The 2026 Academy Awards nominations have delivered drama worthy of the big screen — and at the center of it all stands Sinners. The bold, blood-soaked vampire saga set in the American South has rewritten Oscar history, becoming the most-nominated film of all time with 16 nominations, surpassing long-standing record holders like Titanic and La La Land.
Close behind is One Battle After Another, a raw and divisive examination of radical politics that secured 13 nominations. Both films landed coveted Best Picture nods, firmly placing Warner Bros. at the top of this year’s awards leaderboard.
Warner Bros’ Redemption Arc Nobody Saw Coming
Just months ago, Warner Bros was facing tough questions after high-profile misfires like Mickey 17 and The Alto Knights. Industry whispers even suggested that studio chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy could be shown the door for backing risky projects.
Instead, the gamble paid off.
Sinners exploded into a full-blown box office phenomenon, while One Battle After Another — despite failing to recover its massive $135 million budget — emerged as a critical and awards-season juggernaut. In total, Warner Bros led the Oscars race with 30 nominations, turning skepticism into vindication almost overnight.
Netflix and Neon Keep the Pressure On
While Warner dominated headlines, Netflix proved it’s still a major awards force. Guillermo del Toro’s operatic reimagining of Frankenstein picked up nine nominations, while the lyrical drama Train Dreams added four more, giving Netflix a total of 16 nods.
Meanwhile, indie powerhouse Neon punched well above its weight. Backing international standouts like Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent, Neon walked away with an impressive 18 nominations, reinforcing its reputation as a tastemaker in global cinema.
Acting Races Are Heating Up
The Best Actor race is shaping up as a clash of star power and prestige. Timothée Chalamet earned a nomination for Marty Supreme, boosted by a viral-heavy campaign that turned the film into A24’s biggest hit. He’ll face stiff competition from Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, one of Hollywood’s few remaining guaranteed box-office draws.
Other nominees include Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
On the Best Actress front, emotional, mother-centric performances dominate. Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) and Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) face off against Emma Stone (Bugonia), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), and Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value).
Records, Snubs, and Firsts
With its 16 nominations, Sinners officially surpassed the previous record of 14 held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. History suggests that kind of dominance often leads to Best Picture — though Oscar night has a way of defying expectations.
There were also notable snubs. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo missed out for Wicked: For Good, while Paul Mescal’s widely praised turn as Shakespeare in Hamnet failed to convert into a nomination.
This year also marks a milestone moment: casting directors are being recognized for the first time, reflecting the Academy’s acknowledgment of behind-the-scenes creative forces.
A Changing Industry, A Familiar Question
The Oscars arrive at a turbulent time for Hollywood. Corporate consolidation, declining box office numbers, and growing anxiety around artificial intelligence loom large over the industry. Ahead of the nominations, Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor summed it up with a clear message.
“The heartbeat of film is and will always remain unmistakably human,” she said.
All Nominations
🏆 Best Picture
- Bugonia (Focus Features)
- F1 (Apple Original Films)
- Frankenstein (Netflix)
- Hamnet (Focus Features)
- Marty Supreme (A24)
- One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
- The Secret Agent (Neon)
- Sentimental Value (Neon)
- Sinners (Warner Bros.)
- Train Dreams (Netflix)
🎬 Best Director
- Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
- Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
- Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
🎭 Actor in a Leading Role
- Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
- Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
🎭 Actress in a Leading Role
- Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
- Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
- Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone – Bugonia
🎭 Actor in a Supporting Role
- Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
- Delroy Lindo – Sinners
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
- Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
🎭 Actress in a Supporting Role
- Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
- Amy Madigan – Weapons
- Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
✍️ Adapted Screenplay
- Bugonia – Will Tracy
- Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro
- Hamnet – Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell
- One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Train Dreams – Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
✍️ Original Screenplay
- Blue Moon – Robert Kaplow
- It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
- Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
- Sentimental Value – Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier
- Sinners – Ryan Coogler
🎥 Cinematography
- Frankenstein – Dan Laustsen
- Marty Supreme – Darius Khondji
- One Battle After Another – Michael Bauman
- Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
- Train Dreams – Adolpho Veloso
🎼 Original Score
- Bugonia – Jerskin Fendrix
- Frankenstein – Alexandre Desplat
- Hamnet – Max Richter
- One Battle After Another – Jonny Greenwood
- Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
🎵 Original Song
- Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless
- Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
- I Lied To You – Sinners
- Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi!
- Train Dreams – Train Dreams
🎨 Production Design
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
💄 Makeup and Hairstyling
- Frankenstein
- Kokuho
- Sinners
- The Smashing Machine
- The Ugly Stepsister
🎧 Sound
- F1
- Frankenstein
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
- Sirāt
🧠 Visual Effects
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
- F1
- Jurassic World Rebirth
- The Lost Bus
- Sinners
🎬 Film Editing
- F1
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
🌍 International Feature Film
- The Secret Agent (Brazil)
- It Was Just an Accident (France)
- Sentimental Value (Norway)
- Sirāt (Spain)
- The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
🎞️ Animated Feature Film
- Arco
- Elio
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- Zootopia 2
🧑🎬 Documentary Feature Film
- The Alabama Solution
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cutting Through Rocks
- Mr. Nobody Against Putin
- The Perfect Neighbor
🏅 Achievement in Casting (First Year Category)
- Hamnet – Nina Gold
- Marty Supreme – Jennifer Venditti
- One Battle After Another – Cassandra Kulukundis
- The Secret Agent – Gabriel Domingues
- Sinners – Francine Maisler
Final Words
The 2026 Oscar nominations tell a story of risk — and reward. From Sinners’ record-breaking run to Warner Bros’ unexpected resurgence and Netflix and Neon’s continued influence, this year’s race feels unpredictable, ambitious, and fiercely competitive.
The Oscars will air on March 15, broadcast on ABC and streamed on Hulu, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. One thing is certain: when the envelopes open, Hollywood’s future — and its past — will be sharing the same stage.
