"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, including best picture, best director Alejandro González Iñárritu, best actor Michael Keaton, best supporting actor Edward Norton and best supporting actress Emma Stone.

It marks the first Oscar nomination for the 63-year-old Keaton, whose career spans five decades, and for Stone. It's Norton's third nomination, following nods for his performances in 1996's "Primal Fear" and 1998's "American History X."

The dark comedy, about a washed-up actor best known for his iconic film role as a superhero who struggles to mount a comeback on Broadway, entered the week -- along with Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" -- as an odds-on favorite to reap its share of Oscar nominations and, come Feb. 25, trophies. They didn't disappoint.

Widely acclaimed, "Birdman" is fresh off two Golden Globe wins, for best screenplay and for best actor in a comedy (Keaton). It led the nominations in the motion picture category with seven, including best comedy, best director and best supporting actor and actress for Norton and Stone.

Check out the full list of nominees on SPINOFF. The winners of the 87th Academy Awards will be announced Feb. 22 in a ceremony broadcast on ABC.