A gangster musical about vampires has emerged as the defining force of this year’s Academy Awards.
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has rewritten Oscar history by securing 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, the highest tally ever achieved by a single film. The record-breaking run includes nods for best picture, best director, best original screenplay, best actor for Michael B. Jordan, and supporting acting nominations for Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo, surpassing the long-standing record of 14 held by Titanic, All About Eve and La La Land.
The film’s dominance reflects a broader shift in this year’s Oscars, where unconventional storytelling, genre-blending projects and independent productions have taken centre stage. Alongside Sinners, One Battle After Another emerged as another major contender with 13 nominations, while Frankenstein, Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value followed closely with nine each.
Together, these titles form the backbone of a best picture lineup that blends spectacle with experimentation. The category includes Sinners, One Battle After Another, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, Sentimental Value, The Secret Agent, F1: The Movie, Bugonia and Train Dreams—a mix of studio-backed releases and boundary-pushing independent films.
Among studios, Warner Bros. led the field with 30 nominations, driven largely by Sinners and One Battle After Another. Neon followed with 18 nominations, including recognition for The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value, while Netflix secured 16 nods for films such as Frankenstein and Train Dreams.
Acting categories this year also reflect the Academy’s embrace of diverse storytelling. Recent Golden Globe winners Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) were nominated for best actor, alongside Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon).
In the best actress race, Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) leads a competitive field that includes Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Emma Stone (Bugonia), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), whose nomination has been widely viewed as a surprise.
Supporting categories are similarly packed. Golden Globe winner Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) and Critics Choice pick Amy Madigan are joined by Mosaku, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in the supporting actress race. For supporting actor, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) compete against Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein) and Delroy Lindo (Sinners).
This year also marks a structural shift in the awards with the introduction of a new category for best achievement in casting—the first major addition since best animated feature in 2002. The inaugural nominees are One Battle After Another, Sinners, Marty Supreme, Hamnet and The Secret Agent, highlighting the growing recognition of ensemble-building as a creative craft.
The Academy has also tightened voting rules, requiring members to verify that they have watched all nominees in a category before voting. Viewing is tracked through the Academy Screening Room app, while external screenings must be logged manually, a move aimed at improving voting integrity.
The nominations were announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman in a live ceremony from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, covering 24 categories, including the new casting award.
Notably, the announcement also brought high-profile omissions. Wicked: For Good was shut out entirely, while Delroy Lindo and Kate Hudson emerged as surprise nominees, adding to the unpredictability of this year’s race.
The ceremony will be hosted by Conan O’Brien for the second consecutive year and will air live on ABC and Hulu from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 15 March, beginning at 4 p.m. PT.
Last year’s best picture winner was Anora, which claimed five awards, including best director for Sean Baker and best actress for Mikey Madison. Adrien Brody won best actor for The Brutalist, while Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin took home supporting honours.
With Sinners at the forefront and a slate dominated by daring narratives and independent sensibilities, the 2026 Oscars signal a moment where risk-taking cinema is no longer on the margins but firmly at the centre of Hollywood’s biggest night.
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