Oscars 2026: Major Snubs and Unexpected Nods
Academy nominations produced major snubs and surprises: franchise blanks, unexpected first-time nods, acting omissions, and recognition shifts across competing films in the 2026 Oscar race.
Overview
Wicked: For Good received zero Oscar nominations despite strong box office and prior franchise success; Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were conspicuously omitted from acting and craft categories.
Delroy Lindo earned his first-ever nomination for Sinners, a surprise inclusion that displaced other expected contenders; Paul Mescal and Jesse Plemons notably missed acting-category recognition.
Academy voters nominated Joachim Trier for best director over Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein, highlighting unexpected director choices amid multiple films receiving varied nomination totals.
International and genre omissions sparked debate: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident lacked best director and picture nods, while Demon Slayer was passed over in animation.
Performances by Kate Hudson and Amanda Seyfried secured nominations, illustrating campaign influence and a mix of veteran recognition, first-time nods, and shifting attitudes toward genre films.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Oscar results as a series of disappointments and overdue recognitions, using evaluative language and selective emphasis to dramatize snubs. They foreground surprise and injustice (e.g., "brutal limitations," "wild oversight"), elevate certain winners as corrective ("long overdue"), and omit deeper industry context or dissenting perspectives that would temper outrage.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Wicked: For Good earned $342.6 million domestically and $524.5 million worldwide, with a massive $147 million opening weekend, but Academy voters snubbed it entirely, omitting stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo from acting and craft categories, possibly due to biases against franchises or musicals.
The film follows Elphaba, exiled as the Wicked Witch of the West, fighting for Oz’s silenced Animals and exposing the Wizard's truth, while Glinda enjoys fame in Emerald City; they reunite amid a mob to change Oz for good.
Delroy Lindo received his first-ever nomination for Sinners; Kate Hudson and Amanda Seyfried were nominated; snubs include Paul Mescal, Jesse Plemons, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo.
Joachim Trier was nominated for best director over Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein; Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident missed best director and picture nods.
It opened at No.1 globally with $147 million domestic (second-highest of 2025), $76 million international, totaling over $524 million worldwide against a $150 million budget, showing strong legs and profitability.
History
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