Oscar season has officially begun. The Oscar 2026 nominations have been revealed, with the movies set to battle for a prestigious gold trophy announced in a live-streamed ceremony in sunny California.
This year’s crop of frontrunners looks particularly strong. Paul Thomas Anderson’s acclaimed “One Battle After Another” and fan-favorite horror-thriller “Sinners” have received the most nods. But they’ll face competition from the likes of “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sentimental Value,” and Netflix’s “Train Dreams.” And several major A-list stars feature in the quartet of acting categories, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Emma Stone, Jessie Buckley and Rose Byrne.
Don’t worry if you missed the live broadcast. I’ve compiled the full nomination list below, and I'm bringing you live updates as Hollywood reactions to this year's class for the 98th Academy Awards.
(Re)watch the Oscar 2026 nominations
Hosted by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman, the Oscar 2026 nominations were revealed in a swanky ceremony streamed live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in California. If you missed the event and would rather watch it back than read the nominations below, you can use the above link.
LIVE: LATEST UPDATES
Welcome to the Oscar 2026 nominations LIVE!
Hello! Good morning, welcome to our live coverage of the Oscar 2026 nominations. I'm Rory, a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom's Guide, and I'll be guiding you through the next several hours of Oscar goodness, offering the latest updates, a few predictions of my own, and, of course, full coverage as the noms are revealed.
Oscar nominations day is one of the biggest events in the Hollywood calendar, and there's plenty to talk about, so let's get discussing all things Academy Awards now...
When are the Oscar nominations confirmed?
Let's discuss the most important information first: when are the Oscar 2026 nominations going to be announced? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will reveal the Oscar 2026 nominations today (Thursday, January 22) at 8:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. GMT live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles, California. The countdown has begun, let's talk the movie likely to appear later today.
'One Battle After Another' is expected to dominate
If there's one movie that I'm expecting to hear mentioned a lot today it's "One Battle After Another." Paul Thomas Anderson's action-thriller epic was showered with praise upon its release last September, and I expect The Academy will follow suit.
It's the current frontrunner for Best Picture, and it's nomination in the cat is pretty much a certainty. It's also odds-on favorite for Best Director, star Leonardo DiCaprio should scoop a Best Actor nod, alongside co-stars Chase Infiniti (in Best Actress), Teyana Taylor (in Best Supporting Actress), then Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn are likely to both appear in Best Supporting Actor. The flick is also likely to get a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, and appear across the technical categories as well.
In fact, there have been rumblings it could match, or even, exceed the most nominations by a single movie in Oscar history. That total is currently 14, an honor shared by "Titanic," "La La Land" and "All About Eve." Could "One Battle" get 15?
It could be a heavenly day for 'Sinners'
Another movie that is expected to walk away today with a whole bunch of Oscar nominations is "Sinners." Ryan Coogler's vampire epic was a rare movie last year that captured the attention of both professional critics and the general audience.
"Sinners" is a shoo-in for a Best Picture nom, and Coogler will almost certainly appear in the Best Director field. Michael B. Jordon should get a look in the Best Actor category for his dual-role as twin brothers, Smoke and Stack. And "Sinners" also looks good for a Best Original Screenplay nomination. And that's before we talk about it's strong likelihood of a nomination in categories like Casting, Production Design and Cinematography. I expect it's total Oscar nominations to be in the low double digits.
'Hamnet' has at least one Oscar seemingly sewn up
Chloé Zhao, who is no stranger to the Oscars having won Best Picture and Best Director for her movie "Nomadland" back in 2021, is likely to have a great day. Her latest movie "Hamnet," a period drama that focuses on playwright William Shakespeare and his wife as they struggle with the death of their son, has been tipped for inclusion across several major categories including Picture and Director.
However, it's most important nod will come in Best Actress. Jessie Buckley is a complete lock for a nomination, and she's very likely win. Buckley plays Shakespeare's wife Agnes Hathaway, and her acclaimed performance has already seen her scoop a clutch of awards including a Golden Globe and Critics Choice. She's an overwhelming favorite, and at this stage is considered pretty much a lock to win the Oscar as well.
Netflix has two potential Oscar players this year
Much has been made of Netflix's quest to win a Best Picture Oscar. That's a feat that rival streamer Apple TV managed in 2022 with it's movie "CODA" (though, hot take, I'm not sure that win has aged particularly graceful), but to date, the world's biggest streaming service has never managed to earn the top prize despite having received a slew of nominations, and several wins in multiple other categories over the years.
