Oscars 2026
List

Notes on the 2026 Oscars

Best Picture

A strong set of 10 nominees overall, with F1 being the biggest surprise of the batch, zooming past superior bubble picks like It Was Just An Accident and No Other Choice. The Black horror smash Sinners leads the pack with an astonishing 16 nominations, the most for any film in Academy Award history. Warner Bros. is very likely to come away happy, as their Sinners and One Battle After Another are the frontrunners to take the top prize. Both are outstanding movies, exceedingly accomplished technically and bursting with impassioned ingenuity. One Battle After Another, my favorite release last year, would be my personal pick but it also seems the more likely of the two to win Best Picture at this point. But beyond just being a great movie, Sinners was a box office hit and achieved near-unanimous praise from critics and audiences alike, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes top honors.

My Prediction: One Battle After Another
My Vote: One Battle After Another
Overlooked: No Other Choice

Best Director

As is typically the case, the Best Director category is more of a sure thing, since it doesn’t adhere to the same ranked choice voting as Best Picture does. Paul Thomas Anderson has made several masterpieces in his career and has earned the respect of his peers over the past 30 years. More specific to One Battle After Another, he knocked it out of the park with a budget 4-5 times what he typically gets for his projects. He’s also been nominated for Best Director on 3 prior occasions, so winning for his 10th feature could be considered overdue but certainly better late than never. As someone who was underwhelmed by Hamnet, I would’ve loved to instead see a nod for Mona Fastvold here, even if it had been The Testament Of Ann Lee‘s only nomination.

My Prediction: Paul Thomas Anderson
My Vote: Paul Thomas Anderson
Overlooked: Mona Fastvold – The Testament Of Ann Lee

Best Actor

To the delight of some and torment of others, it’s Timmy time. At 30 years old, Timothée Chalamet has already accrued 3 acting Oscar nominations and he’s the favorite to win Best Actor for his persona-mirroring work as the titular Marty Supreme. The guy’s an egomaniac but like Robert Pattinson and Adam Sandler in Safdie outings Good Time and Uncut Gems, respectively, Chalamet puts in career-best work as a reprobate with no shortage of self-confidence. I’d also be happy with Leonardo DiCaprio (he’s won before but I prefer this performance) or especially Michael B. Jordan winning too. I’m ashamed to admit a good portion of The Secret Agent went over my head but regardless, I would’ve liked to have seen Josh O’Connor over Wagner Moura in this group for his anchoring role in the latest Knives Out mystery.

My Prediction: Timothée Chalamet
My Vote: Michael B. Jordan
Overlooked: Josh O’Connor – Wake Up Dead Man

Best Actress

As much as Jessie Buckley has risen to prominence over the past 5 years or so, I’m actually surprised she’s only been nominated for an Academy Award one other time for 2021’s The Lost Daughter. Again, Hamnet wasn’t quite my cup of tea but it’s bolstered by Buckley’s tremendously committed work as Agnes Shakespeare and she’ll likely take home the statue as a result. If she doesn’t, I’d love to see Rose Byrne up there for my favorite performance of last year as a harried psychotherapist on the edge of a breakdown in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Kate Hudson was probably my favorite aspect of the curious biopic Song Sung Blue but her nomination here over Amanda Seyfried or Chase Infiniti is a head-scratcher. I’m not sure why the latter was so set on campaigning for Best Actress when Infiniti has about 30 minutes of screen time in One Battle.

My Prediction: Jessie Buckley
My Vote: Rose Byrne
Overlooked: Amanda Seyfried – The Testament Of Ann Lee

Best Supporting Actor

My Prediction: Stellan Skarsgård
My Vote: Sean Penn
Overlooked: Andrew Scott – Blue Moon

Best Supporting Actress

My Prediction: Teyana Taylor
My Vote: Teyana Taylor
Overlooked: Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another

Mostly expected (but no less deserving) selections here, with Delroy Lindo being the most pleasant surprise; he should’ve been nominated (and probably won) 5 years ago for Da 5 Bloods. Stellan Skarsgård found a career-cultivating role as an aging director in Sentimental Value, and he seems to be the frontrunner for Supporting Actor, but I’d love to instead see Sean Penn take home his third Oscar for his glowering gonzo work as Col. Lockjaw. One Battle After Another should have a better shot in the Supporting Actress category, with Teyana Taylor’s fiery and unforgettable performance being the most likely to win there. Amy Madigan, whose first Oscar nomination was 40 years ago for Twice In A Lifetime, would be a fun upset pick for her portrayal as one of 2025’s most memorable villains.

Best Original Screenplay

My Prediction: Sinners
My Vote: It Was Just An Accident
Overlooked: Splitsville

Best Adapted Screenplay

My Prediction: One Battle After Another
My Vote: One Battle After Another
Overlooked: Superman

Best Animated Feature Film

My Prediction: KPop Demon Hunters
My Vote: KPop Demon Hunters
Overlooked: Scarlet

Best International Feature Film

My Prediction: Sentimental Value
My Vote: It Was Just An Accident
Overlooked: No Other Choice

Best Documentary – Feature

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

My Prediction: The Perfect Neighbor
My Vote: The Perfect Neighbor
Overlooked: Predators

Best Documentary – Short Subject

  • 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

My Prediction: Armed Only With A Camera: The Life And Death Of Brent Renaud
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —

Best Live Action Short Film

  • Butcher’s Stain
  • A Friend Of Dorothy
  • Jane Austen’s Period Drama
  • The Singers
  • Two People Exchanging Saliva

My Prediction: Two People Exchanging Saliva
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —

Best Animated Short Film

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

My Prediction: Butterfly
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —

Best Original Score

My Prediction: Sinners
My Vote: Sinners
Overlooked: Marty Supreme

Best Original Song

  • “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless
  • “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
  • “I Lied to You” from Sinners
  • “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from Viva Verdi!
  • “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams

My Prediction: “Golden”
My Vote: “Golden”
Overlooked: “My Sweet Beth” from The Naked Gun

Best Sound

My Prediction: F1
My Vote: Sinners
Overlooked:  Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

Best Casting

My Prediction: Sinners
My Vote: Marty Supreme
Overlooked: The Phoenician Scheme

Best Cinematography

My Prediction: Sinners
My Vote: One Battle After Another
Overlooked: Weapons

Best Costume Design

My Prediction: Frankenstein
My Vote: Frankenstein
Overlooked: Hedda

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

My Prediction: Frankenstein
My Vote: Frankenstein
Overlooked: If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Best Film Editing

My Prediction: One Battle After Another
My Vote: One Battle After Another
Overlooked: A House Of Dynamite

Best Production Design

My Prediction: Frankenstein
My Vote: Frankenstein
Overlooked: Eternity

Best Visual Effects

My Prediction: Avatar: Fire and Ash
My Vote: Sinners
Overlooked: Mickey 17

Enjoy the show!