Oscar nominations are underway. ‘Sinners’ could make history

By Canadian Press on January 22, 2026.

Horror films have traditionally been left out of the Oscars, but as nominations for the 98th Academy Awards are announced Thursday, Ryan Coogler’s vampire tale “Sinners” could make history.

Nominations are being read starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern by presenters Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. Viewers can tune in live to Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the academy’s digital platforms and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

The first category read was supporting actress. The nominees are Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter LilIeaas for “Sentimental Value,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons,” Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners” and Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another.”

For supporting actor, the nominees are Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein,” Sean Penn for “One Battle After Another,” Stellan Skarsgård for “Sentimental Value,” Benicio del Toro for “One Battle After Another” and Delroy Lindo for “Sinners.”

No movie has ever landed more than 14 nominations — something achieved only by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” But “Sinners” could top that mark with a heap of nods for its lush craft, Coogler’s writing and direction, and Michael B. Jordan’s acting (it would be his first nomination).

Right with it will likely be Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which has coasted through awards season as the clear frontrunner. The father-daughter revolutionary comedy could land 14 nominations of its own, including five or even six acting nominations.

Whatever the final tally is, Warner Bros. is poised for its best Oscar showing in the 102-year-old studio’s history. Both “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” should lead Warner Bros. to a record haul even as the studio prepares for its sale to Netflix. Earlier this week, Netflix amended its $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash offer, sweetening its offer over that of Paramount Skydance.

This year, the Oscars are introducing a new category for casting. That new honor helped “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” pad their already impressive stats. Along with those two films, the nominees are “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme” and “The Secret Agent.”

Ten films will be nominated for best picture. Along with the two favorites, movies such as the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value,” the Shakespeare drama “Hamnet” and the table tennis odyssey “Marty Supreme” are expected to be in the mix.

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and will be televised live on ABC and Hulu. YouTube’s new deal to exclusively air won’t take effect until 2029. This year, Conan O’Brien will return as host.

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For more coverage of the Oscars and nominations, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards.

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press