Oscar Nominations 2026: “Sinners” Makes History as Awards Season Officially Begins

The road to Hollywood’s biggest night officially began today as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, announced live on ABC from Los Angeles. With excitement building across the film industry, this year’s nominations delivered history-making moments, powerful performances, and one of the most competitive Best Picture lineups in recent memory.

Leading the pack in unprecedented fashion is Ryan Coogler’s bold and genre-defying epic Sinners, which emerged as the most-nominated film in Oscar history. The blues-soaked vampire drama earned 16 nominations, surpassing the long-standing record of 14 previously held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. The achievement marks a rare and significant moment for genre storytelling at the Academy Awards, as horror-inspired cinema has historically struggled for recognition at this level.

Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow era, Sinners blends myth, music, and social allegory to tell a deeply American story — one that clearly resonated with Academy voters. In addition to a Best Picture nomination, the film secured nods for Best Director and Best Screenplay for Coogler, while Michael B. Jordan received his first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The film also earned multiple supporting and technical nominations, firmly establishing it as this year’s dominant contender.

Not far behind is Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweeping drama One Battle After Another, which collected 13 nominations of its own. Long considered a critical favorite heading into nominations morning, the film received recognition across nearly every major category. Performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Teyana Taylor helped solidify its strong showing, though one notable omission — newcomer Chase Infiniti — has already sparked discussion online.

Together, Sinners and One Battle After Another represent two vastly different yet equally ambitious visions of American cinema. One leans into supernatural horror as cultural allegory; the other explores rebellion and unrest in a modern police-state narrative. Both films are also Warner Bros. releases, making this a particularly strong awards season for the studio amid ongoing industry shifts and high-profile acquisition talks.

The Best Picture race this year reflects a wide range of storytelling styles and genres. The ten nominees include Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams. It’s a lineup that blends prestige drama, literary adaptation, genre experimentation, and emotionally driven narratives — a combination that suggests one of the Academy’s most eclectic ballots in years.

Acting categories were equally competitive. In the supporting races, Wunmi Mosaku earned a nomination for her work in Sinners, while Delroy Lindo received recognition for his powerful supporting performance in the same film. The Academy also made history this year by introducing a new Oscar category for Casting, an addition that benefited both Sinners and One Battle After Another, further boosting their already impressive nomination totals.

Music also played a notable role in this year’s nominations. Sinners appeared among the nominees for Best Original Song with “I Lied to You,” joining a category that also includes tracks from Train Dreams, Viva Verdi!, Diane Warren: Relentless, and the animated hit KPop Demon Hunters.

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on ABC and Hulu, with Conan O’Brien returning as host, bringing his signature wit back to the Oscar stage.

With record-breaking achievements, major performances, and a Best Picture race that feels genuinely unpredictable, this year’s Oscars are shaping up to be one of the most talked-about ceremonies in recent memory. As awards season momentum builds, all eyes are now on whether Sinners can turn its historic nominations haul into Oscar gold — or whether another challenger will rise before the final envelope is opened.