Will 'Wicked' win the best picture Oscar? It just got a boost in the awards race.

"Wicked" is defying expectations and gunning for the best picture Oscar.

The blockbuster musical received a boost in the awards race on Wednesday after the National Board of Review named it the best movie of 2024. NBR award winners are selected by a group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics and students.

The National Board of Review's best film winner typically goes on to be nominated for the best picture Oscar, although only three since 2000 have ultimately won the Academy Award: "No Country for Old Men," "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Green Book." The previous National Board of Review best film pick, "Killers of the Flower Moon," did not win the best picture Oscar, but it did receive 10 nominations.

The National Board of Review also gave its best director award to "Wicked" director Jon M. Chu, and stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will receive the NBR spotlight award.

"'Wicked' represents the pure magic that movies can bring to audiences," NBR President Annie Schulhof said. "Every detail is beautifully crafted and designed, the actors are all exceptional and the music is second-to-none — together it adds up to a transporting experience like no other. The NBR is proud to honor director Jon M. Chu and his remarkable cinematic vision."

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Meanwhile, Daniel Craig ("Queer") and Nicole Kidman ("Babygirl") both received boosts in their Oscar races after being named best actor and best actress, respectively.

The National Board of Review's full list of the best films of 2024 consists of "Anora," "Babygirl," "A Complete Unknown," "Conclave," "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," "Gladiator II," "Juror #2," "Queer," "A Real Pain" and "Sing Sing." Notable omissions from the list include "The Brutalist," which on Tuesday was named best film by the New York Film Critics Circle.

"Wicked" now looks like a much safer bet to at least be nominated for the best picture Oscar. Winning could still be a challenge given the Academy in the past decade has not generally awarded its top prize to blockbusters as large as "Wicked." However, the most recent winner, "Oppenheimer," grossed nearly $1 billion at the box office.

The question is now whether "Wicked" will follow in the footsteps of "Oppenheimer" or instead "Top Gun: Maverick," another crowd-pleasing blockbuster that was awarded the National Board of Review's top honor but lost the Oscar to "Everything Everywhere All at Once" in 2023.

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With Oscar season now in full swing, the nominations for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which are voted on by members of the non-profit organization Film Independent, were also announced Wednesday.

"Anora" and "I Saw the TV Glow" both received six nods — including for best feature, a category that also included "Nickel Boys," "Sing Sing," and "The Substance." In recent years, a few of the Spirit Awards' best film picks, including "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Nomadland," have won the best picture Oscar.

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In the acting categories, Amy Adams ("Nightbitch"), Ryan Destiny ("The Fire Inside"), Colman Domingo ("Sing Sing"), Keith Kupferer ("Ghostlight"), Mikey Madison ("Anora"), Demi Moore ("The Substance"), Hunter Schafer ("Cuckoo"), Justice Smith ("I Saw the TV Glow"), June Squibb ("Thelma"), and Sebastian Stan ("The Apprentice") were nominated by Film Independent members for their lead performances.

The supporting performance category named Yura Borisov ("Anora"), Joan Chen ("Dìdi"), Kieran Culkin ("A Real Pain"), Danielle Deadwyler ("The Piano Lesson"), Carol Kane ("Between the Temples"), Karren Karagulian ("Anora"), Kani Kusruti ("Girls Will Be Girls"), Brigette Lundy-Paine ("I Saw the TV Glow"), Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin ("Sing Sing"), and Adam Pearson ("A Different Man").

The National Board of Review Awards Gala will take place on Jan. 7, while the Film Independent Spirit Awards are set for Feb. 22. The 2025 Oscars, which will be hosted by Conan O'Brien, airs March 2.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Wicked' for best picture? Film boosted by National Board of Review