The 98th Academy Awards race has officially begun. This morning’s announcement delivered historic milestones, shocking omissions, and a new frontrunner that has shattered a decades-old record. Here is your complete guide to the Oscar nominations 2026.
Table of Contents
- Sinners Shatters Academy Records with 16 Nominations
- The 2026 Best Picture Nominees: A Diverse Field
- Oscar Snubs: The Wicked Shutout and Other Surprises
- Where is Wicked?
- Director Snubs and Surprises
- Acting Contenders: Old Guard vs. New Blood
- Best Actor: The Battle of the Titans
- Best Actress: Stone vs. Buckley
- Where to Watch the 2026 Oscar Nominated Movies
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Sinners Shatters Academy Records with 16 Nominations
The headline of the Oscar nominations 2026 is undeniably Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. The supernatural period thriller has not only secured its place as the frontrunner but has also rewritten Hollywood history. Garnering a staggering 16 nominations, Sinners has surpassed the long-standing record of 14 nominations held jointly by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
This achievement is a testament to the film’s technical mastery and narrative power. The Oscar nominations 2026 for Sinners span almost every conceivable category, including Best Picture, Best Director for Coogler, and a dual-acting recognition for Michael B. Jordan. The film’s dominance suggests a potential sweep on awards night, reflecting the Academy’s growing appreciation for genre-bending cinema that marries box-office appeal with artistic prestige.
The 2026 Best Picture Nominees: A Diverse Field
While Sinners leads the pack, the race for the top prize is anything but decided. The Oscar nominations 2026 for Best Picture feature a mix of high-octane blockbusters, intimate dramas, and auteur-driven projects.
The 10 films vying for Best Picture are:
- Sinners (Warner Bros.)
- One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) – Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest epic.
- Hamnet (Focus Features) – Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of the best-selling novel.
- Frankenstein (Netflix) – Guillermo del Toro’s gothic masterpiece.
- Marty Supreme (A24) – A fast-paced ping-pong drama starring Timothée Chalamet.
- Bugonia (Focus Features) – Yorgos Lanthimos’s eccentric alien comedy.
- F1 (Warner Bros./Apple) – The racing drama starring Brad Pitt.
- The Secret Agent (Neon) – A Brazilian political thriller making waves internationally.
- Sentimental Value (Neon) – Joachim Trier’s poignant family drama.
- Train Dreams (Netflix) – An adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella.
This list highlights a significant year for Warner Bros., which secured multiple spots with Sinners, One Battle After Another, and F1. The inclusion of international features like The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value in the main category also signals the Academy’s continued global expansion.
Oscar Snubs: The Wicked Shutout and Other Surprises
No nomination morning is complete without controversy, and the Oscar nominations 2026 delivered a massive shock regarding the musical event of the year.
Where is Wicked?
Perhaps the biggest conversation starter is the near-total lockout of Wicked. Despite being a box office juggernaut and a fan favorite, the film failed to secure a Best Picture nomination. While many pundits expected it to be a shoo-in for the top category, voters seemingly favored grittier, auteur-driven fare this year.
The Oscar nominations 2026 did not completely ignore the film—it likely picked up technical nods—but its absence from Best Picture and Best Director lists is being widely cited as the year’s most egregious snub. This “Wicked shutout” mirrors past instances where popular musicals struggled to cross over into the Academy’s top tier despite commercial success.
Director Snubs and Surprises
The Best Director category also provided plenty of drama. While Ryan Coogler (Sinners) and Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) were locks, the omission of Wicked‘s Jon M. Chu was palpable.
Conversely, the inclusion of Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value was a delightful surprise for indie film lovers. The Oscar nominations 2026 for directing highlight a field dominated by distinct visual stylists:
- Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
- Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
- Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
- Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein)
- Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
Acting Contenders: Old Guard vs. New Blood
The acting categories in the Oscar nominations 2026 lineup feature a fascinating clash between Hollywood legends and rising superstars.
Best Actor: The Battle of the Titans
The Best Actor race is shaping up to be a three-way brawl. Michael B. Jordan is the frontrunner for his intense work in Sinners, but he faces stiff competition. Leonardo DiCaprio has earned yet another nomination for One Battle After Another, delivering a performance critics are calling his most vulnerable in years. Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet continues his hot streak with a nod for Marty Supreme.
Rounding out the category are Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent, proving that the Oscar nominations 2026 are rewarding diverse performances across genres.
Best Actress: Stone vs. Buckley
In the Best Actress category, Emma Stone returns to the fold with a nomination for Bugonia. She is joined by Jessie Buckley, whose turn in Hamnet has been described as “devastatingly beautiful.”
The category also welcomes Kate Hudson for her role in the musical drama Song Sung Blue, marking a major comeback. Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) complete a lineup that celebrates emotional depth and range.
Where to Watch the 2026 Oscar Nominated Movies
With the Oscar nominations 2026 now public, the race is on to watch the contenders before the ceremony on March 15.
- In Theaters: Blockbusters like Sinners, F1, and Avatar: Fire and Ash (nominated for Visual Effects) are best experienced on the big screen. Bugonia and One Battle After Another are also currently in wide release.
- Streaming on Netflix: You can catch Best Picture nominees Frankenstein and Train Dreams directly on Netflix.
- Streaming on Max: Warner Bros. titles like Sinners are expected to hit Max closer to the ceremony, though they are currently theatrical exclusives.
- VOD: Smaller titles like Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent may be available for rental on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV by late February.
Conclusion
The Oscar nominations 2026 have set the stage for one of the most exciting ceremonies in recent memory. With Sinners looking to convert its historic 16 nominations into wins, and films like Wicked left on the sidelines, the narrative of the season is clear: bold, original storytelling is king.
As we count down to the 98th Academy Awards, the debates over snubs and predicted winners will only intensify. Whether you are rooting for the vampire hunters of Sinners or the table-tennis prodigy of Marty Supreme, the Oscar nominations 2026 offer something for every cinephile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When are the 2026 Oscars? The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
2. Which film received the most Oscar nominations in 2026? Ryan Coogler’s Sinners broke the all-time record, receiving 16 nominations.
3. Was Wicked nominated for Best Picture? No, Wicked was snubbed in the Best Picture category, which was one of the biggest surprises of the Oscar nominations 2026.
4. Who are the nominees for Best Actor? The nominees are Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
5. Is the Oscar nominations 2026 list final? Yes, the nominations announced on January 22, 2026, are the final list of contenders for the upcoming ceremony.
6. Where can I watch the nominated movies? Many nominees like Sinners and F1 are in theaters. Frankenstein is on Netflix, and others will be available on VOD soon.
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