There were as many as 20 viable contenders of varying strength, with films like Flight, The Impossible, The Dark Knight Rises, Holy Motors, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Master, Cloud Atlas, Moonrise Kingdom, Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Anna Karenina, and several others jockeying for Best Picture consideration and having pretty solid chances.

FORBES: Predicting The Oscars - Who Will Take Home The Gold?

New York screenings of several films, including Denzel Washington's Flight, have also been cancelled.

BBC: Hurricane Sandy closes Broadway shows