The 98th Academy Awards: A Night of Historic Contests and Records
The film industry is poised for a dramatic evening as the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, with several major categories still fiercely contested. The political thriller One Battle After Another has emerged as the leading contender for Best Picture, bolstered by a successful awards season campaign. However, it faces formidable competition from the vampire horror film Sinners, which has made history by securing a record-breaking 16 nominations, surpassing previous benchmarks set by classics like All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land.
Best Actress and Actor Races: Frontrunners and Dark Horses
In the Best Actress category, Irish actor Jessie Buckley is widely regarded as the frontrunner for her powerful performance in Hamnet, following a strong awards season. The Best Actor race, however, remains less predictable, with Michael B. Jordan and Timothée Chalamet seen as top contenders. Recent momentum has built around Jordan after his win at the Actor Awards for his role in Sinners, while earlier awards were split among performers like Wagner Moura at the Golden Globes and Robert Aramayo at the Baftas, though Aramayo's film has yet to release in the United States.
Supporting Categories: Intense Competition and Notable Wins
The supporting categories add to the evening's suspense. Sean Penn is considered a strong candidate for Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another, having already won awards at both the Baftas and Actor Awards for his portrayal of Colonel Lockjaw. The Best Supporting Actress category is particularly competitive, with Teyana Taylor winning the Golden Globe for One Battle After Another, Wunmi Mosaku receiving the Bafta for Sinners, and Amy Madigan securing wins at both the Critics' Choice and Actor Awards for Weapons.
Ceremony Highlights and Historic Achievements
Hosted by Conan O'Brien, who returns after presenting the event in 2025, the ceremony will feature award presentations by notable actors including Nicole Kidman, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Hathaway, and Chris Evans. Two nominated songs for Best Original Song, I Lied to You from Sinners and Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, will be performed live. The awards, voted on by over 11,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, recognize filmmaking achievements from the previous calendar year.
The nominees for the 98th Academy Awards were announced on January 22, 2026, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills by actress Danielle Brooks and actor Lewis Pullman. Sinners not only broke the nomination record but also set a new benchmark with ten Black individuals nominated for a single film, highlighting diversity in the industry. Additionally, its studio, Warner Bros. Pictures, earned thirty nominations, tying its own record from 2005, underscoring the studio's continued influence in cinematic excellence.
