98th Academy Award Nominations Announced: ‘Sinners’ Sets New Record with 16 Nods

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially pulled back the curtain on the contenders for the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday, January 22, 2026. This highly anticipated announcement marks the beginning of the final chapter in the race for Hollywood’s most prestigious accolades, effectively setting the stage for the grandest night in the global film industry. As the industry gathers its momentum, the list of nominees reflects a year of diverse storytelling and technical innovation that has captured the imagination of audiences worldwide.

The presentation of the nominees was conducted by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, covering a total of 24 competitive categories. This year’s ceremony is particularly historic as it introduces the "Best Achievement in Casting" award for the very first time. Established by the Academy’s Board of Governors in February 2024, this category represents the first new addition to the Oscar lineup since the Best Animated Feature award was introduced in 2001. The selection process for this inaugural honor is overseen by the Academy’s Casting Directors Branch, which was originally formed in July 2013 and currently consists of approximately 160 industry professionals.

Leading the pack with a staggering 16 nominations is the vampire horror sensation Sinners, directed by the visionary Ryan Coogler. This impressive haul sets a new all-time record for the most nominations received by a single film, eclipsing the previous record of 14 held jointly by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest drama, One Battle After Another, followed closely with 13 nominations of its own. Other major contenders vying for the top prize of Best Picture include Marty Supreme, Bugonia, and Train Dreams, highlighting a competitive field of cinematic excellence.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is a cinematic adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland. The film features an ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro, and was filmed across various California locations between January and June 2024. Shot using the expansive VistaVision format, the production operated on a budget ranging from $130 million to $175 million and has already proven to be a commercial success, earning $206 million at the box office. Prior to its Oscar success, the film was a major player at the Golden Globes, where it converted four of its nine nominations into wins. The film’s acting strength is further evidenced by nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn in supporting roles, alongside Benicio del Toro and Teyana Taylor, who also received nods for their supporting performances.

The race for Best Actor features a formidable lineup of talent, including Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent. In the category of Best Supporting Actress, Teyana Taylor was specifically recognized for her standout work in One Battle After Another. Additionally, the international animation community celebrated the inclusion of Russian animator Konstantin Bronzit. His latest project, Three Sisters, earned a nomination for Best Animated Short Film, marking the third time in his distinguished career that he has been shortlisted for an Academy Award.

The grand finale of the awards season, the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, is slated to take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. For the second consecutive year, the Academy has confirmed that comedian Conan O'Brien will serve as the evening's host. This year’s event will also see the enforcement of a significant new rule: to be eligible for consideration, a film must have been exhibited in theaters for at least one full week. This policy was introduced as part of a broader initiative by the Academy to protect and promote the traditional theatrical distribution model in an evolving media landscape.