The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will reveal the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday, January 22, 2026. This announcement marks the official start of the final Oscar race, setting the stage for the awards ceremony on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
The live reveal is scheduled to happen early in the morning, Pacific Time. A full list of nominees in all categories will be published on the official Oscars website and through major news outlets immediately after the announcement. Comedian Conan O’Brien will host the main ceremony in March, returning for his second consecutive year.
Key Dates and Voting Schedule for the 98th Oscars
The road to nomination day follows a strict calendar set by the Academy. The important nominations voting period for members runs from Monday, January 12, to Friday, January 16, 2026. During this window, Academy members cast their ballots to decide the final nominees.
Following the nominations announcement, key events on the calendar include the Oscars Nominees Luncheon on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. The final voting to choose the winners opens on Wednesday, February 26, and closes on Wednesday, March 5, 2026, just ten days before the live broadcast.
Major Contenders and Shortlisted Films Revealed
In December, the Academy announced its shortlists, narrowing the field in 12 specific categories. These lists give a strong indication of which films are leading the race heading into nomination day.
The musical Wicked: For Good leads all contenders, appearing on eight shortlists, including those for Casting, Cinematography, and Original Song. Other films with strong showings include Frankenstein (six shortlists), Sirât, One Battle After Another, and F1: The Movie (five shortlists each). Films like Marty Supreme, Hamnet, and Sentimental Value are also featured across multiple categories.
“Our money is on Benicio del Toro earning a second win for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. At this point, it also must be acknowledged that the film is leading the Best Picture race, and it is not particularly close.”
This year also features the inaugural shortlist for the brand new Oscar category: Best Casting. The ten films advancing in this historic category include Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and Wicked: For Good.
New Rules and How They Change the 2026 Awards
The Academy has implemented a significant new rule for the final round of voting. For the 98th Oscars, Academy members must watch all nominated films in a category to be eligible to vote for the winner in that category. The Academy will monitor viewing activity through its member-only streaming platform, the Academy Screening Room.
Another change involves the final ballot. For the first time, the names of all designated nominees in a category will appear on the ballot. Previously, in categories like Best Original Song, only the song title and film appeared, omitting the songwriters and musicians. The Academy has also added official language regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in filmmaking to its rulebook.
Global Spotlight on International Feature Films
A record 92 countries submitted films for the Best International Feature Film category. From these submissions, 86 were deemed eligible, and the shortlist of 15 films was announced on December 16. The shortlisted films contending for a nomination include:
- Belén (Argentina)
- The Secret Agent (Brazil)
- It Was Just an Accident (France)
- Sound of Falling (Germany)
- Homebound (India)
- Kokuho (Japan)
- Sentimental Value ( Norway)
Notable submissions that did not make the shortlist include films from Cambodia, Kazakhstan, and Papua New Guinea. Madagascar and Papua New Guinea were first-time entrants this year.
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Predictions and Expectations for Key Categories
As the industry awaits the official nominations, several films and performances are considered front-runners based on early awards and critical reception.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) is seen as a strong favorite for Best Actress. The Best Actor race appears competitive, with potential nominees including Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), and Michael B. Jordan (Sinners).
The film One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is widely predicted to lead the total nominations count and is a front-runner for Best Picture. Its main competition is expected to be Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The show will be televised in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
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