The race for the coveted golden statuettes is heating up. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially released its shortlists for the 98th Academy Awards, revealing the top contenders across 12 crucial categories. This announcement sets the stage for the final nomination announcements scheduled for next month.
Major Contenders Emerge From The Shortlists
According to reports from Variety, several high-profile films have made a strong showing. Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' emerged as a frontrunner, securing a place on the shortlists in an impressive seven categories. These include Makeup and Hairstyling, Cinematography, Casting, Sound, Visual Effects, and it has two entries in the competitive Original Song category.
It faces stiff competition from other cinematic giants. The adaptation 'Wicked: For Good' also matched the tally in several areas, being shortlisted for Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Casting, Original Score, Sound, and Visual Effects. It too boasts two original songs by Stephen Schwartz in contention. Meanwhile, the latest iteration of 'Frankenstein' demonstrated its technical prowess with mentions in Casting, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Sound, and Visual Effects.
India's Hopeful: 'Homebound' in International Feature Film Race
One of the most watched categories globally is International Feature Film, and this year brings promising news for Indian cinema. The film 'Homebound', representing India, has successfully made it onto the 15-film shortlist. This list will now proceed to the next round of voting to determine the final five nominees.
The full shortlist for the International Feature Film category is as follows:
- 'Belen' (Argentina)
- 'The Secret Agent' (Brazil)
- 'It Was Just An Accident' (France)
- 'Sound of Falling' (Germany)
- 'Homebound' (India)
- 'The President's Cake' (Iraq)
- 'Kokuho' (Japan)
- 'All That's Left Of You' (Jordan)
- 'Sentimental Value' (Norway)
- 'Palestine 36' (Palestine)
- 'No Other Choice' (South Korea)
- 'Sirat' (Spain)
- 'Late Shift' (Switzerland)
- 'Left-Handed Girl' (Taiwan)
- 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' (Tunisia)
Visual Effects and Other Key Categories
The battle for the Visual Effects Oscar is set to be a spectacle itself. The shortlisted titles in this category include blockbusters like 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', 'FI', 'Frankenstein', 'Jurassic World Rebirth', 'Sinners', 'Superman', and 'Wicked: For Good'.
The 12 categories for which shortlists were announced are: Animated Short Film, Casting, Cinematography, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Live Action Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Sound, and Visual Effects.
The Road to the Oscars 2026
The next major milestone is on January 22, 2026, when the official nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be revealed. The grand ceremony itself is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, at the iconic Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. A total of 24 categories will be awarded on the big night.
This shortlist announcement narrows the field and offers a clear indication of which films and artists have impressed Academy voters in the preliminary rounds. All eyes are now on January 22nd to see which of these shortlisted contenders will secure a coveted Oscar nomination.
