James Cameron’s new sci-fi movie Avatar has edged closer to Oscar success following a very lucrative weekend at the box office and stacks of positive reviews from movie buffs.

Bookies Paddy Power slashed the odds on the $400million dollar movie to 9/2 from 8/1 as Oscar enthusiasts piled in on the film to win Best Oscar at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Avatar, currently the hottest topic on leading social networking site ‘Twitter’, is now the bookies second favourite to win the prestigious Best Picture Oscar in March.

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power told Bettingpro: “A lot of people were quick to criticise Avatar but James Cameron’s epic action adventure has been creating a huge buzz not only on Twitter but more importantly at the box office where the money has spoken. Avatar is in with a real chance of following Cameron’s first movie ‘Titanic’ to Oscar glory.”  

Meanwhile 2009’s sexiest woman Megan Fox could be up for a special award of her own. Paddy Power have made the Transformers stunner one of their leading ladies at 4/1 to win a Golden Raspberry award for her role in the action film, after she was voted ‘Worst Actress of 2009’ in a poll conducted by Moviefone.com.

The Golden Raspberry Awards, also known as ‘The Razzies’ celebrates the worst of the worst with the winners announced the night before the Oscar ceremony. Other names who could find themselves nominated for a Razzie next year include Will Ferrell for his role in ‘Land of the Lost’ and Beyonce for her far from thrilling part in ‘Obsessed’! 

OSCARS – 7TH March

Best Picture
 5/4     The Hurt Locker
 5/4     Up in the Air
 9/2     Avatar                (was 8/1)
 8/1     Precious
14/1     Inglorious Basterds
14/1     Invictus
16/1     Nine
18/1     An Education
25/1     The Lovely Bones
40/1     Up

Best Actor
11/8     George Clooney (Up In The Air)
 7/4     Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
 9/2     Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
 6/1     Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
 6/1     Colin Firth (A Single Man)
10/1     Daniel Day-Lewis (Nine)
18/1     Ben Whishaw (Bright Star)
20/1     Viggo Mortensen (The Road)
22/1     Hal Holbrook (That Evening Sun)
25/1     Matt Damon (The Informant)

Best Actress
 6/4     Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)
 6/4     Carey Mulligan (An Education)
 7/4     Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)
12/1     Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
14/1     Penelope Cruz (Broken Embraces)
14/1     Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
18/1     Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)
20/1     Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones)
25/1     Abbie Cornish (Bright Star)
25/1     Natalie Portman (Brothers)

RAZZIE AWARDS – Celebrating the Worst of the Worst -  6TH March

Worst Film
 5/4     Land of the Lost
 3/1     Year One
 4/1     Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
 5/1     Old Dogs
 8/1     Couples Retreat
10/1     Bride Wars

Worst Actor
 6/4     Will Ferrell - Land of the Lost
 9/4     Jack Black - Year One
 4/1     Steve Martin - The Pink Panther 2
 6/1     Nicolas Cage - Knowing
 7/1     Matthew McConaughey - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
 8/1     Robin Williams - Old Dogs
       
Worst Actress
 6/4    Beyonce - Obsessed
 9/4     Hilary Swank - Amelia
 4/1     Megan Fox - Transformers
 6/1     Sandra Bullock - All About Steve
 8/1     Kate Hudson - Bride Wars
10/1     Malin Akerman - Watchmen