At a Glance
- Sinners earns record 16 nominations, the most ever.
- Warner Bros faces a $72 billion sale to Netflix amid Oscar buzz.
- 10 films compete for best picture, with “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” leading the pack.
Why it matters: The Oscars not only honor film excellence but also spotlight the biggest corporate shift in Hollywood, as Warner Bros prepares to change hands.
The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, delivered a night of historic nominations and corporate headlines. “Sinners,” a vampire-driven drama set in the Jim Crow era, topped the field with a record 16 nominations, surpassing the previous high of 14 held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.” The film also carried its creator, Ryan Coogler, as a nominee for best director and best screenplay, and star Michael B. Jordan earned his first Oscar nod for best actor.
Record-Breaking Nominations
Coogler’s film broke the all-time nomination record, a milestone that underscores the Academy’s growing willingness to honor genre-heavy storytelling. In the same night, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” a father-daughter revolutionary saga, followed closely with 13 nominations. The film’s ensemble included Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn, while newcomer Chase Infiniti was omitted from the best actress category.
Nomination Breakdown
| Film | Nominations |
|---|---|
| Sinners | 16 |
| One Battle After Another | 13 |
| Marty Supreme | 9 |
| Sentimental Value | 9 |
| Frankenstein | 9 |
| Bugonia | 9 |
| F1 | 4 |
| Hamnet | 9 |
| The Secret Agent | 9 |
| Train Dreams | 9 |
Warner Bros Sale in the Spotlight
Both “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” are Warner Bros titles. The studio’s nomination haul comes as it sits at the center of a contentious sale to Netflix, valued at $72 billion. Paramount Skydance has challenged the deal, turning Hollywood into a battleground for the largest realignment in film history. The Oscars’ spotlight on Warner Bros’ films adds pressure on the studio’s leadership to deliver a blockbuster lineup that could justify the hefty price tag.
Best Picture Contenders
The 10 films nominated for best picture span a wide range of genres and origins. The list is:
| Film |
|---|
| Bugonia |
| F1 |
| Frankenstein |
| Hamnet |
| Marty Supreme |
| One Battle After Another |
| The Secret Agent |
| Sentimental Value |
| Sinners |
| Train Dreams |
While “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” lead the nominations, the field remains diverse, with international titles like “Sentimental Value” and “It Was Just an Accident” adding depth to the competition.
New Casting Category and International Focus
This year the Academy introduced a new category for casting, a move that benefited both “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another.” The addition reflects the industry’s recognition of the critical role that casting decisions play in a film’s success.
The Academy’s expanded overseas membership has also intensified its focus on international cinema. Every category featured at least one non-English-language nominee, and for the eighth consecutive year a foreign-language film was nominated for best picture. “Sentimental Value,” a Norwegian family drama, dominated the supporting actor categories with nods for Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilieaas, and Elle Fanning. Other international nominees included the Iranian film “It Was Just an Accident,” the Tunisian entry “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” and the Brazilian thriller “The Secret Agent.”
Other Notable Nominations
Beyond the headline-grabbing titles, several other films and performances captured attention:
- Marty Supreme earned a nomination for best actor with Timothée Chalamet, a favorite who narrowly missed winning last year.
- KPop Demon Hunters, the most-watched movie of the year with over half a billion Netflix views, received nominations for best song (“Golden”) and best animated feature.
- Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” was shut out entirely, while “Avatar: Fire and Ash” earned nods for costume design and visual effects but missed best picture.
- “F1,” an Apple production, secured four nominations and was the biggest box-office hit to receive a best picture nod.
Oscar Night Details
The ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 15 and will be televised live on ABC and Hulu. The event marks the return of Conan O’Brien as host. While YouTube’s new deal to exclusively air the Oscars will not take effect until 2029, the current broadcast partners remain ABC and Hulu.
The night’s outcomes will not only decide who takes home the coveted statuette but will also influence the future of Hollywood’s corporate landscape. With Warner Bros on the brink of a monumental sale, the awards will serve as a barometer for the studio’s value and the broader industry’s direction.
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Key Takeaways
- “Sinners” sets a new record with 16 nominations.
- Warner Bros’ sale to Netflix for $72 billion is under intense scrutiny.
- The Oscars highlight a shift toward international cinema and new categories like casting.
- The ceremony’s outcome could shape the future of Hollywood’s biggest studios.
