The Oscar nominations 2026 this year were led by two big and original films: “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.” These movies stood out in a Hollywood landscape now filled mostly with sequels and franchise films.
“Sinners,” a horror film set in the 1930s and inspired by Black culture, received 16 nominations, the most ever for a single movie in Oscar history. It earned nods in nearly every major category, including best picture, director, actor, supporting roles, cinematography and screenplay. The movie was also a big hit at the box office, earning $368 million worldwide.
Close behind was “One Battle After Another,” which received 13 nominations. The film is a political drama about authoritarian rule and people fighting back. It made $206 million globally.
Both films were produced by Warner Bros., a studio that may soon be sold, with Netflix and Paramount Skydance competing to buy it. In recent years, major studios have mostly avoided making expensive original films like these, choosing instead big sequels that promise higher profits. The executives who backed these risky projects were once expected to lose their jobs, but their decision now looks smart.
Although Hollywood has mostly avoided talking openly about politics recently, the strong support for these two films sent a clear message. “Sinners” deals with themes of racism and cultural exploitation, while “One Battle After Another” reflects fears about growing authoritarianism and social division.
Before this year, the record for most Oscar nominations was held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land,” each with 14 nominations.
Several smaller and lower-budget films also performed well. “Hamnet,” a moving drama, received eight nominations and made $30 million. “Sentimental Value,” a Norwegian family film, earned nine nominations despite modest box office earnings of $16 million. Both films are now competing for best picture.
They will compete against a wide mix of films, including “The Secret Agent,” a Brazilian crime drama; Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein”; “Bugonia”; the racing film “F1: The Movie”; “Marty Supreme”; and “Train Dreams.”
The Academy expanded the best picture category to 10 films in 2022, saying the change would help improve diversity and inclusion.
There were also notable snubs. “Wicked: For Good” received no nominations. George Clooney’s “Jay Kelly” was ignored, and Dwayne Johnson failed to get a nod for “The Smashing Machine.” Even though “Frankenstein” received nine nominations, director Guillermo del Toro was left out of the directing category.
Best director nominees include Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”), Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”), Josh Safdie (“Marty Supreme”), Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”) and Chloé Zhao (“Hamnet”).
In the acting categories, Timothée Chalamet earned his third Oscar nomination for “Marty Supreme,” making him the youngest actor to reach that milestone at age 30. Other best actor nominees include Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, Ethan Hawke, and Wagner Moura, who became the first Brazilian man nominated for best actor.
Best actress nominees include Kate Hudson, Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Renate Reinsve, and Emma Stone.
Warner Bros. led all studios with 30 nominations, while indie studio Neon surprised with 18 nominations, including two best picture contenders.
The Oscars will be held on March 15, broadcast by ABC and Hulu, and hosted again by Conan O’Brien. However, audience numbers have fallen over the years, and the Academy plans to move the show to YouTube in 2029 to reach younger viewers.
Despite changes, this year’s nominations highlighted the power of bold, original filmmaking.
Published: 22th January 2026
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