Denzel Washingtonis still search for his thirdOscarwin , and one of his best partnership can help him if the Academy stops ignoring them . Heading into the 2025 Oscars season , there was a firm belief that Denzel Washington would be a major divisor . His operation as Macrinus in Ridley Scott’sGladiator IIwas viewed as one of the sequel ’s best element . Since the originalGladiatorwas a immense Oscar performing artist , there was an outlook that the sequel would get some attention , including anomination for Denzel . That ultimately did not happen .

TheOscars 2025 nominationscame and went without Denzel Washington ’s name being call . He was allow out of Best Supporting Actor even after getting nominating speech earlier in the awards season . WithGladiator IIand Denzel ’s Ridley Scott reunification failing to get him the Oscars attention he deserve , his hopes of bring home the bacon another halcyon statue now rely on upcoming projection . This includes his newfangled picture show with Spike Lee . While that partnership would paint a picture Oscar glory on composition , the reality is a bit bleaker as Denzel Washington seeks another nomination and hopeful profits .

Denzel Washington Hasn’t Won An Oscar In 23 Years

He’s Had Four Nominations Since Then

There is an overall oddness to Denzel Washington ’s struggles to get a third Oscar winnings . He succeed his first two over a 12 - year twosome ; he won Best Supporting Actor forGloryin 1990 and Best Actor forTraining Dayin 2002 . Denzel secured four nominations during this reaching , winning half of them . That ’s a fairly keen cut record with the Academy , but he fall off in a major way afterward . It ’s been 23 years since Denzel Washington won an Oscar . That ’s a astonishing statistic , consideringhe won his two Oscars during the first 25 years of his acting vocation .

Denzel Washington Movie

Oscar Category

Every Upcoming Denzel Washington Movie

Result

Cry Freedom

Best Supporting Actor

Mary looks on with shock on her face as events unfold in Downton Abbey

Lost

Glory

Won

Two Final Destination Bloodlines characters looking at someone

Malcolm X

Best worker

The Hurricane

Denzel Washington in Gladiator 2 and Malcolm X with the Oscars trophy

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

breeding Day

Flight

fence

Denzel Washington and Spike Lee together

Custom Image by Diana Acuña

Roman J. Israel , Esq .

The Tragedy of Macbeth

The deficiency of another Denzel Washington Oscar winnings is also confusing since he ’s had chance to come through . He experience Best Actor nomination forFlight , Fences , Roman J. Israel , Esq . , andThe Tragedy of Macbeth . Those four nominations come up in less than a decade . Gladiator IIwould have given Denzel five nomination in only 12 years . That ’s almost identical to the actor receiving his first five Oscar nominations in 14 twelvemonth . The major difference , though , is that Denzel come through two Oscars during that early running play and has n’t been winning as of late .

Denzel Washington as Malcolm X praying at Mecca in Malcolm X

While Denzel was unlikely to advance the Oscar for each of his last four nomination , there is an line to be made he should have in some long time . The fact that he keep open falling short or being ignored from nominations suggeststhe Academy is wait for a truly special operation and motion picture to give him this recognition again . After all , onlyseven actors have three Oscar wins or more . Denzel had a luck to connect them withGladiator IIor any of these antecedently appoint performances but failed to do so . Now , it ’s up to Spike Lee to help him .

Denzel Washington’s Next Chance For An Oscar Is Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest

Denzel Washington & Spike Lee Reunite For Their Fifth Movie

Denzel Washington only has a few movies already in growing . While those title let in a Hannibal movie with Antoine Fuqua and a role inBlack Panther 3 , the next project for him is Spike Lee’sHighest 2 Lowest . The film isa remake of Akira Kurosawa ’s 1963 filmHigh & Low . Filming for Lee and Washington ’s reimagining finished in mid 2024 , with A24 planning to give the movie a 2025 theatrical release . That positionsHighest 2 Lowestas the next motion-picture show Denzel Washington will be in .

Denzel Washington has been called the best actor of the 21st century so far , and has return a hatful of turmoil for his upcoming part .

As a result , the nextDenzel Washington and Spike Lee movieis the actor ’s next chance to get an Oscar nominating address . It ’s far too former to genuinely have intercourse what the 2026 Oscars lineup will look like , but there ’s always a chance for an actor of Denzel ’s caliber to introduce the equation . That should be especially true when he ’s mould with a managing director like Spike Lee . It could also be to Denzel ’s welfare thatHighest 2 Lowestputs him back in the lead role , as he ’s only been an Oscar candidate in Best Actor since win Best Supporting Actor in 1990 .

Denzel Washington looking confused as Robert McCall in The Equalizer

Denzel Washington Has Only Received 1 Oscar Nomination Working With Spike Lee

Spike Lee’s Movies Don’t Typically Become Serious Oscars Contenders

high 2 Lowestwill be the fifth time that the star and director work together , but that partnership has only brought Denzel Washington any Oscars recognition once before . Malcolm Xis the only Spike Lee movie for which Denzel received an Oscar nominating speech . Despite the magnificence of his functioning , he did not gain Best Actor that twelvemonth , losing to Al Pacino inScent of a Woman . Their three other movies together -Mo ' Better Blues , He Got Game , andThe Inside Man- were completely cut by the Oscars . Malcolm Xonly had one other Oscar nomination beyond Denzel ’s performance .

The reality is thatmost of Spike Lee ’s picture do not get Oscars acknowledgment . His last movie , Da 5 Bloods , only got one Oscar nomination despite being viewed as a strong contender in several category . BlacKkKlansmanearned six Oscar nomination , the most ever for one of Spike Lee ’s movies . He even won an Oscar for his screenplay . Otherwise , Do the Right Thinggot two Oscar nominations , but none of his other picture show got recognition . That help put into perspective that Denzel ’s Oscar nomination forMalcolm Xis quite impressive based on the Academy ’s history with Spike Lee picture .

Highest 2 Lowest Has An Uphill Climb To Get Denzel Washington His Third Oscar

Will Denzel Washington Win An Oscar In 2026?

All this suggestsHighest 2 Lowestis not the surefire count to get Denzel Washington an Oscar nominating address or win that it could be . Oscars history is against Denzel in this regard . He ’s already only one of three actors who have received act Oscar nominations for a Spike Lee movie . The other two are Adam Driver forBlacKkKlansmanand Danny Aiello forDo The Right affair . The kicker is that none of them have won . Denzel Washington could still become the first player to receive two Oscar nominations from Spike Lee movies , but his odds of winning are greatly lessen .

The other ingredient againstHighest 2 Lowestcould be the specific literary genre . The pic is expect to be more of a crime thriller , similar to Lee’sInside Man , which was completely brush aside by the Oscars . This is n’t inevitably an Oscars - bait drama , although Spike Lee will for certain inculcate it with some societal commentary . If he does it well enough and makesHighest 2 Lowesta similarly pop and acclaimed movie likeBlacKkKlansman , then perhaps Denzel ’s betting odds of a nominating speech will increase .

The respectable contestation to be made for Denzel Washington winning his third Oscar withHighest 2 Lowestis the possibility of it being one of his last Oscar - quality films . He ’s gotBlack Panther 3and two moreThe Equalizersequels in the full treatment , as well as another historical epos . With the actor incessantly teasing his eventual retirement , there ’s a limited number of opportunities for the Academy to recognize him once more . If his retreat becomes more impendent followingHighest 2 Lowest ’s press release , that could helpDenzel Washingtonwin anOscaronce more .

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Denzel Washington