Cate Blanchett dances in “Carol,” which landed a leading five Golden Globe nominations Thursday.

From the sumptuous romance of “Carol” to the apocalyptic rage of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” streaming series to network dramas, Will Smith to Amy Schumer, the 73rd annual Golden Globe nominations unveiled a widespread field of nominations that attempted to corral a chaotic Oscar race and an ever-expanding television landscape.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association swooned hardest for Todd Haynes’ 1950s lesbian tale “Carol,” which landed a leading five nominations on Thursday, including best picture, drama. Nods for its two stars, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, as well as for Haynes’ direction, lent a boost to the film’s growing Oscar outlook.

But little else was so straightforward in nominations that rewarded the acclaimed newsroom drama “Spotlight,” but not its cast; gave Netflix a leading eight nominations (plus one for its first original movie); and supplied “Creed” co-star Sylvester Stallone his first Globe nomination in 29 years, yet for the same character (Mr. Rocky Balboa).

It remains to be seen if an Academy Awards heavyweight will be anywhere to be found at the Jan. 10 Beverly Hills, Calif., ceremony. Such questions should lend drama to the Globes, which will be hosted again by its grinning nemesis, Ricky Gervais.

In the season’s crowded field of contenders — and with “The Force Awakens” threatening box office obliteration — attention from the Globes was very much welcomed Thursday.

“The number one reaction to these kinds of nominations is, ‘Oh, thank God. It’ll help the movie get out there,”’ said Adam McKay, director of “The Big Short.” McKay’s starry finance farce was one of the films that surged Thursday. Originally slated for release next year, its late jump into awards season was rewarded with four nominations, including best picture, comedy, and nods for Steve Carell and Christian Bale.

Alejandro Inarritu’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning “Birdman,” the frontier epic “The Revenant,” took four nominations, including best picture, drama, and best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. A four-time Oscar nominee and one-time Globe winner, DiCaprio is gunning for his first Academy Award.

Tied with four is the Aaron Sorkin-scripted box-office disappointment “Steve Jobs.” But it failed to join the dramatic best picture nominees, which, along with “Carol” and “The Revenant,” are: “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Room” and “Spotlight.”