The 98th Academy Awards nominations were revealed on Thursday morning, with the film “Sinners” making history at the Oscars. Garnering a remarkable 16 nominations, it surpassed the previous record held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.” The recognition was attributed to Ryan Coogler’s exceptional writing and direction, as well as Michael B. Jordan’s outstanding performance, earning nominations across various categories such as directing, acting (marking Jordan’s debut Oscar nomination), and best picture.
Additionally, “One Battle After Another” and the Norwegian movie “Sentimental Value” had a strong presence in this year’s nominations. “Sentimental Value” received nine nominations, a notable achievement for a non-English language film. For the eighth consecutive year, foreign language films like “One Battle” and “Sentimental Value” are competing for the best picture award, with both also vying for the Oscars’ newly introduced category after 25 years: achievement in casting.
The initial nominations recognized Elle Fanning (“Sentimental Value”), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (“Sentimental Value”), Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), Wunmi Mosaku (“Sinners”), and Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”) for the best performance by an actress in a supporting role.
The event culminated with the announcement of the best picture nominees, which included “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners,” and “Train Dreams.”
While the nominations generally aligned with expectations from earlier awards shows, there were some surprises. Notably, “Wicked: For Good” received no nominations this year after its stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were recognized the previous year. Additionally, Delroy Lindo from “Sinners” received a supporting actor nomination instead of the anticipated nominee Miles Caton. Caton, who won the Critics Choice award for best young performer, will be contending at the upcoming 2026 Actor Awards.
Jesse Plemons (“Bugonia”) and Paul Mescal (“Hamnet”) were anticipated to secure best actor nominations but didn’t make the cut. Notable blockbusters from the year missed out on nominations, while Apple’s “F1” emerged as a potential contender with four nominations, including a best picture nod. On the other hand, James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” only received two nominations, both in technical categories.
“One Battle After Another” came close to setting another Oscars’ record with four acting nominations, falling just one short of the required five nominations since 1976’s “Network.” Kate Hudson secured a nomination for best actress in a leading role for “Song Sung Blue,” surprising many by taking the spot that was expected for Chase Infiniti from “One Battle After Another.”
Following closely behind were “Hamnet” and “Marty Supreme” with eight and nine nominations, respectively. Jessie Buckley from “Hamnet” is the front-runner for winning best actress, having already claimed the honor at the Critics Choice and Golden Globes awards.
Timothée Chalamet, the lead in “Marty Supreme,” contended for best actor, a category he won at the Golden Globes, facing stiff competition from Leonardo DiCaprio for “One Battle.” Chalamet was a strong contender last year for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” though he lost out to Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist.”
With 13 nominations, “One Battle After Another” stood as the second-highest nominated film this year, following its successful run at the Golden Globes. The film was a top favorite going into the awards ceremony and, alongside “Sinners,” contributed to a remarkable performance for Warner Bros.
In other news, Canadian filmmakers have a good chance of winning awards, as Domee Shi and Maggie Kang, directors of “Elio” and “KPop Demon Hunters” respectively, were nominated for best animated feature. “KPop Demon Hunters,” in particular, seems poised for success, competing against France’s critically acclaimed “Arco” in the category.
Moreover, Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski from Montreal received a nomination for best animated short film for “The Girl Who Cried Pearls.” Quebec-based filmmaker Alison McAlpine’s “Perfectly a Strangeness” is in the running for the best documentary short film.
The teams behind “Frankenstein” from Canada secured nominations for makeup and hairstyling, sound, and production design. The Guillermo del Toro Netflix film was also nominated for best picture.
The 98th Academy Awards are set to occur on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with Conan O’Brien hosting the event.