Oscars 2026: Sinners Breaks Records with Unprecedented Nominations

Every year, the Academy Awards serve as a crossroads for the film industry, where reputations are made, stories are reimagined, and, on occasion, a single title redefines what it means to be celebrated. The 98th edition has certainly delivered a shake-up, with Sinners—a horror feature that captured the public’s imagination throughout 2025—at the centre of it all.

Gone are the days when only the so-called 'prestige' productions could expect a nod. The Academy has thrown its doors open to a broader spectrum, rewarding inventive approaches and stories that strike a cultural chord. This year’s nominations reflect that shift, with Sinners leading the charge and a host of other films making their mark.

Complete List of 2026 Academy Award Nominees

Among the contenders for Best Picture, the field is as varied as ever: Bugonia, F1: The Movie, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams all vie for the top prize.

In the acting categories, Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) are up for Best Actor. The Best Actress shortlist features Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).

Supporting roles have not gone unnoticed. Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn (One Battle After Another), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) are all in the running for Best Supporting Actor. For Best Supporting Actress, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Amy Madigan (Weapons), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) have been recognised.

Directors, Writers, and Technical Standouts

Directorial talent is on full display, with Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), and Ryan Coogler (Sinners) all nominated. Original Screenplay contenders include Robert Kaplow (Blue Moon), Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident), Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), and Ryan Coogler (Sinners).

Adapted Screenplay sees Will Tracy (Bugonia), Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein), Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell (Hamnet), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), and Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar (Train Dreams) in the spotlight. Animated Feature nominees are Arco, Elio, Kpop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2.

Documentary Feature brings together The Alabama Solution, Come See Me in the Good Light, Cutting Through Rocks, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and The Perfect Neighbor. For International Feature, The Secret Agent (Brazil), It Was Just an Accident (France), Sentimental Value (Norway), Sirāt (Spain), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia) are in contention.

Sinners: A Record-Breaking Run

Editing, Cinematography, and other technical categories are fiercely contested. Notably, Sinners has made a clean sweep across the board, with nominations in Editing (Michael P. Shawver), Cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw), Production Design (Hannah Beachler; Monique Champagne), Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter), Visual Effects, Sound, Makeup and Hairstyling, and even Original Song for "I Lied to You."

In total, Sinners has amassed 16 nominations, surpassing the previous record held by La La Land, Titanic, and All About Eve, each of which managed 14. This achievement places Ryan Coogler’s film in a category of its own, with recognition in nearly every major discipline, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and a double performance nod for Michael B. Jordan.

The film’s technical prowess has not gone unnoticed, with nominations in Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, and more. The question now is not whether Sinners will win, but just how many statuettes it will take home. For those keen to see what all the fuss is about, Sinners is currently available to stream on HBO Max in the US.