Home / Arts and Entertainment / Deadline Announces Stellar Lineup for Contenders Film: Los Angeles
Deadline Announces Stellar Lineup for Contenders Film: Los Angeles
11 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Deadline's Contenders Film: Los Angeles event features 13 buzzy films
- Panels include stars like Sydney Sweeney, Tessa Thompson, and Ryan Coogler
- New Oscar categories for casting and stunts to be highlighted
On November 11, 2025, Deadline announced the star-studded lineup for its Contenders Film: Los Angeles event, a showcase for voting guild members during the upcoming awards season. The in-person-only event will feature panel discussions with the stars and creatives behind 13 buzzy films from nine studios and streamers.
The lineup includes a diverse array of projects, from the true-story drama Christy, starring and produced by Sydney Sweeney, to the Ibsen-inspired thriller Hedda, with Tessa Thompson and Cara Brower. Other highlights include writer-director Ryan Coogler discussing the period vampire thriller Sinners, and Ethan Hawke diving into his role in the Richard Linklater film Blue Moon.
In addition to the film-focused panels, Contenders Film: Los Angeles will also feature specialized discussions on casting and stunts, as these areas are set to become new Oscar categories in 2026 and 2028, respectively. Guillermo del Toro, a longtime attendee of the event, will also receive the inaugural Contenders Hall of Fame Award.
