It may have surprised more than a few people when Variety decided to go all out and introduce an Oscar blog to the Award Central section of the site (hi, nice to see ya, how are ya).  Well, believe it or not, staffer Justin Chang has beaten everyone to the punch -- even those ever-forecasting amateur Oscar watchers -- with a look ahead at what we might expect at next year's Oscar ceremony.

Well, almost everyone.

But seriously, this is the first full-blown article on the 2008-2009 Oscar season that I've come across.  It's a thorough piece, well-researched but perhaps a little too dependent on the obvious stuff.  There's little room made for potential surprise contenders, but let's face it, you can't see what's coming any more than you can stop it (hehe).  Chang nonetheless offers that "Experience warns us not to count too heavily on the so-called 'sure things,' as left-field surprises always have a way of sneaking in, but a handful of projects sure sound promising."

From your mouth to God's ears.  Here's a look at more:

Considering Scott Rudin produced "No Country" and exec produced "There Will Be Blood," this year's top nomination-getters, his upcoming slate is a good place to start. Assuming voters don't get it confused with last year's "Reservation Road," Paramount's "Revolutionary Road" would seem to have a clear path into awards season. Directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes ("American Beauty"), pic reunites much-nominated, never-victorious "Titanic" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in a 1950s marital drama adapted from the Richard Yates novel...

Two thesps who drew early kudos buzz this season seem like possible contenders for next year's actor race: Benicio Del Toro as Che Guevara in "The Argentine," the first in Steven Soderbergh's two-part study of the Cuban revolutionary; and Frank Langella, reprising his Tony-winning performance as President Nixon in Ron Howard's screen adaptation of "Frost/Nixon."

And later:

"Mystic River" winner Sean Penn could end up back on the ballot for "Milk," about gay-rights activist Harvey Milk, who was assassinated by a fellow San Francisco politician (played by Josh Brolin) at the height of his popularity. The Gus Van Sant-helmed project beat out a rival biopic from director Bryan Singer.

But Singer won't be empty-handed this fall. His "Valkyrie," which stars Tom Cruise in a historical thriller about a plot within the German army to assassinate Hitler, marks a reunion between Singer and "Usual Suspects" scribe Christopher McQuarrie.

And finally, what we've all been thinking:

The death of Heath Ledger has also amped up curiosity over his turn as the Joker in Warners' "The Dark Knight," stirring speculation about a posthumous supporting nom.

But there are a ton of titles mentioned.  Solid work throughout.  Give it a look.

"I see him every day in my edit suite. I study his face, his voice. And I miss him terribly." [Newsweek]

From the official website for "The Dark Knight":

•  Anne Thompson assesses the potential lack of a Golden Globes telecast... [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  ...and runs into "The Dark Knight" helmer Christopher Nolan at a holiday gathering this week, grills him on the IMAX experience of th 2008 WB tentpole. [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  Pete Hammond also digs into the awards show dillemmas before offering thoughts on later season hopefuls. [The Envelope]

•  Michael Cieply is also hot on the trail of the Globes situation. [New York Times]

•  Jeffrey Wells is back on the "Oscar prognostication should be about spotlighting quality" thing again. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  Sasha Stone has a look at IFC's "Oconoclasts" with Sean Penn and Jon Krakauer, a very absorbing "Guy's guy" special that I'd encourage anyone, fan of "Into the Wild" or not, to give a look. [Awards Daily]

•  Tom O'Neil tries to get a bead on the comedy/musical races at the Globes. [Gold Derby]

•  Claudia Puig hails "Michael Clayton" the best film of 2007. [USA Today]

•  Anne Thompson talks up the new trailer for "Miss Petigrew Lives for a Day" starring Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. [Thompson on Hollywood]

•  The WGA picks and chooses yet again, denies awards shows waivers for its members to write on telecasts. [Variety]

•  Meanwhile, sources tell Tom O'Neil that the Golden Globes may go on without a telecast at all. [Gold Derby]

•  Adam Baer claims that Tim Burton has "re-invented the movie musical" with "Sweeney Todd."  Really? [Los Angeles Times]

•  Jeffrey Wells is not-so-stealthily anticipating the release of "The Dark Knight" and Heath Ledger's maniacal portrayal of the Joker. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

•  Speaking of Batsy, Matthew Dessem decides to smack Warner Bros. down for the exhaustive PR campaign behind the film. [Vulture]

•  "Live Free or Die Hard" actually makes a top 10 list. [Gold Rush]

•  As expected, "No Country for Old Men" is walking away with the title "critics' favorite" this year. [Movie City News]

•  Speaking of top 10 lists, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" tops David Edelstein's at New York Magazine. [The Projectionist]

FYI, I added the "Why So Serious" poster to the "Dark Knight" item below, now that a high res version is available from the studio.

Remember when "Batman" was on the way in the summer of 1989, and people were stealing subway posters left and right?  The anticipation was through the roof!  Well, things are close to that level of anticipation for Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" sequel, "The Dark Knight."  Or I could just be speaking for myself.

Anyway, this isn't Oscar related -- well, not YET anyway (we can hope) -- but Warner Bros. released these two teaser posters for "The Dark Knight" today (in addition to the creepy "Why So Serious?" Joker poster that's at theaters as we speak).  I'm LOVIN' it:


  

More viral marketing from Warner Bros. for 2008's "The Dark Knight."