20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. led their studio rivals at the Oscars on Sunday, thanks to robust showings from “The Revenant” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
Fox’s “The Revenant” took home three of the top prizes at the 88th Academy Awards: lead actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), director (Alejandro G. Iñárritu) and cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki). Warner Bros.’ “Mad Max: Fury Road” scored six technical awards.
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Mark Rylance, left, Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Alicia Vikander in the winners room.
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Songwriter Jimmy Napes, left, and singer Sam Smith won the original song Oscar for “Writing’s on the Wall” for the film “Spectre.”
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Brie Larson with her Oscar for lead actress for the film “Room.”
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Alejandro G. Inarritu with his Oscar for directing for the film “The Revenant.”
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Alicia Vikander won the supporting actress Oscar for her role in “The Danish Girl.”
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Leonardo DiCaprio with his lead actor Oscar for “The Revenant.”
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Production designers Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson celebrate winning the production design Oscar for their work on “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
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Ennio Morricone, 87, won the Oscar for original score for “The Hateful Eight.”
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Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes won the Oscar for foreign language film for “Son of Saul.”
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Mark Rylance displays his Academy Award for his supporting role in “Bridge of Spies.”
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Directors James Gay-Rees, left, and Asif Kapadia take home an Academy Award for their documentary feature “Amy” about late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse.
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Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy holds her Oscar for documentary short subject. Her winning film, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” is about honor killings in Pakistan.
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Gabriel Osorio, left, and Pato Escala win the Academy Award for animated short film for their film “Bear Story.” Their win is the first win for their country, Chile.
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Emmanuel Lubezki wins the Academy Award for cinematography for this work in “The Revenant.” He is photographed with the presenter of the award, actress Rachel McAdams.
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“Inside Out” producer Jonas Rivera, left, and director Pete Docter take home the Oscar for animated feature.
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Margaret Sixel holds her Oscar for film editing for her work in “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
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The winning visual effects team for “Ex Machina,” from left, Mark Ardington, Paul Norris, Sara Bennett and Andrew Whitehurst.
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Winning “Mad Max: Fury Road” sound editors Mark Mangini, left, and David White, right, pose with actor Chris Evans, who presented the award.
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“Mad Max: Fury Road” makeup and hairstyling winners Damian Martin, second from left, Lesley Vanderwalt and Elka Wardega stand with the awards presenters, actors Margot Robbie and Jared Leto.
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“Mad Max: Fury Road” costume designer Jenny Beavan holds her Academy Award. She is photographed with Cate Blanchett, who presented the award.
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“The Big Short’s” writers Adam McKay, left, and writer Charles Randolph win the adapted screenplay category. McKay also directed the film.
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“Spotlight” writers Josh Singer, left, and Tom McCarthy win for original screenplay. McCarthy also directed.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) OSCARS 2016: Full coverage | List of winners/nominees | #OscarsSoWhite controversy
However, in a mild surprise, Open Road Films grabbed the biggest award of the evening — best picture — for the journalism drama “Spotlight.” The Tom McCarthy-directed picture also took home the Oscar for original screenplay. Open Road, a distributor based in Los Angeles, is co-owned by cinema chains AMC Entertainment and Regal Entertainment Group.
“Spotlight,” produced by Anonymous Content and Rocklin/Faust, and financed by Participant Media, represented the first best picture victory for Open Road, which was founded in 2011. “Spotlight” has grossed $62 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
“The Revenant’s” best picture loss may have been an upset, but it is a big hit at the box office. Since being released in four theaters as part of an awards-qualifying run on Christmas Day, “The Revenant” has grossed $404 million worldwide.
The R-rated “Revenant,” which cost an estimated $135 million to make, was largely financed by entertainment company New Regency, and also got backing from other firms including RatPac Entertainment.
In all, Century City-based Fox earned four awards, including a surprise supporting actor win for Mark Rylance in the DreamWorks Studios production “Bridge of Spies.” Fox released the Steven Spielberg-directed drama internationally. Sylvester Stallone had been the favorite for his role in “Creed.”
