The Producer’s Guild of America, who are traditionally one of the most reliable of the Oscar precursors, announced their ten nominees for the best film of 2016 earlier today!

Not on the list: Martin Scorsese’s Silence.  Last year, at this time, Silence was the most anticipated of the potential Oscar nominees.  Now, 12 months later, whatever momentum that Silence had seems to have fizzled.

You know what film was on the list?

Deadpool!

Somehow, Deadpool has emerged as a legitimate Oscar contender.  That doesn’t mean that it’s going to be nominated, of course.  Last year, a lot of people made the mistake of getting excited when both Carol and Straight Outta Compton showed up among the Producers Guild’s nominations.

Here’s what we have to remember — every years, the PGA nominates 10 films.  However, the Academy never nominates a full slate of 10 films.  While the best picture nominees probably will all have received a PGA nomination, that doesn’t mean that every PGA nominee is going to be nominated for best picture.

Still, Deadpool is coming on strong with the guilds.  It has some support among the industry.

A best picture nomination for Deadpool?  Normally, I’d laugh that off.  Then again, at one time, I also laughed off the idea that Mad Max: Fury Road would get a nomination, despite the fact that I thought Mad Max was one of the best films of 2015.

In the end, anything can happen.  That’s one reason why Oscar watchers like me are always a little disappointed when the Oscar nominations are announced and the precursor season ends.  During the precursor season, anything is possible.

Anyway, here are the PGA nominations:

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

 

• Arrival

Producers: Dan Levine, Shawn Levy, Aaron Ryder, David Linde

 

• Deadpool

Producers: Simon Kinberg, Ryan Reynolds, Lauren Shuler Donner

 

• Fences

Producers: Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, Todd Black

 

• Hacksaw Ridge

Producers: Bill Mechanic, David Permut

 

• Hell or High Water

Producers: Carla Hacken, Julie Yorn

 

• Hidden Figures

Producers: Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin & Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams, Theodore Melfi

 

• La La Land

Producers: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt

 

• Lion

Producers: Emile Sherman & Iain Canning, Angie Fielder

 

• Manchester By the Sea

Producers: Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin Walsh

 

• Moonlight

Producers: Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner & Jeremy Kleiner

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

 

• Finding Dory

Producer: Lindsey Collins

 

• Kubo and the Two Strings

Producers: Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight

 

• Moana

Producer: Osnat Shurer

 

• The Secret Life of Pets

Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

 

• Zootopia

Producer: Clark Spencer

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

* The PGA previously announced the nominations in this category on November 22, 2016.  The list below has been updated to include eligible producers.

 

• Dancer

Producer: Gabrielle Tana

 

• The Eagle Huntress

Producers: Stacey Reiss, Otto Bell

 

• Life, Animated

Producers: Julie Goldman, Roger Ross Williams

 

• O.J.: Made in America

Producers:  Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow

 

• Tower

Producers:  Keith Maitland, Susan Thomson, Megan Gilbride