Oppenheimer, Renfield & More Take Home Big Wins at 2024 Saturn Awards

After conquering the 2023 box office, the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, and this year's Oscar nominations, Universal Pictures continued to prove its cinematic dominance with a slew of major victories at the 51st Annual Saturn Awards this past weekend.

Before we get to the list of winners, however, it is worth mentioning that M3GAN, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Fast X, and Knock at the Cabin were all snubbed... just saying. 

Oppenheimer, Renfield & More Win Big at 51st Saturn Awards

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer nabbed three Saturn awards (out of 11 nominations): Best Thriller Film, Best Supporting Actress in a Film (Emily Blunt), and Best Film Editing (Jennifer Lame). In addition, Nolan took home the Visionary Award, one of seven "Special Achievement" prizes given out during the ceremony. Over the decades, Nolan's movies have won a total of 13 Saturn Awards — some of which fell into the temporary possession of the filmmaker's younger brother, Jonathan (aka Jonah).

"I was sitting in my brother Jonah's office a few years back and looking past him, at his trophy cabinet, I realized he seemed to have more Saturn Awards behind him than I have in my office," the writer-director said in his acceptance speech. "Without clueing him in, I wandered to that side of the room, started looking at them, and realized that a couple of them were actually mine. I said, 'What are these doing here?' He said, 'Well, I came to pick up one of my own and accepted on your behalf and I've been looking after them for you ever since.' This was before Westworld had come out and he started getting them by the truckload from you guys. So, needless to say, I left his office that day with a couple of them tucked under my arm and they now rest in my office."

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Another notable achievement for Universal was Nicolas Cage winning Best Supporting Actor in a Film for his memorable take on Count Dracula in Chris McKay's horror-comedy Renfield.

"Oh my gosh, it was really a bit of a dream come true. "How do you say 'No' to Dracula?" Cage told Mama's Geeky on the Red Carpet. "It's a high-wire act, you can go either way. It's been done well, it's been done poorly, but I thought I could do something with it. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to bring to the character. I knew it was a pseudo-comedy, so I could play with that. I also thought it was a bit of a pop art version of Dracula, which I had fun with. I know that I wanted to do something different, something that brings something fresh to the role because it's been done so often."

On the John Wick side of things, the fourth entry in the action-heavy franchise landed the award for Best 4K Home Media Release, as well as the inaugural Lance Reddick Legacy Award. Named after the late actor who famously played the Continental Hotel's steadfast concierge Charon, the Special Achievement honor was bestowed upon Keanu Reeves. 

"For over 25 years, Lance made an imprint and raised the bar in every work of art and genre he was in," Reeves said of his deceased co-star. "Not only with his performance, but with the man he was. He was kind, generous, creative, insightful, authentic. He had a special grace, strength, along with a vulnerability that drew us in, supporting us, inspired us. He had a fire, a creative fire, a light from within him that could not be denied."

And last, but most certainly not least, Kino Lorber netted recognition for Best Television Home Media Release with regards to the company's physical release of the third and final season of Night Gallery. Created by Twilight Zone mastermind Rod Serling, the anthology series ran on NBC between 1970 and 1973, and featured the directorial debut of a young Steven Spielberg.

Oppenheimer, Renfield, and all three seasons of Night Gallery are now available to rent and/or purchase from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Oppenheimer will make its exclusive streaming debut on Peacock Friday, February 16. All three jumbo-sized episodes of Peacock's action-packed John Wick prequel series, The Continental, are available to watch right here.