AceShowbiz - 2026 Academy Awards season is officially underway as the major contenders for this year’s ceremony begin to emerge, following a busy months-long journey through film festivals and awards shows. The path to the Oscars started last fall with premieres at the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto film festivals, setting the stage for early favorites to stand out.

January’s Golden Globes spotlighted several frontrunners, including Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Hamnet, with these films gaining momentum as potential Oscar winners. The competition further intensified in February with the Critics Choice Awards, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs, which have helped clarify the leading contenders as the Academy Awards approach.

The 2026 Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Fans and industry insiders alike are eagerly anticipating the announcement of the nominations, which will be streamed live on January 22 at 5:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. ET.

Many industry experts predict that the Best Picture race will likely be dominated by either Sinners or One Battle After Another, with the latter having already secured the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. However, it’s important to note that Golden Globe wins don’t always guarantee Oscar victories.

While the Golden Globes often highlight the films and performances that will perform well at the Oscars, the correlation is not absolute. Historically, many actors, directors, and films with numerous nominations or wins during the awards season do go on to claim Academy Awards, but surprises remain common.

For instance, the previous awards season saw unexpected outcomes, such as when Mikey Madison, star of Anora, won the Oscar for Best Actress over Demi Moore, despite Moore’s Golden Globe win for her role in The Substance. Both actresses showed mutual respect publicly during the awards season, with Mikey Madison describing her Oscar win as “very surreal” during her acceptance speech.

“I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me, so to be here, standing in this room today is really incredible,” said Mikey Madison. “I also just want to recognize the thoughtful, intelligent, beautiful, breathtaking work of my fellow nominees. I'm honored to be recognized alongside all of you. This is a dream come true.”

Below is the full list of nominees for the 2026 Academy Awards across all major categories:

Best Picture

Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams

Best Director

Chloe Zhao, Hamnet
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Actor in a Leading Role

Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

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

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 Skarsgard, Sentimental Value

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

Adapted Screenplay

Bugonia, Will Tracy
Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet, Chloé Zhao & Maggie O'Farrell
One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson
Train Dreams, Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

Original Screenplay

Blue Moon, Robert Kaplow
It Was Just an Accident, Jafar Panahi & Script Collaborators
Marty Supreme, Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt
Sinners, Ryan Coogler

Animated Short Film

Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters

Costume Design

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners

Achievement in Casting

Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners

Live Action Short Film

Butcher's Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen's Period Drama
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva

Makeup and Hairstyling

Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister

Original Score

Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners

Animated Feature Film, Cinematography, and Documentary Feature Film categories include:

The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor

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

Film Editing

F1, Stephen Mirrione
Marty Supreme, Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
One Battle After Another, Andy Jurgensen
Sentimental Value, Olivier Bugge Coutté
Sinners, Michael Shawver

International Feature Film nominees include:

Brazil - The Secret Agent
France - It Was Just an Accident
Norway - Sentimental Value
Spain - Sirât
Tunisia - The Voice of Hind Rajab

Original Song and Production Design nominations are as follows:

Frankenstein, Tamara Deverell
Hamnet, Fiona Crombie
Marty Supreme, Jack Fisk
One Battle After Another, Florencia Martin
Sinners, Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Monique Champagne

Sound

F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirât
Train Dreams

Visual Effects

Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners

As the awards season progresses, these nominations highlight the most acclaimed films, performances, and creative achievements in cinema for 2026. The excitement continues to build as Hollywood prepares to celebrate outstanding contributions to film at the Oscars ceremony this March.