Warner Bros.’ “Mad Max: Fury Road” revved up early in the ceremony with a slew of crafts awards, including costume design, hair and makeup, and production design. “Mad Max,” directed by George Miller, did strong business at the box office when it was released in May. The high-octane, post-apocalyptic feature grossed $377 million worldwide, including $153 million in the U.S. and Canada.
“Fury Road,” starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, has been widely praised for its use of practical effects. It cost $150 million to make.
Warner Bros. was also hoping “Creed” would net Sylvester Stallone a supporting actor award, but the film came up short in the only category it was nominated.
The Walt Disney Co. experienced a mixed night. The company’s blockbuster “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” did not take home any awards despite being nominated for five Oscars.
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The cast of Best Picture winner “Spotlight” takes a selfie backstage at the 88th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre.
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Director Tom McCarthy with the Oscar for best picture, “Spotlight.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actress Stacey Dash speaks onstage during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 28, 2016.
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Michael Keaton and the cast and producers of “Spotlight” celebrate after winning the Oscar for best picture.
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The production team and cast of Spotlight celebrate the award for best picture.
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Leonardo DiCaprio (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Brie Larson (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, winner of Best Director with Tom Hardy
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Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lady Gaga performs (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lady Gaga and abuse survivors (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Daisy Ridley and Dev Patel (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Vice President Joe Biden (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Director Laszlo Nemes (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Rock and Girl Scouts (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dave Grohl during the In Memoriam segment (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Whoopi Goldberg
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Kate Winslet and Reese Witherspoon (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kate Winslet and Reese Witherspoon (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Rock (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Louis C.K. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Rock (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Mark Rylance (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Mark Rylance thanks Steven Spielberg before accepting his Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
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Patricia Arquette (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Filmmakers Pato Escala Pierart and Gabriel Osorio Vargas (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Weeknd performs (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Weeknd performs (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Weeknd performs (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jonas Rivera and Pete Docter (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Girl Scouts sell cookies with Chris Rock (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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David White, right, and Mark Mangini (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Marcos Taylor as Suge Knight
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Rachel McAdams and Michael B. Jordan (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Emmanuel Lubezki (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Priyanka Chopra, left, and Liev Schreiber (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Margaret Sixel (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Evans, right, and Chadwick Boseman (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Benecio del Toro and Jennifer Garner (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Elka Warden, Lesley Vanderwalt and Damian Martin (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenters Margot Robbie and Jared Leto (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Cate Blanchett (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Tina Fey and Steve Carell (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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CaJenny Beavan (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Alicia Vikander (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Adam McKay, front, and Charles Randolph with their Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
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Sam Smith (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Sarah Silverman (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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“The Big Short,” the anarchic, bracing broadside against Wall Street malfeasance, won the adapted screenplay Oscar at tonight’s 88th Academy Awards. The script was written by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, who also directed. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Emily Blunt and Charlize Theron (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Rock (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
However, “Inside Out,” produced by Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios, won for animated feature. The studio also got a boost from Rylance’s supporting actor win for his role in “Bridge of Spies,” which Walt Disney Studios distributed in North America.
And the Burbank entertainment giant got some extra publicity during the awards show. During the telecast — which aired on Disney-owned ABC — several of the company’s iconic characters appeared on screen, including “Toy Story” stars Buzz Lightyear and Woody, who presented the award for animated feature.
Sony Pictures Entertainment had two winners: “Son of Saul” for foreign language film (from specialty label Sony Pictures Classics), and the James Bond movie “Spectre” won for original song “Writing’s On the Wall.” Paramount Pictures tallied one award: “The Big Short” won for adapted screenplay.
Besides “Spotlight,” the indie crowd had a few other wins. Focus Features scored with Alicia Vikander’s supporting actress win for “The Danish Girl.”
A24’s indie sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina” won for visual effects; the company also collected trophies for documentary feature for “Amy,” and lead actress for Brie Larson’s turn in “Room.”
The Weinstein Co. endured a rare year without a best picture nominee from its slate. However, its Quentin Tarantino epic western “The Hateful Eight” won for Italian composer Ennio Morricone’s original score.
ryan.faughnder@latimes.com
daniel.miller@latimes.com
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