'Transformers' leads Razzie nominations
January 22, 2018
A day before the Academy Awards nominations, the Razzie Awards has revealed the nominees for its annual "tribute" to Hollywood's worst productions.
The blockbuster "Transformers: The Last Knight," the fifth sequel in the action movie series featuring robots that turn into vehicles, leads the race with nine nominations, including worst picture and worst actors. Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins has landed a nod for his supporting role in the movie, while star Mark Wahlberg has been singled out for his lead roles in both "Transformers" and "Daddy's Home 2."
Read more: Mark Wahlberg is world's best-paid actor
Described by Razzie founder John Wilson on Monday as "more sleep-inducing than sexy," "Fifty Shades Darker," the second film based on the best-selling erotic novels, follows closely with eight nominations.
The three other nominees in the worst pictures category are "Baywatch," "The Emoji Movie" and "The Mummy."
Studded with A-list stars
Just like the "Transformer" movies, Johnny Depp has also been a perennial Razzie target. His "worn-out drunk routine" in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" — the fifth movie in the swashbuckler fantasy film franchise — didn't go unnoticed this year, said Wilson, earning him a nod in the worst actor category.
Tom Cruise ("The Mummy"), Jamie Dornan ("Fifty Shades Darker") and Zac Efron ("Baywatch") join Wahlberg and Depp as worst actor contenders.
Katherine Heigl ("Unforgettable"), Dakota Johnson ("Fifty Shades Darker"), Jennifer Lawrence ("Mother!") and Emma Watson ("The Circle") have been slated as this year's worst actresses.
A man has also been included in the female category: Tyler Perry has been nominated for his lead role as an elderly black woman in "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween," the 10th film in the Madea series directed by the comedian himself.
Read more:
'Fifty Shades' and 'Fantastic Four' named Hollywood's worst of 2015 at Razzie awards
The Razzie Awards
The "winners" of the Golden Raspberry Awards will be announced on March 3, a day before the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Although few actors show up to accept the mock award, a gold, spray-painted golf-sized raspberry trophy awaits them.
Created in 1980, the annual tongue-in-cheek Razzie Awards are voted for online by around 1,000 Razzie members from 24 countries, who sign up online and pay a $40 membership fee.
eg/cmk (Reuters, dpa)