Beverly Hills, Calif. ? Batman was all alone in the cold at the end of “The Dark Knight,” and surprisingly, that’s where the blockbuster itself ended up once Golden Globe nominations were announced.

But never fear, fans — despite receiving just one nomination, for Heath Ledger’s powerful supporting performance as the Joker, “The Dark Knight” should be back in full force come Oscar time.

The year’s highest-grossing picture with more than $530 million, which also has an astounding 94 percent positive reviews on the online aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, has been generating serious Academy Awards buzz, and not just in the technical categories. It is a viable contender for best picture.

Three of the five movies up for best drama at the Globes — “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Frost/Nixon” and “Slumdog Millionaire” — also look like locks for the Oscars. Either of the other two films in that category — “The Reader” and “Revolutionary Road” — might find themselves there, as well, but any number of movies could sneak into those spots. It’s that wide-open this year.

They include “Milk,” which also surprisingly received just one nomination, for Sean Penn’s moving portrayal of slain civil rights leader Harvey Milk; the Pixar masterpiece “WALL-E,” which was nominated for best animated film but truly transcends the genre; and “The Wrestler,” which received three nominations, including best actor for vivid work from Mickey Rourke as a banged-up brawler making a comeback.

“Benjamin Button,” about a man who ages in reverse, the political boxing match “Frost/Nixon,” and “Doubt,” about suspicions at a Catholic church, lead all Globe nominees with five apiece. But four of the ones “Doubt” received are for its performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman (best actor), Meryl Streep (best actress), and Amy Adams and Viola Davis (best supporting actress). That doesn’t help its chances for a best-picture Oscar.

Then again, the Golden Globes aren’t necessarily a predictor of success on Oscar night. Among last year’s films, “Atonement” won best drama and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” won best comedy or musical, while “No Country for Old Men” took the top prize at the Academy Awards.

The directors of all five best-drama contenders also received Globe nominations: David Fincher (“Benjamin Button”), Ron Howard (“Frost/Nixon”), Stephen Daldry (“The Reader”), Sam Mendes (“Revolutionary Road”) and Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”).