The second installment of Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequel leads the way with seven nods, ahead of Steve McQueen's critically acclaimed 12 Years A Slave, which has tended to dominate many awards nominations this year.
The controversial slave drama is up for six awards, and will again do battle with Paul Greengrass' true life thriller Captain Phillips, which has five nominations and Alfonso Cuaron's 3D space epic Gravity with four nods.
Voted for by the public, the Jameson Empire Awards 2014 recognises box office blockbusters alongside the critics' favourites.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is also a frontrunner at this year's awards, with five nominations.
As well as five nods for Captain Phillips, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Thriller, Paul Greengrass will receive the Empire Inspiration Award at the ceremony for his body of work which includes the Bourne trilogy.
This year sees the introduction of Best Supporting Actress and Actor categories, with 12 Years A Slave stars Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o among those in the running, along with The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug's Richard Armitage and Evangeline Lilly.
12 Years A Slave beauty Nyong'o is also nominated for Best Female Newcomer, while Jennifer Lawrence is up for both Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in American Hustle, and Best Actress for her starring role in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
While Steve Coogan's Bafta-winning Philomena is not recognised, the long-awaited Alan Partridge film Alpha Papa is among the nominees for Best British Film, which also includes Dexter Fletcher's adaptation of The Proclaimer's musical Sunshine On Leith and Formula 1 movie Rush.
The Best Horror category sees recognition for Ben Wheatley's British film A Field In England alongside Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead remake and Brad Pitt's zombie movie World War Z.
The awards will be presented at a star-studded ceremony in London on March 30.
THE JAMESON EMPIRE AWARDS 2014 NOMINATIONS:
Best Male Newcomer
Aidan Turner - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Barkhad Abdi -Captain Phillips
George MacKay - Sunshine On Leith
Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
Tye Sheridan - Mud
Will Poulter - We're The Millers
Best Female Newcomer
Adele Exarchopoulos - Blue Is The Warmest Colour
Antonia Thomas - Sunshine On Leith
Elizabeth Debicki - The Great Gatsby
Freya Mavor - Sunshine On Leith
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years A Slave
Margot Robbie - The Wolf Of Wall Street
Best Horror
A Field In England
The Conjuring
Evil Dead
War Z
You're Next
Best Comedy presented by Magic 105.4
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
This Is 40
This Is The End
The World's End
Best Thriller
Captain Phillips
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Now You See Me
Prisoners
Trance
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Pacific Rim
Star Trek Into Darkness
Best Supporting Actor
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years A Slave
Sam Claflin - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Richard Armitage - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Tom Hiddleston - Thor: The Dark World
Best Supporting Actress
Evangeline Lilly - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years A Slave
Mia Wasikowska - Stoker
Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine
Best British Film
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Filth
Rush
Sunshine On Leith
The World's End
Best Actress
Amy Adams - American Hustle
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr Banks
Jennifer Lawrence - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Jameson Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years A Slave
James McAvoy - Filth
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf Of Wall Street
Martin Freeman - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
Edgar Wright - The World's End
Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
Peter Jackson - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Steve McQueen - 12 Years A Slave
Best Film
12 Years A Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
