Oscars 2026: 'Sinners' Breaks Record with 16 Nominations
With ten days to go until the 98th Academy Awards on March 15th, Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' has made history with a record-breaking 16 nominations, while Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' is a strong contender with 13.
Hollywood Gears Up for Historic Night
Ten days remain until one of the year's most-watched cultural events. The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026, at the legendary Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Comedian Conan O'Brien will host the ceremony for the second time, and the live broadcast will air on ABC and Hulu. This year's edition will go down in history – not for one, but for two exceptional films that dominate the nominations.
'Sinners': 16 Nominations, a Record Decades in the Making
The most remarkable achievement of this year's season is Sinners, a supernatural horror film set in the Mississippi Delta of 1932. Directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), it stars Michael B. Jordan in the dual role of identical brothers. The film combines blues music folklore with vampire horror and explores the legacy of music that grew out of slavery and Jim Crow.
The film has grossed nearly $370 million worldwide, and critics have hailed it as one of the boldest American films of recent years. But above all: Sinners has received a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations. This surpasses the historical maximum of 14 nominations, previously jointly held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). According to Variety, this is a groundbreaking milestone in the Academy's history.
It is nominated in all key categories – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay. If Ryan Coogler triumphs, he would become the first African-American filmmaker to win the Oscar for Best Director – another historic aspect that adds extraordinary weight to the ceremony.
'One Battle After Another': A Strong Challenger
The second strongest contender of the evening is One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, The Master), which garnered 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Anderson, one of the most respected American auteurs, has never won an Oscar for directing – which adds to his appeal among Academy members.
The film is also notable for its cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro, and Sean Penn are all vying for awards. Composer Jonny Greenwood is also nominated for his original score. According to tipsters and betting companies, this film is currently the favorite in the Best Picture category.
Final Voting Concluded, Mystery Remains
Voting by Academy members took place from February 26 to March 5, 2026 – so the results are sealed and their announcement will have to wait until the night of March 14-15 (Central European Time). According to Variety's predictions, Sinners leads in the number of expected awards, ahead of Frankenstein and the other nominees.
In addition to the two favorites, other films are also vying for attention: Hamnet, Sentimental Value, and Marty Supreme. Interestingly, the blockbuster Wicked: For Good, the sequel to the commercially successful musical adaptation, was not nominated in any category.
What Film Buffs Expect
This year's Oscars are particularly attractive for several reasons: the historic record of nominations, the battle of two cinematic giants (Coogler vs. Anderson), the possibility of the first African-American winner in directing, and the return of Conan O'Brien, whose hosting last year received positive feedback. For Slovak viewers, Sinners is available on selected platforms, and interest in the film in Slovakia has grown in parallel with the growth of its festival awards.
