The film "Chicago" has already earned itself praises topping the Oscar's precursor, the Golden Globes, with eight nominations. The money behind the film are edging for as many other award nominations as they can score including a Best Director nod for Rob Marshall (Cabaret) and Best Original Song for Chicago creators John Kander and Fred Ebb — who created the new song "I Move On" for the end credits.

As far as the acting targets go for "Chicago," it seems they don't want other awards to follow the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's lead, by pushing Renée Zellweger for Best Actress and Catherine Zeta-Jones for Best Supporting Actress along with Queen Latifah. [Zellweger and Jones are vying for the Golden Globe Best Actress prize.] The men fall into categories more easily with Best Actor for Richard Gere and Best Supporting Actor for John C. Reilly.

Both Zellweger and Reilly also have chances of receiving lauds for other work they completed last year. Their perspective films — "White Oleander" for Zellweger, "Gangs of New York" and "The Good Girl" for Reilly — are pushing for Best Supporting nods for the talents as well.

Reilly's True West co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman certainly has probability working in his favor. Three films boast the actor's wares for consideration: a Best Actor for "Love Liza" and Best Supporting Actor for both "25th Hour" and "Punch-Drunk Love."

Getting rave reviews in the Off-Broadway production of Burn This certainly couldn't hurt the chances of being considered for co-stars Edward Norton — also from "25th Hour" — and Catherine Keener — for her turn in "Lovely & Amazing." Nathan Lane (The Producers) — also being campaigned for by the "Stuart Little 2" people — is proposed for his turn in "Nicholas Nickleby" among other Supporting Actor possibles Alan Cumming (Cabaret), Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), and Christopher Plummer (Barrymore). Youngster Anne Hathaway (Encores! Carnival) is being suggested as Best Supporting Actress.

The little Off-Off-Broadway stageshow The Guys recently closed its run in downtown New York City but will soon be released wide in movie theatres (March 28). The film which played an Academy-Award-qualifying run in Los Angeles is already submitting for consideration for Best Director Jim Simpson, Best Actress for Sigourney Weaver (The Mercy Seat) and Best Actor Anthony LaPaglia (A View From The Bridge) and Best Adapted Screenplay for playwright Anne Nelson and Simpson. All four were involved with the original stage production at The Flea Theatre. Susan Sarandon, who also starred on stage opposite LaPaglia, has plenty of support for Best Supporting Actress by "Moonlight Mile" and "Igby Goes Down" while "The Banger Sisters" is hoping for a Best Actress nod.

"The Hours" is getting some buzz and the complementary push for Best Director for Stephen Daldry (Far Away) and for The Blue Room co-horts David Hare (for Best Adapted Screenplay) and Nicole Kidman (for Best Actress). Stars Meryl Streep (The Seagull) and Julianne Moore (Serious Money) are also mentioned for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress while Stephen Dillane (The Real Thing) is offered for Supporting Actor consideration.

Here's a running list of some more theatre names hoping to be 'in the running':

"About Schmidt"
Best Supporting Actress - Hope Davis (Spinning Into Butter)

"Antwone Fisher"
Best Supporting Actress - Viola Davis (King Hedley II)

"The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"
Best Actress - Ellen Burstyn (Same Time, Next Year)
Best Supporting Actress - Maggie Smith (Breath of Life)

"Far From Heaven"
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson (Eastern Standard)

"The Good Girl"
Best Supporting Actor - Tim Blake Nelson (The Grey Zone)

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"
Best Supporting Actor - Kenneth Branagh (The Play What I Wrote), Alan Rickman (Private Lives), Richard Harris (Camelot)
Best Supporting Actress - Fiona Shaw (Medea)

"The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers"
Best Supporting Actor - Ian McKellen

"Possession"
Best Director - Neil LaBute (The Mercy Seat)
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Ehle (The Real Thing)
Best Adapted Screenplay - David Henry Hwang (Flower Drum Song), Laura Jones and LaBute

"The Road to Perdition"
Best Supporting Actor - Paul Newman (Our Town), Stanley Tucci (Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune)

"Signs"
Best Supporting Actress - Cherry Jones (Imaginary Friends)

"25th Hour"
Best Supporting Actor - Brian Cox (Art)
Best Supporting Actress - Anna Paquin (The Glory of Living)