Sinners Breaks Oscar Record; Michael B. Jordan Among Nominees
Ryan Coogler's Sinners received 16 nominations, a record for a single film; winners will be announced March 15, 2026.
Overview
Ryan Coogler's Sinners led the 98th Academy Awards nominations with 16 nods, the most ever for a single film, the Academy's nominations list shows.
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another followed with 13 nominations, positioning it as the nearest rival for top awards, according to the Academy list released Thursday.
Film critic Ali Plumb said in a radio interview that Sinners is "more than just a horror," praising its crossover appeal to voters.
The Academy's nominees list places Michael B. Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Ethan Hawke and Wagner Moura in the Best Actor category and lists Jessie Buckley as a leading Best Actress contender, records show.
The Academy will announce winners at a ceremony on March 15, 2026, and industry analysts said studios including Warner Bros. are likely to highlight nominations in upcoming marketing and distribution plans.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the Oscar roundup as celebratory and consumer-oriented, using evaluative descriptors (e.g., "lush vampire tale," "vibrantly filmed," "performances are excellent") and emphasizing star power, availability and positive reviews. Source selection and organization prioritize marquee performances and viewing options while largely omitting critical debates or industry controversy.
Sources (9)
FAQ
Sinners is a 2025 horror film set in 1932 Mississippi Delta, where twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) return home to open a juke joint, only to face vampires drawn by musician Sammie's transcendent performance.
Michael B. Jordan is nominated for Best Actor for his dual role as Smoke and Stack; other Best Actor nominees include Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, and Wagner Moura, with Jessie Buckley in Best Actress.
Sinners received 16 Oscar nominations, the most ever for a single film, surpassing previous records.
The film explores community strength, economic oppression under sharecropping, dangers of cultural appropriation, critique of Christianity as control, and the power of Black art and music against evil.
The 98th Academy Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony on March 15, 2026.
History
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