Will 2025 be the year that changes, and Netflix scores the coveted Best Picture statue? Don't count on it. However, the big red streaming service is likely to have a couple of chances with both "Frankenstein" and "Train Dreams" in the running for a nomination. However, should either get into the competitive BP field, they are not predicted to be among the favorites. Netflix might have to settle for just the noms.
Netflix's best chance of scoring an actual win in March appears to be via Jacob Elordi in the Best Supporting Actor category. Elordi is tipped for a nomination for his role as the monster in "Frankenstein," and the field seems particularly open this year. It helps that many critics declared Elordi's performance the best part of the gothic drama.
Is it finally Timmy's time to shine?
"Marty Supreme" is another movie likely to do well in today's Oscar nominations. While director Josh Safdie is not being widely tipped for a Best Director nod, the sports drama is still on track for recognition in the Best Picture category. However, when it comes to "Marty Supreme", all the focus is on its star, Timothée Chalamet.
Chalamet has been twice nominated for Best Actor, for "Call Me By Your Name" and "A Complete Unknown," and has made no secret of his personal goal to win an Oscar. His leading role as the eponymous Marty Mauser is very likely to deliver his third nomination, but could the popular actor go a step further this time and win?
He's probably got his strongest chance to date, but could face some stiff competition from Leonardo DiCaprio (for "One Battle After Another"), Ethan Hawke (for "Blue Moon") and we can't forget Michael B. Jordon (for "Sinners") either. Of course there would be something very fitting about Chalamet finally getting his Oscar for a movie where he plays a driven dreamer that aspires to the very best in his field.
When are the 98th Academy Awards?
Let's not forget that today is just the starting gun when it comes to the 98th Academy Awards. The grand ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Conan O'Brien is set to return as host, and per tradition, it'll be the most star-studded event in the Hollywood calendar. Last year was the first time the Academy Awards were also broadcast on a streaming service (Hulu) and that will continue this year.
Interestingly, last month, it was confirmed that from 2029 the Oscars will broadcast exclusively on YouTube. This switch will come after five-decades on ABC, and the Academy will be hoping it'll be the spark to get Oscar interest back to its peak.
'Wicked's' magic may have run dry
"Wicked" put quite the spell on Oscar voters last year, scooping 10 nominations (including Best Picture), and winning two, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. It's sequel, "Wicked: For Good" was initially being tipped for similar success.
Unfortunately, this is one emerald-green train that appears to have been derailed. The lackluster critical reception, and underwhelming box office return of "Wicked's" second act last November put a dent in its campaign, and that momentum has only ebbed away further in recent weeks. At present, it looks like a real outsider for noms.
Ariana Grande, who was once seen as the Best Supporting Actress favorite before being overtaken in the odds by Teyana Taylor (for "One Battle After Another") and Amy Madigan (for "Weapons"), is still likely to pick up her second Oscar nomination for the role of Glinda the Good, but "Wicked: For Good's" chance of even getting a nod in Best Picture, let alone a win, appear to be all but over. Oz has clearly lost its magic.
'Jay Kelly' is another Oscar hopeful that could miss out
Traditionally, the Academy loves recognizing movies that are about making movies. So, on the surface, "Jay Kelly," a Noah Baumbach comedy-drama starring George Clooney as a melancholic actor, looked a surefire better to be a major Oscar player.
However, the flick, which was released globally by Netflix, never managed to get the wind in its sails, and it's awards season has largely stalled out. Clooney isn't even in the Best Actor conversation, and co-star Adam Sandler looks a long shot in Best Supporting Actor. "Jay Kelly" could surface in Best Original Screenplay, but even that is no sure thing. Frankly, at this stage in the game, it might be completely shutout.
These are the major international players at Oscars 2026
2026 is shaping up to be a particularly competitive year when it comes to international movies. The Oscars have been recognizing foreign-language movies increasingly often in recent years, with "Parasite" becoming the first film not in the English language to win Best Picture back in 2020. And I'm very pleased about that.
This year's slate of potential players in Best International Feature Film is a real embarrassment of riches. You've got "Sentimental Value" "The Secret Agent" and "It Was Just an Accident" as the frontrunners, with "Sirât," "No Other Choice" and "The Voice of Hind Rajab" also looking for a spot in the nominations list.
