'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' leads the nominations at the Three Empire Awards with nine nods.

Felicity Jones

Felicity Jones

The sci-fi spin-off is up for the coveted Best Film accolade but faces competition from 'Arrival', 'Hunt For the Wilderpeople', 'Deadpool' and 'La La Land', while stars Felicity Jones and Riz Ahmed are up for Best Actress and Best Male Newcomer respectively.

Hot on the heels of 'Rogue One' is 'Arrival', which is up for seven awards, including Best Actress for Amy Adams, and 'La La Land' - which cleaned up at the 'Golden Globe' awards in January and is expected to do the same at the Oscars later this month - and 'Deadpool', which each earned five nods.

Amy and Felicity will go up against 'Jackie' star Natalie Portman, 'Loving's Ruth Negga and 'La La Land' actress Emma Stone for the Best Actress prize, while 'Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds, 'La La Land' hunk Ryan Gosling, 'Manchester by the Sea' star Casey Affleck, 'Doctor Strange's Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne from 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' will contest for Best Actor.

'Fantastic Beasts' is also up for Best British Film, alongside 'High Rise', 'I, Daniel Blake', 'The Girl With All The Gifts', and 'Eddie the Eagle'.

Empire's Editor-In-Chief Terri White said: "This year has once again seen the fans out in force to vote for their favourite films in the Three Empire Awards. Which is why we are the only awards ceremony in the world to recognise Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story alongside La La Land and Arrival! There are none more passionate about film than the Empire audience and we're expecting some big surprises when we honour the winners on the 19th March."

In the Best TV Show category, 'Game of Thrones', 'Stranger Things', 'The Night Manager', 'Sherlock' and 'Westworld' will battle it out for the prize.

Voting runs until February 24, and the Three Empire Awards 2017 winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony at London's Roundhouse on March 19.

Full list of 2017 Nominations:

Best Male Newcomer:

Julian Dennison - 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople'

Lewis MacDougall - 'A Monster Calls'

Riz Ahmed - 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

Dave Johns - 'I, Daniel Blake'

Tom Holland - 'Captain America: Civil War'

Best Female Newcomer:

Anya Taylor-Joy - 'The Witch'

Sennia Nanua - 'The Girl With All The Gifts'

Sasha Lane - 'American Honey'

Hayley Squires - 'I, Daniel Blake'

Angourice Rice - 'The Nice Guys'

Best Sci-fi/Fantasy :

'Arrival'

'A Monster Calls'

'Doctor Strange'

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

'10 Cloverfield Lane'

Best Comedy:

'Hunt For The Wilderpeople'

'Deadpool'

'The Nice Guys'

'The Greasy Strangler'

'Ghostbusters'

Best Horror:

'Under The Shadow'

'The Witch'

'Green Room'

'The Conjuring 2'

'Don't Breathe'

Best Thriller:

'Victoria'

'Jason Bourne'

'Nocturnal Animals'

'Hell Or High Water'

'Captain America: Civil War'

Best British Film:

'High Rise'

'I, Daniel Blake'

'The Girl With All The Gifts'

'Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them'

'Eddie The Eagle'

Best Actor:

Ryan Gosling - 'La La Land'

Casey Affleck - 'Manchester By The Sea'

Ryan Reynolds - 'Deadpool'

Benedict Cumberbatch - 'Doctor Strange'

Eddie Redmayne - 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them'

Best Actress:

Natalie Portman - 'Jackie'

Felicity Jones - 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

Amy Adams - 'Arrival'

Ruth Negga - 'Loving'

Emma Stone - 'La La Land'

Best Director:

Taika Waititi - 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople'

Denis Villeneuve - 'Arrival'

Ken Loach - 'I, Daniel Blake'

Andrea Arnold - 'American Honey'

Gareth Edwards - 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

Best Film:

'Hunt For The Wilderpeople'

'Arrival'

'La La Land'

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

'Deadpool'

Best TV Series:

'Game of Thrones'

'Stranger Things'

'The Night Manager'

'Sherlock'

'Westworld'

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