John Legend and Diane Warren have doubled up on their chances of scoring Oscar nominations for Best Original Song after each landing two tracks on the 2021 shortlist.
Officials at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences released the latest contenders for nine categories on Tuesday, with Warren's lo Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead and Free from The One and Only Ivan both making the Best Original Song cut - giving the prolific songwriter hope of finally claiming gold after previously snagging 11 nominations.
Never Break from Giving Voice and Make It Work from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey earn recognition for Legend, who was previously honoured with an Oscar for Selma track Glory.
Meanwhile, Leslie Odom, Jr.'s Speak Now from One Night in Miami, Mary J. Blige's See What You’ve Done from Belly of the Beast, and Judas and the Black Messiah tune Fight For You by H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, and Tiara Thomas are also in the running, as are Sacha Baron Cohen's Wuhan Flu from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and Husavik from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, penned by Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson and Fat Max Gsus.
Tracks from Minari, Mr. Soul!, All In: The Fight for Democracy, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Sound of Metal and Mulan complete the 15-strong list.
Meanwhile, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are inching closer to Oscar nods this year after their work on Mank and Soul, with Jon Batiste, were added to the Best Original Score shortlist.
Members of the Academy will now vote on the entries which will land on the final nominations list, which will be unveiled on 15 March, ahead of the ceremony on 25 April.
