The 2026 Academy Awards nominations have sparked a fiery backlash from devoted fans of the musical adaptation Wicked: For Good, who are incensed that Brad Pitt's racing drama F1 has been recognised with four Oscar nods, including the prestigious Best Picture category, while their beloved film was entirely overlooked.
Oscar Snub Ignites Social Media Fury
Upon the announcement of the nominations on Thursday morning, fans took to social media platform X to vent their disbelief and anger. One enraged supporter compared the situation to the 'apocalypse', while another exclaimed, 'How the F**K does F1 get nominated and Wicked: For Good does not!?' The sentiment was echoed widely, with tweets such as 'It's wild that they nominated F1 for best picture instead of Wicked: For Good' and 'F1 but no wicked? Are we serious?' highlighting the depth of the disappointment.
Wicked's Awards Success Elsewhere
Adding to the frustration is the fact that Wicked: For Good, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, has received accolades from other major awards bodies. The film garnered nominations at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, among others, making its absence from the Oscar list all the more glaring. Notably, Ariana Grande was snubbed in the Actress in a Supporting Role category, despite being nominated last year for the first film in the franchise, and Cynthia Erivo missed out on a Best Actress nomination.
Historic Nominations for Sinners
In contrast, the horror film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, made Academy Awards history by earning a record 16 nominations, including Best Picture. The Best Picture field is rounded out by titles such as Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Train Dreams.
Key Category Highlights and Snubs
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley is a favourite for Actress in a Leading Role for Hamnet, facing competition from Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Renate Reinsve, and Emma Stone. The Supporting Actress nominees include Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Amy Madigan, Wunmi Mosaku, and Teyana Taylor, with Grande's omission noted as a significant snub. Similarly, Paul Mescal, Adam Sandler, and Jesse Plemons were overlooked in the Supporting Actor category, which features Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Delroy Lindo, Sean Penn, and Stellan Skarsgard.
The Best Director category showcases top filmmakers like Chloé Zhao, Josh Safdie, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joachim Trier, and Ryan Coogler. A new award for Best Casting was introduced this year, with nominees including Nina Gold, Jennifer Venditti, Cassandra Kulukundis, Gabriel Domingues, and Francine Maisler.
Other Notable Nominations
In the technical and creative fields, F1 received nominations for Editing, Sound, and Visual Effects, further fuelling the debate among fans. Frankenstein and Sinners also featured prominently across categories like Cinematography, Production Design, and Original Score. The Best Animated Feature Film nods went to Arco, Elio, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amelie Or the Character Of Rain, and Zootopia 2, while international films such as The Secret Agent from Brazil received recognition.
As the controversy unfolds, representatives for Brad Pitt, who stars in and produces F1, have been contacted for comment by The Daily Mail, though no response has been reported yet. The outrage underscores the passionate divide between fans of blockbuster musicals and those celebrating cinematic achievements in other genres, setting the stage for a highly debated awards season.
