Oscars 2026: 'Sinners' Creates History with Record-Breaking 16 Nominations
The 98th Academy Awards nominations have been announced, and Ryan Coogler's vampire epic "Sinners" has made cinematic history by securing an unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations. This remarkable achievement was revealed on Thursday, January 22, 2026, setting a new benchmark for the most nominations ever received by a single film at the prestigious awards ceremony.
Breaking the Long-Standing Record
Sinners has officially surpassed the previous record of 14 nominations, which was jointly held by three iconic films: All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. The film's nominations span across multiple major categories, positioning it as the frontrunner for the upcoming ceremony.
The nominations for Sinners include:
- Best Picture
- Best Director for Ryan Coogler
- Best Screenplay
- Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan
This marks Michael B. Jordan's first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Actor, adding significant personal achievement to the film's historic accomplishment.
Warner Bros Dominates with Strong Contenders
Paul Thomas Anderson's father-daughter revolutionary saga "One Battle After Another" also made a powerful showing with 13 nominations, creating a formidable duo for Warner Bros. The studio is experiencing its strongest Oscar performance in its 102-year history, thanks to these two cinematic powerhouses.
One Battle After Another received four acting nominations:
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Teyana Taylor
- Benicio del Toro
- Sean Penn
This success comes at a pivotal moment for Warner Bros, as Netflix prepares to acquire the company for $72 billion in cash, marking one of the largest entertainment industry transactions in recent memory.
Complete Best Picture Nominees List
The Academy announced ten films competing for the coveted Best Picture award, presented by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. The nominees are:
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Acting Categories and New Casting Recognition
The Supporting Actress category features strong contenders including Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilieaas from Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan from Weapons, Wunmi Mosaku from Sinners, and Teyana Taylor from One Battle After Another.
In the Supporting Actor race, nominees include Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro for One Battle After Another, Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value, and Delroy Lindo for Sinners.
This year marks a significant milestone with the introduction of a new category for Casting, which has contributed to the nomination totals for both Sinners and One Battle After Another. Other nominees in this groundbreaking category include Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and The Secret Agent.
Musical Recognition and Ceremony Details
Sinners continues its dominance in the musical categories with a nomination for Original Song for "I Lied To You." Other notable nominees in this category include:
- "Golden" from Kpop Demon Hunters
- "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams
- "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless
- "Sweet Dreams Of Joy" from Viva Verdi!
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The event will be broadcast live on ABC and Hulu, with Conan O'Brien returning as host. Looking ahead, YouTube has secured an exclusive streaming deal that will commence in 2029, marking another evolution in how audiences experience the prestigious awards show.
