The 2026 Oscar nominations have made history. Ryan Coogler‘s genre-blending film Sinners has broken the all-time record for the most Academy Award nominations received by a single movie. The film earned 16 nominations, surpassing the previous record of 14 held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016) . The supernatural thriller, starring Michael B. Jordan, led a list of ten Best Picture nominees that includes major contenders like One Battle After Another and the international favorite Sentimental Value . The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 15.
A Historic Haul for a Groundbreaking Film
Sinners tells the story of twin brothers, both played by Michael B. Jordan, who return to 1930s Mississippi to open a blues club and must battle racism and supernatural forces . The film’s unprecedented 16 nominations span every major category, including Best Picture, Best Director for Ryan Coogler, and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan . The recognition is particularly significant for the horror genre, which has rarely been celebrated so broadly by the Academy. A BBC critic noted the film is “more than just a horror,” blending social themes with genre elements .
The nominations also created individual milestones. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter, nominated for her work on Sinners, is now the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history . Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw is only the fourth woman ever nominated for Best Cinematography . Director Ryan Coogler shared a personal moment from nomination morning, recounting how his father accurately kept count of the nods.
“My dad was keeping count next to me,” Coogler said. “And when he said [it was 16], I was like, ‘Dad, you got it wrong. There’s no way it’s that many.’”
The Top Contenders and Studio Success
While Sinners made history, Paul Thomas Anderson‘s political drama One Battle After Another proved to be a formidable competitor with 13 nominations . The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Teyana Taylor, is still widely considered a frontrunner for the top prize . Its performance, combined with the success of Sinners, marks a major victory for Warner Bros., which produced both films. The studio leads all others with 30 total nominations this year .
Other films with a strong showing include:
- Marty Supreme (9 nominations)
- Frankenstein (9 nominations)
- Sentimental Value (9 nominations)
- Hamnet (8 nominations)
The strong performance of international films continues a notable trend. Norway’s Sentimental Value and Brazil’s The Secret Agent are both nominated for Best Picture and Best International Feature Film . A record four acting nominations went to performers in non-English language roles: Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent), and Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) .
Celebrated Performances and Notable Snubs
The acting categories highlighted both breakthroughs and surprises. Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) made history by becoming the youngest man to receive three Best Actor nominations since Marlon Brando . At 30, he is a favorite to win his first Oscar. In the Best Actress category, Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) is considered the frontrunner .
Emma Stone also set a record. At 37, her nominations for Bugonia (Best Actress and Best Picture) make her the youngest woman ever to earn seven Oscar nominations .
The nominations were not without significant omissions. The musical sequel Wicked: For Good, a presumed contender, was shut out completely with zero nominations, a stark contrast to the ten nods received by its predecessor . Other high-profile snubs included Paul Mescal for his supporting role in Hamnet and George Clooney, who was not nominated for Jay Kelly . Guillermo del Toro was also surprisingly left out of the Best Director category for his film Frankenstein, despite the movie receiving nine total nominations .
New Oscar Category and Popular Favorites
This year’s Oscars introduced the first new category in 25 years: Best Casting . The nominees are Sinners, One Battle After Another, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and The Secret Agent . The addition acknowledges the critical craft of assembling a film’s actors.
In the Best Animated Feature race, the popular Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters is a favorite. The film is also nominated for Best Original Song for its mega-hit “Golden” . It faces competition from major studio sequels like Disney’s Zootopia 2 .
Veteran songwriter Diane Warren earned her 17th Oscar nomination for the song “Dear Me” from the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless . She has yet to win a competitive Academy Award.
Also Read:
The Path to the Oscars Ceremony
The second round of Oscar voting begins on Wednesday, February 26. For the first time, the Academy has implemented a rule requiring voters to confirm they have seen all nominated films in a category before casting their final ballot . The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu in the United States . Conan O’Brien will return as host for the second consecutive year .
Also Read: Landman Season 3 Gets Release Window Following Dramatic Season 2 Finale
