http://film.guardian.co.uk/oscars200...133251,00.html
King is hottest Oscar favourite since Titanic
Staff and agencies | Wednesday January 28, 2004

The Return of the King is the runaway favourite to take this year's best picture Oscar, according to British bookies.

Ladbrokes make the film the clear frontrunner, with odds of 1/3 to take the award. Only James Cameron's Titanic, back in 1997, boasted better odds of 1/4.

The final part of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings epic is seen as the film to beat because it is felt that a best picture Oscar for Return of the King will essentially be an award for the entire trilogy.

Explaining the film's formidable odds, Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush admitted: "Return of the King is such a strong favourite for best picture that we considered not betting on the category at all." Clint Eastwood's Mystic River trails as a distant second favourite for the award.

Elsewhere, Peter Jackson is also the bookmakers' choice to take the best director Oscar, with odds of 1/3. Charlize Theron heads the field in the best actress category for her portrait of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. The South African-born

By contrast, the best actor Oscar looks tougher to call. Ladbrokes have installed Bill Murray (for Lost in Translation) and Sean Penn (Mystic River) as joint favourites at 10/11.

The odds for the best picture Oscar are as follows. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 1/3; Mystic River, 3/1; Lost in Translation, 5/1; Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, 25/1; Seabiscuit, 100/1.