2023 BET Awards: Best Movie Nominees

The time has come to crown the Best Movie at the upcoming 2023 BET Awards. The ceremony will be held on June 25 in Los Angeles, California. Although a host and venue are yet to be announced, nominations are out. The Best Movie category is particularly stacked with critical darlings and fan favorites across genres. Seven movies are up for the award, and it’s anyone’s guess who will take home the trophy. 

Here are the nominations for the Best Movie Award:

The hype surrounding the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was monumental. Following the unfortunate passing of Chadwick Boseman, the world expected a powerful tribute to his legacy. In a glorious feat, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever succeeded in paying homage to the heroic actor. Letitia Wright especially shone as the new version of the titular character, and the supporting characters equally came through. 

From an outstanding performance by Angela Bassett to an incredibly moving Afro-inspired soundtrack, Wakanda Forever was more than just a movie. It was a worthy sequel to its predecessor that especially handled the death of Boseman with great care. Fingers remain crossed for a third Black Panther movie, and Wright told Variety that she is more than ready to reprise her role as Princess Shuri.

Creed 3 was released to rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The boxing film also served as Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad reprised their roles from the previous films in the franchise, while Jonathan Majors was introduced as Creed’s childhood friend turned rival. Much of the praise for the film went to the direction, music, and acting of both Jordan and Majors. 

Unsurprisingly, Jordan is also nominated in the Best Actor category at the BET Awards. Creed 3 was the first film not to feature Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character Rocky Balboa, although he still served as producer. After the major critical and commercial success of Creed 3, Jordan expressed interest in not only a fourth film but spin-offs in an interview with IGN. However, he’s still working out the best way to package the old and new characters into fresh material. 

Read More: Ryan Coogler Reveals Original Plans For “Black Panther” Sequel

Emancipation follows the gritty and harrowing story of a runaway slave in the 1860s following the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery. Will Smith starred as Peter, a Haitian on the run from slave catchers on his way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While the film received mixed reviews, Smith’s performance was greatly praised. Emancipation’s musical score was also praised for its heavy, chilling sound.

However, the film was also criticized for the way it tackled some real-life events. Importantly, Emancipation also faced several hurdles in the months leading up to its release. The infamous slapping of Chris Rock by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars led to the postponement of its premiere. The movie also suffered from a choked roster, as several Apple TV Plus projects were to be released around the same time. 

After the critical and commercial successes of Get Out and Us, all eyes were on Jordan Peele to deliver a horror trifecta. With Nope, Peele utilized his signature unsettling direction to create a haunting, original offering about an unidentified flying object. The movie starred Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, both of whom received acclaim for their contrasting, yet equally captivating performances. Nope was also acclaimed for its visual style, which made for an even more eerie entry in Peele’s catalog. Both Kaluuya and Palmer are nominated in the Best Actor and Actress category, respectively. 

Read More: Jordan Peele Hints At The Possibility Of A “Nope” Sequel, Says He's Glad Fans Are “Paying Attention”

The Woman King took viewers to the early 1820s for an empowering epic drama about an all-female army in the Kingdom of Dahomey. Viola Davis took on the reins as General Nanisca, the leader of the aforementioned unit who began to train a new set of fighters. The ensemble cast featured several international stars from England, South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, and more. The Woman King had a mildly successful theatrical run, but performed much better once it landed on streaming platforms. Davis is also nominated in the Best Actress category. 

Till is a moving biographical drama based on the events leading up to and after the murder of Emmett Till in 1955. The movie was led by a masterful, powerful, and emotional performance by Danielle Deadwyler. With all the acclaim the film has received, however, Deadwyler’s snub in many awards ceremonies has been frowned upon. The actress is also not up for the Best Actress category at the 2023 BET Awards, which isn’t sitting well with many. 

Till also features many notable names alongside Deadwyler. Whoopi Goldberg and Frankie Faison star in supporting roles, while Jalyn Hall appears as Emmett Till. The film was directed and co-written by Nigerian-American director Chinonye Chukwu, with the movie's direction garnering much admiration. 

Naomi Ackie stars as music legend Whitney Houston in the biographical musical, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The movie features a young Whitney as she rises through the ranks, from her discovery by Clive Davis to becoming a megastar. While Ackie’s acting was commended, the movie underperformed financially. Many important characters in Houston’s life also appeared in the film, including Bobby Brown, Cissy Houston, and Robyn Crawford. These roles were played by Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, and Nafessa Williams respectively.