Here are all the movies hoping to win the Best Picture Oscar

Some of these may surprise you

Yup folks, the Oscar contenders for Best Picture are already in the running. And most of them haven't even hit cinemas yet.

The Best Picture winner will be announced among the other categories on February 9th, 2020. This marks the earliest date for the awards ceremony yet.

According to THR, this means campaign season is three weeks shorter than usual, which may be why we're seeing a lot of the hopefuls hit the big screen before the end of this year (check out what movies are on the way here).

So far 'Joker' would seem to have the most buzz around it. However Noah Baumbach's 'Marriage Story' has also been getting strong reviews and Netflix are strongly pushing their Martin Scorsese effort 'The Irishman'.

Here's what you need to know about the 42 movies hoping to win the Best Picture prize.

1917

Directed by Sam Mendes, the World War I drama was shot in what appears to be a single continuous take. Expect it in Irish cinemas early 2020.

Ad Astra

The space-set Brad Pitt starrer came and went without too big a fuss. We're expecting technical award wins for special effects and sound but wouldn't bet on it for Best Picture.

The Aeronauts

'The Theory of Everything' stars Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne reunite as a pilot and weather scientists attempting to break a world record. It's in Irish cinemas from November 4th.

Avengers: Endgame

After 'Black Panther' did impressively well at last year's Oscars, the superhero studio are throwing their hat in the ring again. Well the highest grossing movie ever deserves attention at the awards ceremony, right?

The Banker

No confirmed Irish release date for this one just yet. Set in the 1960s, it stars Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie as the first African American bankers in the US.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

Sure you can't have an Oscars without a Tom Hanks movie, right? This year, we have two. This one sees him play beloved TV host Mr. Rogers. You can see it in cinemas from December 6th.

Bombshell

Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron star as the Fox News women who spoke out against Roger Ailes. Theron is a dead ringer for Megyn Kelly from the looks of it.

Booksmart

We'd love to see 'Booksmart', our favourite movie of the first half of 2019, earn a Best Picture nod for its hilarious, heart-warming story of two academic friends going for a mad night out on the eve of graduation. But it's not going to happen.

Cats

Yeah, apparently 'Cats' is a contender. But maybe it's not as creepy as that first trailer made out?

Clemency

This prison-set drama starring Aldis Hodge and Alfre Woodard earned Sundance's top prize. We're intrigued.

Dark Waters

The trailer for 'Dark Waters' recalls prior Best Picture winner 'Spotlight' and 'Erin Brokovich'. Based on a true story, Mark Ruffalo stars as the corporate defense attorney who took on one of the world's largest corporations, DuPont.

Dolemite Is My Name

Another Netflix hopeful is 'Dolemite Is My Name'. It's Eddie Murphy's best in years.

Downton Abbey

Ok, fair enough for categories like Best Costume or Production Design, but 'Downton Abbey' for Best Picture? Really?

The Farewell

'The Farewell' has proven to be the indie hit of the year. It follows a Chinese family who discover their grandmother only has a short while left to live.

Ford V Ferrari

Matt Damon and Christian Bale star as a car designer and driver tasked with designing a race car to take on Ferrari. James Mangold ('Walk the Line', 'Logan') directs.

Harriet

This depicts Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and leadership in the Underground Railroad. Broadway star Cynthia Ervio ('Widows') steps into the shoes of the icon.

A Hidden Life

This latest from Terrence Malick, best-known for 'The Tree of Life', depicts an Austrian farmer who refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.

Honey Boy

This semi-autobiographical film from Shia LaBeouf is based on his experiences of being a child star and his struggles with addiction in adulthood.

Hustlers

Yeah we didn't expect a movie about strippers ripping off Wall Street Bankers starring Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B to be in the running. But here we are.

The Irishman

Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino star in Scorsese's highly anticipated gangster epic. It's three and a half hours long folks so strap in.

Jojo Rabbit

This Hitler satire from Taika Waititi ('Thor Ragnarok', 'What We Do in the Shadows') won the Audience Award at TIFF and has earned much awards buzz.

Joker

Jaoquin Phoenix takes on the comic book icon in the controversial box office hit.

Judy

There's been much talk of Renee Zellweger earning a Best Actress nod for her heart-breaking turn as the impeccable Judy Garland.

Just Mercy

Revolving around the renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson, 'Just Mercy' stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson.

Knives Out

This darkly comic murder mystery has a major cast. Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford and Christopher Plummer all star.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

This semi-autobiographical flick about a man desperate to retain his family home is beautiful and so moving. But it may just get lost among all these nominees.

The Lighthouse

This quirky black-and-white arthouse movie stars Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe and is directed by 'The VVitch's Robert Eggers.

Little Women

From the director of 'Lady Bird', this latest take on the Louisa May Alcott novel features Saoirse Roman, timothee Chalamet, Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep.

Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver play a married couple going through a bitter divorce. Don't be surprised if this gets some acting nods too.

Motherless Brooklyn

Edward Norton wrote, directed and stars in this one. He plays as a private investigator struggling with Tourette's syndrome.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Could Quentin Tarantino earn some more Academy Awards for his latest?

Pain and Glory

Oscar winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar helms this one starring Antonio Banderas.

Parasite

Giver it won the the Palme d'Or and got the biggest per-screen tally for any foreign-language film released in the U.S. ever, we definitely need to watch out for this South Korean feature.

Queen & Slim

This romantic thriller has a 'Bonnie and Clyde' feel as it stars Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith as a couple on the run after they kill a cop.

The Report

This second Adam Driver starrer seems him play a Senate staffer investigating the CIA's use of torture.

Richard Jewell

Clint Eastwood's latest looks like it's going to be another biggy. It tells the true story of a security guard who was vilified in the media after finding a suspicious backpack during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.