The horror film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, made Oscar history with 16 nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, to be presented on March 15. The previous record of 14 nominations was held by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land. The haul was notable because horror films are often excluded from Oscar honors.
Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers who confront supernatural forces in the Jim Crow-era southern US. The film is regarded as a frontrunner for best picture and also received nominations including best director, best screenplay, best lead actor and best original song.
Ten films were nominated for best picture from a field of 201 contenders. Alongside Sinners, the best picture nominees include One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent and Train Dreams. Sentimental Value, a family drama, recently swept the European Film Awards.
One Battle After Another placed second in total nominations with 13 nods, including best director for Paul Thomas Anderson and multiple acting nominations; the film has already won a Golden Globe for best movie.
Best director nominees are Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Chloe Zhao (Hamnet), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme) and Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value).
Best actor nominees include Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan and Wagner Moura. Best actress nominees are Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Renate Reinsve and Emma Stone.
A new category, best casting—the first Oscars category added in 25 years—recognizes casting directors; five films were nominated in that category, including Sinners.
The animated musical hit KPop Demon Hunters received nominations for best animated film and best original song for “Golden.” Released on Netflix and credited with breaking the platform’s viewing record, it qualified for the Oscars via a limited sing-along theatrical release.
International feature finalists include films from Brazil (The Secret Agent), France (It Was Just an Accident), Norway (Sentimental Value), Spain (Sirat) and Tunisia (The Voice of Hind Rajab). Germany’s entry, Sound of Falling, did not make the final.
The full list of nominations is available on the Oscars website.
The Academy Awards, voted on by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, have struggled with declining viewership as streaming platforms grow. Netflix is reportedly pursuing an acquisition of Warner Brothers, the studio behind both One Battle After Another and Sinners.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O’Brien. The show will continue to be broadcast on television through 2029, after which it is set to stream exclusively on YouTube.
Edited by: Maren Sass
