Oscar 2026: ‘Sinners’ Makes History With 16 Nominations

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially revealed the nominees for the 98th Academy Awards. During a morning announcement hosted by Lewis Pullman and Danielle Brooks, two films emerged as the primary contenders for the 2026 ceremony.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners made Oscar history on Thursday by securing a staggering 16 nominations. This achievement shatters the long-standing record of 14 nominations previously held by Titanic and La La Land. Close behind is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which earned a total of 13 nods.

The ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre. Veteran entertainer Conan O’Brien will return to host the festivities.

The 2026 Major Category Nominees

Best Picture

The race for the year’s top film features a mix of high-speed action and deep drama:

• BugoniaF1: The Movie
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• The Secret Agent
• Sentimental Value
• SinnersTrain Dreams

Best Director

• Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
• Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
• Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
• Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
• Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)

Acting Categories

The acting races feature a blend of established icons and fresh talent. Notably, the film Sentimental Value performed exceptionally well in the supporting categories.

Best Actor

The lead actor race includes Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon). Joining them are Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).

Best Actress

The nominees for lead actress are Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), and Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue). Additionally, Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Emma Stone (Bugonia) are in the running.

Best Supporting Actor

This category features Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), and Delroy Lindo (Sinners). Completing the list are Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value).

Best Supporting Actress

The nominees include Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), and Amy Madigan (Weapons). Also nominated are Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).

Writing & Technical Frontrunners

Screenplay Nominations

The writing categories are split between original scripts and literary adaptations.

• Original Screenplay: Blue Moon, It Was Just an Accident, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, and Sinners.
• Adapted Screenplay: Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Train Dreams.

Animated & International Features

• Animated Feature: Arco, Elio, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2.
• International Feature: The Secret Agent (Brazil), It Was Just an Accident (France), Sentimental Value (Norway), Sirāt (Spain), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia).

Technical Showdowns

In the technical categories, Sinners and F1: The Movie are competing for Visual Effects alongside Avatar: Fire and Ash. Furthermore, the Original Score category features a battle between Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another) and Ludwig Goransson (Sinners).

Which film was the biggest “snub” of the 2026 Oscar nominations? 🎬 While Sinners made history with 16 nods, several fan favorites were left out of the major categories. We want to hear your take: Did the Academy get it right this year? Share your predictions for Best Picture in the comments below!