2026 Oscar Nominations Live: ‘Sinners’ Makes History with Record 16 Nods Amid Surprising Snubs and Shocks
By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com
January 23, 2026 – Beverly Hills, California
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were unveiled Thursday morning in a live announcement from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, and the headlines were dominated by one film: Ryan Coogler’s supernatural horror epic Sinners. The movie, starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers in a 1930s Mississippi-set vampire tale steeped in Black folklore and blues music, shattered Oscar history by earning a record-breaking 16 nominations—surpassing the previous high of 14 shared by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
Directed and co-written by Coogler, Sinners secured nods in nearly every major category, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Jordan, in his first-ever Oscar nomination), Best Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Sound, Visual Effects, and even the newly introduced Achievement in Casting category. The film’s sweeping recognition marks a landmark moment for horror and genre cinema at the Oscars, as well as a career-defining breakthrough for Jordan and Coogler.
Close behind was Paul Thomas Anderson’s intense political drama One Battle After Another, which collected 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Anderson), and multiple acting nods for Leonardo DiCaprio (Best Actor), Teyana Taylor (Best Supporting Actress), Benicio Del Toro (Best Supporting Actor), and Sean Penn.
The 98th Oscars will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with Conan O’Brien returning as host.
Best Picture: A Diverse and Genre-Bending Field
This year’s Best Picture race features 10 nominees, blending prestige dramas, high-concept thrillers, and unexpected mainstream contenders:
- Bugonia (Yorgos Lanthimos)
- F1 (Joseph Kosinski)
- Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro)
- Hamnet (Chloé Zhao)
- Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)
- One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- The Secret Agent (Denis Villeneuve)
- Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier)
- Sinners (Ryan Coogler)
- Train Dreams (Felix Thompson)
Sinners and One Battle After Another are widely seen as the frontrunners, with Frankenstein (9 nods total) and Marty Supreme (also 9) emerging as strong dark-horse contenders. The inclusion of F1—a high-octane racing drama—drew immediate debate, with some calling it a populist “steak-eaters” pick reminiscent of Top Gun: Maverick’s 2023 success.
Acting Categories: Historic Firsts and Veteran Returns
Best Actor
- Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
- Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Jordan’s nomination is a career milestone, while Chalamet could become one of the youngest Best Actor winners in history.
Best Actress (partial highlights from reports)
- Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (strong favorite in some early odds)
- Kate Hudson – surprise nod (praised for emotional depth)
Supporting Categories
Notable inclusions: Teyana Taylor and Benicio Del Toro for One Battle After Another, plus surprises like Delroy Lindo in a supporting role.
Biggest Surprises and Shocking Snubs
While Sinners dominated headlines positively, the nominations delivered several jaw-dropping omissions:
- Complete shutout for Wicked: For Good — Despite massive box-office success and awards buzz earlier in the season, Jon M. Chu’s sequel received zero nominations, a stunning snub that shocked fans and industry insiders. Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and the film’s technical achievements were entirely overlooked.
- No Best Director for Guillermo del Toro — Frankenstein earned nine nods overall, but del Toro missed out on directing, raising eyebrows given his past Oscar success.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash — James Cameron’s latest installment in the blockbuster franchise failed to land a Best Picture nod, marking the first time an Avatar film has been excluded from the category despite billion-dollar grosses.
- Paul Mescal and other expected contenders — Several predicted favorites, including actors like Chase Infiniti and others from earlier shortlists, were absent.
The new Achievement in Casting category (first awarded this year) went to Sinners, One Battle After Another, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and The Secret Agent.
Red Carpet Predictions and Ceremony Buzz
With Sinners rewriting the record books and One Battle After Another proving a critical darling, the race feels wide open. Early betting lines from sites like Gold Derby show Sinners favored for multiple wins (including Picture and Director), while One Battle After Another could sweep acting categories.
The ceremony on March 15 promises high drama, emotional moments (especially for Jordan’s first nomination), and plenty of discussion about the Academy’s evolving tastes—embracing genre films while still delivering traditional snubs.
For the full list of nominees across all 24 categories, live updates, predictions, and red-carpet coverage leading up to March 15, visit JubaGlobal.com. Who are your picks for the big wins? Share your thoughts below!
