Leonardo DiCaprio & 'The Revenant' Likely Oscar Candidates; Early Reviews Say

If early reviews are any indication, Leonardo DiCaprio might finally get his long overdue Best Actor Oscar for his work in Alejandro González Iñárritu's The Revenant. The much-anticipated film was screened for the first time over the weekend, and although full reviews are embargoed until December, early comments are extremely positive.

Reviews on Twitter are touting excellent performances throughout, with several people saying outright that Oscar wins are in store for the cast and crew, especially DiCaprio. Iñárritu's direction is also being praised.

The Revenant, which is Iñárritu's follow up to last year's Best Picture winner Birdman, tells the tale of a frontiersman (DiCaprio) who is mauled by a bear and left for dead. He survives and seeks revenge against those who wronged him.

The Academy traditionally awards transformative roles and intense performances, and DiCaprio's role in the film certainly fits the bill. According to an interview with Yahoo! Movies, filming was absolutely brutal. For his role, DiCaprio says he endured freezing temperatures, sleeping in real animal carcasses and eating raw bison liver, just to name a few hardships. This kind of work is not likely to be overlooked. 12 out of 22 experts at Gold Derby currently have DiCaprio as their top choice to be nominated for Best Actor.

This isn't the first time DiCaprio's name has been in the hat for a win. DiCaprio's role at the Oscars is of the "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" sort. He has been nominated (but never won) in an acting category four times before for his roles in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond and The Wolf of Wall Street.

His lack of wins has become an internet sensation of sorts in recent years. Just Google "Leonardo DiCaprio Oscar" and a barrage of memes pop up.

Although a few months remain before Hollywood's biggest night, with these early reviews, it's becoming more and more likely that DiCaprio might finally get his hands on an Oscar.

The Revenant opens in theaters Christmas Day.