Don't expect these acclaimed flicks to be relegated solely to the international category either. "Sentimental Value" looks a strong bet for a Best Picture nod, with Stellan Skarsgård a near lock for a Best Supporting Actor slot. Meanwhile, "The Secret Agent's" Wagner Moura may well appear in Best Actor, and "It Was Just an Accident" filmmaker Jafar Panahi could appear in Best Director, much deserved as the movie was shot without permits from the Iranian government due to its political message.
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' is expected to flame out at Oscars 2026
The 2026 Oscars could be a little lacking in 12-feet tall blue-skinned aliens. "Avatar: Fire and Ash" might be ruling the box office, having recently ticked over $1.3 billion, but unlike it's two predecessors, it's Oscar outlooks are looking pretty darn remote.
2009's "Avatar" managed 10 noms and three wins (it was even considered a Best Picture contender, but ultimately lost to "The Hurt Locker"), and long-awaited sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water" was also in the mix, scoring four noms (including Best Picture), with a win for Best Visual Effects. However, it likely won't be third time lucky.
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" is almost certainly going to get a Visual Effects nomination, and it'll be the clear favorite to win in that category, but unless I'm reading the tea leaves very wrong, it'll be the first "Avatar" movie to miss out on a Best Picture nomination. I guess James Cameron will just have to settle for his latest "Avatar" flick making eye-watering amounts of money instead! It's certainly not a bad consolation prize.
'F1' could be in contention for Best Picture — but I wouldn't put it in pole position
I’ll be taking over from Rory for the next hour or so to keep the Oscar buzz going in the run-up to today’s nominations, and one of the first movies that leapt out to me that we’d not looked at in detail is Brad Pitt’s blockbuster sports drama “F1” (or “F1: The Movie”, to be precise).
There have been rumblings about it potentially bagging a slot in the Best Picture category, and I can see why. Variety’s got it on their Best Picture predictions list, it’s in contention for the Producer Guild of America’s top award, and it’s been predicted for a number of the Academy’s technical categories (Sound, Visual Effects, e.g.).
Aside from the score (which I’d hope would get a nod today), I didn’t personally love it all that much, but I wouldn’t be surprised if “F1” did creep into Best Picture territory, but I highly doubt it'd go the distance and steal a win from the likes of “Sinners” or "One Battle After Another." — Martin Shore
Meet the hosts revealing today's nominations
If you weren’t already aware, today’s Oscar nominations will be revealed by Lewis Pullman and Danielle Brooks.
If you’re still following along with the MCU, you’ll likely recognize Pullman as Bob/Sentry (seen above) from last year’s “Thunderbolts*” movie (my favorite of Marvel’s 2025 outings), and he’s also been seen in “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Lessons in Chemistry” in recent years.
On the flipside, we’ve got Danielle Brooks, who stars alongside John Cena in HBO Max’s “Peacemaker” series as Leota Adebayo, and “Orange is the New Black” fans will know her as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson. In 2024, Brooks earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance as Sofia in Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple,” though Da’Vine Joy Randolph scored the win for “The Holdovers.” — MS
Let's talk about 'Bugonia'
Here’s another contender we’re yet to mention: “Bugonia” Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi/dark thriller/black comedy has been posited for several categories across the net, including Best Picture, and I think it definitely deserves to be in the mix (though I honestly don’t know whether it’ll bag any wins).
I’m very much on the “Jessie Buckley is surely going to win Best Actress for “Hamnet'” train, but I’d be keen for the Academy to show some love for Stone’s ice-cold corporate queen. Similarly, while I’m confident that Chalamet is going to bag his Oscar for “Marty Supreme,” I’d love to see Jesse Plemons score a Best Actor nod today, too. — MS
30 mins to go!
Not long to wait, now! We’ll be getting to see which movies and moviemakers will be in the running for the 2026 Oscars imminently, as today’s nominations will be announced in a little under 30 minutes, at the time of posting. As a reminder, there's a multitude of ways to watch (see above), but I'll be hopping over to the Academy's YouTube channel to tune in live.
