Highlights
- Ryan Coogler’s Sinners becomes the most-nominated film in Oscar history
- The film receives 16 nominations across major categories
- The 98th Academy Awards introduce a new casting category
- Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan and Timothée Chalamet among acting nominees
Sinners breaks a long-standing Oscars record
The Oscar race took a historic turn on Thursday as Sinners emerged as the most-nominated film ever, securing 16 nominations for the 98th Academy Awards. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film surpasses the long-held record of 14 nominations previously shared by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.
While Sinners emerged as the most-nominated film in Academy history with 16 nods, India’s official entry, Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, failed to make the Academy’s shortlist despite strong festival buzz.
The nominations were announced during a live broadcast hosted by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman, covering 24 categories.
A strong showing across major categories
Sinners features prominently across the board, earning nominations for best picture, director, original screenplay, cinematography, editing, production design, sound, visual effects, score, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, casting and multiple acting categories.
Michael B. Jordan received a lead actor nomination for his dual role in the film, while Delroy Lindo earned a supporting actor nod — his first Oscar nomination — prompting widespread celebration online.
A crowded best picture race
The best picture field reflects a broad range of genres and filmmaking styles. Alongside Sinners, nominees include Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, Bugonia, Frankenstein and F1.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another enters the race with strong momentum following recent awards success, while Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, also features prominently across multiple categories.
Acting categories draw attention
Jessie Buckley secured a best actress nomination for Hamnet, while Timothée Chalamet was nominated for Marty Supreme. Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke and Wagner Moura also appear in the lead actor lineup, underscoring the competitiveness of this year’s field.
In the supporting categories, Wunmi Mosaku and Teyana Taylor earned nominations, both recognised for performances in Sinners and One Battle After Another respectively.
A new category enters the Oscars
This year marks the introduction of a competitive casting category, the first new Oscar category since best animated feature was added in 2001. Up to two casting directors per film may be recognised, with Sinners, Hamnet and One Battle After Another among the inaugural nominees.
The addition has been widely welcomed within the industry as overdue recognition for casting professionals.
Industry context looms over awards season
The nominations arrive amid wider uncertainty in Hollywood, with ongoing discussions around media consolidation and studio ownership continuing to shape awards-season conversations. Warner Bros. Discovery, which released both Sinners and One Battle After Another, enjoyed a particularly strong showing this year.
Voting for final Oscar winners will conclude ahead of the ceremony later this year.
