Sinners Makes Oscars History with Record-Breaking 16 Nominations
In a stunning turn of events, the 2026 Oscars nominations have been dominated by a single groundbreaking film. Sinners, Ryan Coogler's inventive vampire horror period piece, has shattered Academy Awards history by securing an unprecedented 16 nominations. This remarkable achievement eclipses the previous record of 14 nominations, a benchmark jointly held by cinematic classics All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
A Genre-Defining Film Earns Widespread Acclaim
Released in April 2025 to widespread critical acclaim, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers Smoke and Stack. The narrative follows their return home in an attempt to leave a troubled past behind, only to encounter an even greater evil. The Independent's critic Clarisse Loughrey hailed the genre-mashing thriller as deserving to be a global sensation in her four-star review, a prediction that has undeniably come to fruition.
The film's nominations span all major categories, demonstrating its exceptional quality across the board:
- Best Picture
- Best Director for Ryan Coogler
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Lead Actor for Michael B. Jordan, marking his first Oscar nomination
- Best Supporting Actor for British actor Delroy Lindo
- Best Supporting Actress for British-Nigerian actor Wunmi Mosaku
Beyond these top-tier categories, Sinners will also compete in numerous technical and craft awards, including Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and the newly introduced competitive award for Best Casting.
A Competitive Field with Notable Contenders
While Sinners leads the pack, several other films have earned significant recognition in this year's nominations. Paul Thomas Anderson's caper One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, secured an impressive 13 nominations. Other notable contenders include:
- Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation with 9 nominations
- Joachim Trier's family drama Sentimental Value with 9 nominations
- Josh Safdie's ping pong drama Marty Supreme with 9 nominations
- Chloé Zhao's Shakespearean drama Hamnet with 8 nominations, including one for Irish actor Jessie Buckley as Agnes Hathaway
Hamnet, an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning novel about William Shakespeare's family life, features Jessie Buckley in a role that has already earned her a Golden Globe and Critics' Choice award, positioning her as a frontrunner in her category.
Surprises and Divergences from Award Season Trends
One of the morning's biggest surprises was the inclusion of Brad Pitt's Formula One blockbuster in the Best Picture category, defying some expectations. Furthermore, this year's Oscar nominations notably diverged from the selections at the 2026 Golden Globes, traditionally viewed as a bellwether for Academy Awards success.
While the Golden Globes recognized films such as Jon M. Chu's Wicked: For Good, the Mark Kerr biopic The Smashing Machine, and Park Chan-wook's South Korean comedy thriller No Other Choice, the Oscars shut out these contenders entirely. Instead, the Academy favored a narrower, more focused slate of films, with Sinners standing as the undeniable centrepiece.
Looking Ahead to the 98th Academy Awards
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, 16 March, promising an evening of celebration and potential history-making moments. Late-night television favourite Conan O'Brien will return to host the event, which will be broadcast live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. All eyes will be on Sinners to see if its record-breaking nomination count translates into a historic haul of Oscar statuettes.