I’ll now be bowing out and handing control back over to Rory, but I'll remain glued to my laptop screen to see if any of my Oscar hopes and dreams come true. — MS
My 'Weapons' Oscar wish (that probably won't come true)
Hey all, Rory here, I'm back to guide you through the Oscar 2026 nominations now that we're less than 30 minutes away from finding out which movies will make the cut and which will fall short. One such movie I don't expect to enjoy all that much love is "Weapons," and I'm pretty gutted about that fact.
For a significant portion of 2025, "Weapons" ranked as my favorite movie of the year, and I'd love to see it properly recognized with a Best Picture nomination. Sadly, that's a wish that appears outlandish at best. The Academy has never been great at nominating horror, and while that is slowly changing (see "The Substances" last year and the widely expected success of "Sinners" today), based on all the evidence we have, "Weapons" doesn't appear to have any real shot at BP.
However, Amy Madigan is looking like a strong favorite to scoop a Best Supporting Actress nomination, and that would be richly deserved. So, at the very least, there should be some "Weapons" love in the room today. I just want there to be more!
10 mins to go!
It's time to get ready, the Oscar nominations live stream is up, and the countdown has begun. In just 10 mins time, our hosts will take to the stage and start confirming which movies are going to be competing for an Academy Award this year. Fear not if you can't watch along live, as I've been bringing you updates live...
It's showtime, the Oscar nominations 2026 begin now!
The time for predictions and speculation is over, the Oscar 2026 Nominations begin right now. Watchalong via the link in this introduction above, and stick around as I'll be posting the latest updates right here. Let's see who's nominated...
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
- Amy Madigan, Weapons
- Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
- Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Frankenstein
- Kokuho
- Sinners
- The Smashing Machine
- The Ugly Stepsister
Best Original Score
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
Best Live Action Short Film
- Butcher's Stain
- A Friend of Dorothy
- Jane Austen's Period Drama
- The Singers
- Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Animated Short Film
- Butterfly
- Forevergreen
- The Girl Who Cried Pearls
- Retirement Plan
- The Three Sisters
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- One Battle After Another
- Train Dreams
Best Original Screenplay
- Blue Moon
- It Was Just An Accident
- Marty Supreme
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Delroy Lindo, Sinners
- Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
- Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Take a breath, it's time for a break!
Okay, that was intense with nominations revealed thick and fast, but after the first major round of nominations, the live broadcast is taking a quick break to reset. I'll have more thoughts to share when I have had time to reflect, but my instant take is that Delroy Lindo for "Sinners" wasn't on my list, but is a welcome surprise!
Best Casting
- Hament
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sinners
Best Costume Design
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- Sinners
Best Original Song
- Dear Me from Dian Warren: Relentless
- Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters
- I Lied to You from Sinners
- Sweet Dreams of Joy from Viva Verdi!
- Train Dream from Train Dreams
Best Documentary Feature Film
- The Alabama Solution
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cutting Through Rocks
- Mr. Nobody Against Putin
- The Perfect Neighbor
Best Documentary Short Film
- All the Empty Rooms
- Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
- Children No More: Were and Are Gone
- The Devil is Busy
- Perfectly a Strangeness
Best International Feature Film
- The Secret Agent
- It Was Just an Accident
- Sentimental Value
- Sirat
- The Voice of Hind Rajab
Best Animated Feature Film
- Arco
- Elio
- Kpop Demon Hunters
- Little Amelie or the Character of Rain
- Zootopia 2
Best Production Design
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
Best Film Editing
- F1
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
Best Sound Design
- F1
- Frankenstein
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
- Sirat
Best Visual Effects
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
- F1
- Jurassic World Rebirth
- The Lost Bus
- Sinners
Best Cinematography
- Frankenstein
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordon, Sinners
- Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
- Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
- Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
- Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone, Bugonia
Best Director
- Chloe Zhao, Hamnet
- Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier
- Sinners, Ryan Coogler
Best Picture
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
And those are the Oscar nomination for 2026!
And my fingers can relax after 30 mins of furiously quick typing! The broadcast comes to an end, and we now have our nominations for the 98th Academy Awards!
Have your say in our Oscar 2026 Best Picture poll!
10 biggest Oscar snubs and surprises, according to the Tom's Guide team
The dust is still settling on today's Oscar nominations, and the entire Tom's Guide streaming team has been debating the biggest snubs (Paul Mescal missed out??) and also the nods that truly surprised us. You can read our 10 biggest Oscar nominations 2026 snubs and surprises for our instant reactions to today's news.
