Zac Efron and 'The Iron Claw' Completely Snubbed in Oscar Nominations and Fans Can't Believe It

Michael Hein

01/23/2024 01:28 pm EST

The new Zac Efron movie The Iron Claw was not nominated for any Academy Awards, and fans are floored. The movie premiered at the very end of 2023 and was eligible for the Oscars, yet it didn't get recognition. Fans took to social media, questioning whether it was overlooked.

The Iron Claw was written and directed by Sean Durkin and starred Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maury Tierney, Holt McCallany and Lily James. It's a dramatization of the real-life story of the Von Erich family – a dynasty in the pro wrestling world in the 1970s with some serious behind-the-scenes drama. The movie was lauded by critics and fans alike, with a powerful mixture of action, melodrama and heart. In spite of all the good press for the movie – particularly the cast – it did not make the Oscar nominations list at all.

The Oscars are administered by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the nominations are chosen by members. According to the website, "Most categories are nominated by the members of the corresponding branch – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc." That means there was no unified decision to leave The Iron Claw out, though there may have been some factors at play. For example, the fact that the movie premiered on Dec. 22 for the general public left less time for voters to get out and see it before making their nominations.

The Oscars will be televised live on Sunday, March 10. You can see the full list of nominees here. In the meantime, here's a look at how heartbroken fans responded to Iron Claw's snub on social media.

Biggest Snub

As always, there were several movies that were left off of the nominations list that made fans upset, but manny said that The Iron Claw felt like the most egregious case to them.

Submission Deadlines

Fans pointed out that the deadline to submit a film for Oscar consideration was Nov. 15, which is listed on the Academy's website as well. However, it's also true that movies were still "eligible" through Dec. 31 – even if most voters wouldn't have had a chance to see it by then.

Comparisons

Fans lashed out at the movies and creators that did get nominated in the categories where they felt The Iron Claw should have been recognized.

Condolences

Some fans addressed their condolences directly to Efron, assuming that he was also feeling disappointed.

No Faith

Fans declared that they had no faith in the Academy's voters anymore.

Legacy

Some fans hoped that The Iron Claw will be one of those movies that gets even more attention because of its Oscar "snub," especially in hindsight.

Marketing

Some fans thought that A24 should have waited to release The Iron Claw to give it a better chance on the award circuit. At the same time, they felt that it was a great holiday movie for families.

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