One Battle After Another helmer Paul Thomas Anderson has picked up the gong for Best Director at the Oscars 2026, taking home his first-ever Academy Award.
"I'm here because of people's faith in me," he said during his acceptance speech after being presented with the award by Dune 3, The Odyssey and The Drama co-stars Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. "This is a wonderful gift, and I'm so happy to call the movies home."
The other nominees in the directing category were Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value, and Chloé Zhao for Hamnet.
Anderson has been nominated for 14 Oscars over the course of his 20-year career, including three previous Best Director nods (for There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, and Licorice Pizza), but this is his first win.
So far tonight, One Battle After Another has won four awards: Best Casting, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, who played Colonel Lockjaw. It's up for 13 awards in total this evening.
The film has been a massive hit with critics and audiences alike. GamesRadar+ gave the movie five stars in our One Battle After Another review, with our reviewer writing, "Paul Thomas Anderson's bravura comic satire is a serious film of the year contender, and one of the best studio movies in years. An instant classic."
For more on this year's Academy Awards, check out our Oscars 2026 live blog for all the big updates as they happen.
