Director Paul Thomas Anderson, far right, accepts the best picture award for One Battle After Another next to, from left, Benicio del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cassandra Kulukundis, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, at the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., in early January. Reuters
Hollywood’s biggest awards race took a dramatic turn as the 98th Academy Awards nominations were unveiled, with Sinners setting a new Oscars benchmark. The film secured 16 nominations, surpassing the long-standing record held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. The milestone cements Sinners as the dominant contender heading into the March ceremony.
Sinners Leads With Historic Nominations
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners earned recognition across major categories, including best picture, directing, acting, and technical fields. Michael B. Jordan received his first Academy Award nomination, adding to the film’s sweeping presence across the ballot. Industry watchers say the breadth of nominations reflects the film’s technical ambition and critical acclaim.
Michael B. Jordan, left, and Miles Caton appear in a still from Ryan Coogler's Sinners. The film broke an Academy Awards record with 16 nominations, which were announced Thursday morning. (Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)
Strong Showing for Global and Genre-Spanning Films
One Battle After Another followed closely with 13 nominations, reinforcing its awards-season momentum after a dominant Golden Globes performance. Meanwhile, Norway’s Sentimental Value emerged as a major international contender with nine nominations, a rare feat for a non-English-language film. Alongside Brazil’s The Secret Agent, it marks the eighth consecutive year that foreign-language films have entered the best picture race.
Both One Battle After Another and Sentimental Value also earned nods in the Academy’s new category for achievement in casting, introduced for the first time in 25 years.
Best Picture Race Draws Diverse Lineup
The best picture category reflects a broad mix of genres and global cinema. The nominees include:
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
The lineup reflects the Academy’s growing embrace of international cinema, genre films, and ambitious studio projects.
Surprises and Snubs Shape the Narrative
While many nominees mirrored earlier awards-season trends, several unexpected omissions stood out. Wicked: For Good failed to secure any nominations, despite strong buzz around its stars in previous years. Anticipated acting nominees Jesse Plemons and Paul Mescal were also left out of the leading actor category.
On the blockbuster front, Apple’s F1 emerged as a strong technical and best picture contender with four nominations. James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash secured only two technical nods, falling short of expectations.
Acting Races Heat Up
The acting categories delivered both familiar faces and notable surprises. Jessie Buckley is widely seen as the front-runner for best actress for Hamnet, after winning major precursor awards. Timothée Chalamet earned a best actor nomination for Marty Supreme and is locked in a tight race with Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another.
Kate Hudson scored a surprise leading actress nomination for Song Sung Blue, while Delroy Lindo landed a supporting actor nod for Sinners, replacing an expected nominee.
Timothée Chalamet in a scene from Marty Supreme. Chalamet is up for best actor at the Academy Awards, a category he won at the Golden Globes. (AP Photo)
Warner Bros., Streaming Giants, and Industry Stakes
The nominations also highlighted Warner Bros.’ strong year, with Sinners and One Battle After Another dominating the ballot. The studio’s future remains uncertain amid a looming Netflix acquisition and a competing takeover bid from Paramount Skydance. Analysts suggest the outcome could reshape Hollywood’s power structure, as streaming platforms continue to expand their influence.
Canadian Talent in the Spotlight
Canadian filmmakers and artists earned multiple nominations across categories. Domee Shi and Maggie Kang received nods in the animated feature category for Elio and KPop Demon Hunters, respectively. The latter also earned a best song nomination for its track “Golden.”
Montreal-based creators Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski were nominated for animated short film with The Girl Who Cried Pearls, while Alison McAlpine received recognition for documentary short Perfectly a Strangeness. Canadian teams also contributed to the production design and makeup categories for Frankenstein.
Stellan Skarsgård, left, appears in a still from Sentimental Value. The performer is up for a supporting actor nomination. (TIFF)
Oscars Ceremony Ahead
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with Conan O’Brien set to host. As the race intensifies, Sinners enters as the film to beat, while several contenders aim to disrupt its historic run.
