The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has officially unveiled the nominations for its highly anticipated 2026 ceremony, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive awards season. The announcement, made by presenters David Jonsson and Aimee Lou Wood at BAFTA's London headquarters on Tuesday, 27th January, revealed a strong field led by several cinematic heavyweights.
Top Contenders and Nomination Leaders
Paul Thomas Anderson's caper film, One Battle After Another, emerged as the frontrunner, securing an impressive 14 nominations across the board. Hot on its heels is Ryan Coogler's vampire drama, Sinners, which garnered 13 nods. This follows the film's record-breaking achievement at the Oscars last week, where it received 16 nominations, surpassing historic titles like All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land.
Other major players include Marty Supreme and the adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel, Hamnet, both of which collected 11 nominations each. Further recognition was given to Frankenstein with eight nominations and the biographical drama I Swear, which tells the story of Scottish man John Davidson living with severe Tourette's syndrome, receiving five.
Key Categories and Notable Nominations
Best Film and Director
The race for Best Film features a powerful lineup: HAMNET, MARTY SUPREME, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, SENTIMENTAL VALUE, and SINNERS. In the Best Director category, Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) is widely tipped as the favourite to win, facing competition from the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos (Bugonia), Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), and Ryan Coogler (Sinners).
Acting Categories
The Leading Actress category sees a mix of established and rising talent, with nominees including Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, and Emma Stone for Bugonia.
For Leading Actor, the contenders are Robert Aramayo (I Swear), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia).
Supporting roles also received significant attention, with nominations for performers such as Wunmi Mosaku in Sinners, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn in One Battle After Another, and Paul Mescal in Hamnet.
British Talent and Technical Excellence
The Outstanding British Film category highlights homegrown productions, including 28 Years Later, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Die My Love, H is for Hawk, Hamnet, I Swear, Mr Burton, Pillion, and Steve.
Technical categories showcase the artistry behind the films. Cinematography nominations feature work by Darius Khondji for Marty Supreme and Autumn Durald Arkapaw for Sinners. In Editing, notable nominees include Andy Jurgensen for One Battle After Another and Michael P. Shawver for Sinners. The Sound category recognises achievements in films like F1, Frankenstein, and Warfare.
Additional Categories and the Rising Star Award
Other noteworthy sections include Original Screenplay, with nominees like Kirk Jones for I Swear and Ryan Coogler for Sinners, and Adapted Screenplay, featuring Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell for Hamnet.
The EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, has shortlisted Robert Aramayo, Miles Caton, Chase Infiniti, Archie Madekwe, and Posy Sterling, highlighting promising new talent in the industry.
This year's BAFTA nominations reflect a diverse and dynamic landscape in film, building on last year's ceremony where Edward Berger's Conclave took the top prize. The stage is now set for the awards event, which will celebrate the very best of cinematic achievement from the past year.
