‘Sinners’ Makes Oscars History With 16 Nominations
Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed supernatural thriller Sinners has made Academy Awards history by becoming the first film ever to score 16 Oscar nominations. The film, starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers running a blues club in 1930s Mississippi while confronting racism and vampires, has earned $368 million worldwide to date.
Sinners is nominated in major categories including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and the Academy’s newly introduced Best Casting prize.
Historic Milestones and Firsts
Ruth E. Carter’s nomination for costume design makes her the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history, with five total nominations. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw also makes history as only the fourth woman ever nominated for Best Cinematography.
Coogler shared that he first heard the full nomination tally from his father early in the morning, joking that he initially didn’t believe it until news outlets confirmed the count.
Breaking a Long-Standing Record
With 16 nods, Sinners surpasses the previous record of 14 nominations, held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). However, awards analysts caution that despite the historic milestone, Sinners may not dominate in wins on Oscars night.
Awards Season Rivals: ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Hamnet’
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another follows closely with 13 nominations and is widely considered the frontrunner for both Best Picture and Best Director. Teyana Taylor is also favored in the Best Supporting Actress category, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro earning acting nominations as well.
Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet performed strongly with eight nominations, positioning Jessie Buckley as the clear favorite for Best Actress.
A More Diverse Academy Electorate
This year’s nominations reflect a significantly more international and diverse Academy. Over 25% of Oscar voters now reside outside the U.S., and demographics have shifted from the mostly older white male body identified a decade ago. Today, at least 35% of voters are women, while at least 25% are from ethnic minorities.
Oscar Ceremony Details
Second-round Oscar voting begins on February 26, with a new requirement for voters to screen all nominees within their categories. The 2026 Academy Awards will be held on March 15, with Conan O’Brien returning as host.
