Key Takeaways
- Coogler’s Sinners earned 16 Oscar nominations, the most ever in the Academy’s history.
- Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Wunmi Mosaku received acting nods for their roles in Sinners.
- Teyana Taylor landed her first Oscar nomination for One Battle After Another, which also earned a Best Picture nod.
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were unveiled Thursday (Jan. 22), officially locking in one of the most competitive Oscar races in years. Announced during a live presentation hosted by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman, the 2026 slate spans 24 categories and introduces a major structural change with the debut of Achievement in Casting, the first new competitive Oscar category since Best Animated Feature was added in 2001.
Two films emerged as clear leaders: Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, and One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson’s political drama that dominated much of the awards season conversation. Both films landed Best Picture nominations and appeared repeatedly across technical, acting, and screenplay categories.
Sinners led the field with a record 16 Oscar nominations, spanning Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, and a deep run of craft categories like cinematography, editing, sound, makeup and hairstyling, visual effects, and the new casting award. Michael B. Jordan earned a Best Actor nod for his dual performance, while Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku picked up supporting nominations. The film’s Costume Design nomination also pushed Ruth E. Carter to her fifth career nod, making her the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history.
One Battle After Another also posted a strong showing, earning Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Production Design, Score, Sound, and Casting nominations. Teyana Taylor was recognized in Best Supporting Actress, marking her first Oscar nomination, while Leonardo DiCaprio received a Best Actor nod.
The Best Picture lineup also includes Hamnet, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Frankenstein, Bugonia, F1, and Train Dreams.
Notably, Brazilian political thriller The Secret Agent earned major traction, including Best Picture and a Best Actor nomination for Wagner Moura, reflecting strong international support.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. You can check out the full list of nominations here.