Record-Breaking Night: ‘Sinners’ Shatters Oscar History with 16 Nominations at the 98th Academy Awards
The 98th Academy Awards nominations were announced this morning, January 22, 2026, during a live presentation from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman served as hosts, delivering the news with enthusiasm and clarity, supported by ASL interpreters to ensure accessibility. The moment the full list was revealed, one film immediately dominated headlines: Ryan Coogler’s ambitious vampire-horror masterpiece Sinners earned an unprecedented 16 nominations—the highest single-film total in Academy history, surpassing the long-standing record of 14 held jointly by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
Trailing closely was Paul Thomas Anderson’s intense, politically charged drama One Battle After Another, which secured 13 nominations. Guillermo del Toro’s gothic reimagining Frankenstein, Josh Safdie’s ping-pong biopic Marty Supreme, Joachim Trier’s tender Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value, and Chloé Zhao’s poignant Shakespearean adaptation Hamnet rounded out the top contenders, each landing between 8 and 9 nominations.
This year’s nominations reflect a bold, diverse slate of films that blend genre innovation, cultural resonance, historical depth, and emotional intimacy. The Academy also introduced its first-ever Best Casting category, honoring the crucial behind-the-scenes work of assembling exceptional ensembles—a long-overdue recognition of one of filmmaking’s most collaborative arts.
Best Picture: Ten Films in Fierce Contention
The ten nominees for Best Picture showcase a wide range of storytelling ambition:
- Bugonia (Focus Features) – Yorgos Lanthimos’s darkly satirical comedy on power and delusion
- F1 – A pulse-pounding, high-stakes sports drama set in the world of Formula 1 racing
- Frankenstein (Netflix) – Guillermo del Toro’s visually stunning and emotionally layered take on Mary Shelley’s classic
- Hamnet (Focus Features) – Chloé Zhao’s heartbreaking adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about love, loss, and the Shakespeare family tragedy
- Marty Supreme (A24) – Josh Safdie’s kinetic, character-driven biopic centered on table-tennis legend Marty Reisman, starring Timothée Chalamet
- One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) – Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweeping exploration of resistance, authoritarianism, and personal conviction
- The Secret Agent – A gripping Brazilian political thriller that has captivated international audiences
- Sentimental Value (Neon) – Joachim Trier’s quiet, deeply felt family drama set in contemporary Norway
- Sinners (Warner Bros.) – Ryan Coogler’s 1930s-set vampire horror that weaves Black Southern culture, blues music, and supernatural terror into a powerful narrative
- Train Dreams – A meditative, critically adored period piece about isolation, nature, and human endurance
Sinners and One Battle After Another currently stand as the clear frontrunners, having combined massive commercial success with near-universal critical praise.
Best Director: A Lineup of Visionary Filmmakers
The Best Director category features five auteurs at the peak of their craft:
- Chloé Zhao for Hamnet
- Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme
- Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
- Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
- Ryan Coogler for Sinners
Coogler’s nomination marks a significant milestone for Black directors at the Academy, while Anderson pursues the win that has long eluded him despite multiple previous nominations.
Acting Categories: Fresh Faces and Veteran Powerhouses
Best Actor in a Leading Role delivers one of the most competitive fields in years:
- Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
- Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) – earning his first-ever Oscar nomination
- Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
- Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
Chalamet, if victorious, would join an elite group of young winners in the category.
Best Actress in a Leading Role highlights raw emotional performances:
- Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
- Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)
- Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
- Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
- Emma Stone (Bugonia)
Buckley’s devastating turn as Agnes Shakespeare has positioned her as a serious frontrunner.
Supporting categories are equally deep, with multiple nominations going to the ensembles of Sinners (including Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku) and One Battle After Another (Benicio Del Toro, Teyana Taylor).
Technical and Craft Dominance
Sinners leads in nearly every below-the-line category: Cinematography, Original Score, Sound, Visual Effects, Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design, Film Editing, and Production Design. Its technical ambition—blending period authenticity with supernatural spectacle—has earned widespread praise.
The new Best Casting category nominees are:
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sinners
Looking Ahead to March 15
With Sinners rewriting the record books and One Battle After Another reaffirming Paul Thomas Anderson’s status as one of the most important American filmmakers working today, the 98th Academy Awards promise a night of historic moments, potential upsets, and celebration of bold cinematic risk-taking.
The Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, hosted by Conan O’Brien and broadcast live on ABC beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The race is wide open—and already unforgettable.
