl Urban – The Boys (Amazon)

Cress Williams – Black Lightning (The CW)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO SERIES

Melissa Benoist – Supergirl (The CW)

Aya Cash – The Boys (Amazon)

Diane Guerrero – Doom Patrol (DC Universe and HBO Max)

Elizabeth Marvel – Helstrom (Hulu)

Lili Reinhart – Riverdale (The CW)

Cobie Smulders – Stumptown (ABC)

BEST HORROR SERIES

Evil (CBS)

The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)

Lovecraft Country (HBO)

The Outsider (HBO)Supernatural (The CW)

The Walking Dead (AMC)

BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR SERIES

Jensen Ackles – Supernatural (The CW)

Mike Colter – Evil (CBS)

Michael Emerson – Evil (CBS)

Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Ben Mendelsohn – The Outsider (HBO)

Jared Padalecki – Supernatural (The CW)

Michael K. Williams – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR SERIES

Natalie Dormer – Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Showtime)

Cynthia Erivo – The Outsider (HBO)

Katja Herbers – Evil (CBS)

T’Nia Miller – The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)

Wunmi Mosaku – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Victoria Pedretti – The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)

Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Outlander (Starz)

Raised By Wolves (HBO Max)

Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)

Upload (Amazon)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES

Robbie Amell – Upload (Amazon)

Travis Fimmel – Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)

Sam Heughan – Outlander (Starz)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Pedro Pascal – The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Nick Offerman – Devs (FX on Hulu)

Sir Patrick Stewart – Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES

Caitriona Balfe – Outlander (Starz)

Amanda Collin – Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)

Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Sonequa Martin-Green – Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)

Thandie Newton – Westworld (HBO)

Hilary Swank – Away (Netflix)

Jodie Whittaker – Doctor Who (BBC America)

BEST VILLAIN IN A SERIES

Tom Ellis – Lucifer (Netflix)

Abbey Lee – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Samantha Morton – The Walking Dead (AMC)

Sarah Paulson – Ratched (Netflix)

Antony Starr – The Boys (Amazon)

Finn Wittrock – Ratched (Netflix)

(Thanks for reading all the way to the end!)