We might only be halfway through the year but already contenders are beginning to emerge for awards season 2018. So we've put our heads together to bring you our hot tickets for next year's Oscars. You might want to pop down to the bookies now.

1. Dunkirk

preview for Dunkirk trailer 2 (Official Main Trailer)

So far, this is the movie to beat. Christopher Nolan's immersive tale of the Dunkirk evacuation during World War 2 is highly emotional, based on real events, looks amazing and boasts a quality cast including previous Oscar winner Mark Rylance.

It's got a great shot at Best Picture and Best Director as well as some technical awards. Could possibly get a Best Supporting Actor nod, though it's such an evenly split ensemble that to single out any one performance feels wrong.

2. The Beguiled

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Sofia Coppola won best director at Cannes for her beautiful, playful and brutal tale of women in an all-female school who take in a wounded soldier during the American Civil War. Has standout performances from Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst, though again, it's an ensemble.

Coppola will hopefully get at least a Best Director nod, and could possibly win (if she does, she'll only be the second woman ever to do so), but controversy over omission of the racial issues that appear in the book could harm her, as well as the fact that it's had a summer release – not traditionally a good time for Oscar contenders.

3. Detroit

Kathryn Bigelow is so far the only woman to have won a Best Picture Oscar, for her previous collaboration with Mark Boal. Detroit – a relevant and highly depressing story of police brutality and murder during the 1967 Detroit race riots – is based on a true story and sticks rigorously to the facts.

Another ensemble, it might possibly attract Supporting Actor nods for Will Poulter or John Boyega. This also has a summer release though, and the highly upsetting and unrelenting nature of the story might put voters off this for the big prizes.

4. The Papers

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Steven Spielberg + Meryl Streep + Tom Hanks + true life story = the Oscar-baitiest film of the year. We haven't even seen a trailer for this yet, but the pedigree and subject matter – a cover-up that spanned four US Presidents pushing the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalism and government – puts this very high on the radar.

5. Mother!

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Darren Aronofsky's latest is – according to the director himself – a horror, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem. Don't be put off by the genre though – Black Swan was a horror too and bagged 5 noms, including a win for star Natalie Portman.

Both Lawrence and Bardem are already Oscar winners, but Aronofsky has only been nominated and never won. This could possibly be his year and the October release date is good for awards season and Halloween alike.

6. Get Out

preview for Get out Official trailer

A very left field choice this one – it's a horror comedy from a first-time director, all of which makes it a massive outsider. It wouldn't even make the list were it not for the resounding critical (and commercial) success it's had and the fact that it deals with race issues in a very current way that hasn't been explored in mainstream film.

We don't expect it to win anything but it could get a nomination. More likely though it'll be ignored, causing a mahoosive backlash.

7. Phantom Thread

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Paul Thomas Anderson's new one is shrouded in secrecy – even the title is still unconfirmed – but its December release date in the US (February in the UK) lands it smack in the middle of awards territory.

It stars three-time Best Actor winner Daniel Day-Lewis in what's reported to be his very last performance ever, too – he could very easily go for the fourth win for this '50s-set story of a fashion designer hired to clothe high society and royalty in London.

8. Logan

preview for Logan - Official HD Trailer #1 - 2017

Another long shot – comic book movies never win the main Oscars – but Logan could possibly grab a Best Picture nom. After all, Mad Max: Fury Road made the long list. Best Director is almost certainly off the table, Best Actor for Hugh Jackman and Supporting for Sir Patrick Stewart are possible but not especially likely. It might have to settle for technicals instead.

9. Darkest Hour

preview for Darkest Hour - first trailer

A historical drama about Churchill during World War II, directed by Joe Wright who made Atonement, this has a shot in the King's Speech slot. At the very least, we'd expect a nomination (and probably a win) for Gary Oldman. Barely recognisable here as Churchill, Oldman's shockingly never won an Oscar (with only a single nomination), despite being a well-loved actor.

10. The Disaster Artist

preview for The Disaster Artist first trailer

We'd very much like to see some Oscar success for this incredibly odd-looking true-life comedy about the making of 'The Worst Movie Ever' The Room, with James Franco playing Tommy Wiseau.

Its SXSW premiere (as opposed to Cannes, Toronto, Venice or Berlin) suggests it's not Oscar fodder, but its December release date makes us think, "Oh, Hai Mark."

From: Digital Spy