‘Barbie,’ ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Succession’ among AFI Award recipients

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Margot Robbie in a scene from “Barbie.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

Barbenheimer is continuing into awards season. Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are among the 10 films that will receive an AFI Award in January, the American Film Institute said Thursday, Dec. 7.

The organization is recognizing a wide swath of the year’s best films, with blockbusters, an animated film, indies and movies released by both streamers and traditional studios. Honorees include Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” Celine Song’s “Past Lives” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.” The list also has two Netflix films: Todd Haynes’ “May December” and Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” as well as Sony’s animated “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

“As our nation and our world continue to navigate difficult times, AFI is honored to shine a proper light upon these works of art that lift us up and, ultimately, lead us to empathy,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO.

“That we do so without competition is AFI’s hallmark, and we are proud to gather this community of artists together—as one—to celebrate their extraordinary contributions to our time.”

AFI also gives honors to 10 television shows. They are: “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Beef,” “Jury Duty,” “The Last of Us,” “The Morning Show,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Poker Face,” “Reservation Dogs” and “Succession.”

Jurors included directors like Gina Prince-Bythewood, Paris Barclay, authors and film scholars Mark Harris and Leonard Maltin, as well as critics Ann Hornaday, Janet Maslin, Mary McNamara and Peter Travers.

Winners will be celebrated at a private luncheon in Los Angeles on Jan. 12.