Upcoming 2026 Oscars: Potential Nominees, Examination, and Premature Prognostications
The 2026 Academy Awards are shaping up to be a highly anticipated event, with a diverse and exciting slate of potential contenders vying for top honours.
Leading the pack is Ryan Coogler's vampiric horror movie, Sinners, which has become a phenomenon with a $100 million budget. The film, expected to receive nominations for Best Picture, screenplay, and several below-the-line categories, has already made an impressive $48 million in its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, and benefited from a strong word-of-mouth reception, resulting in a $45.7 million haul in its second weekend. Coogler is also expected to be in the running for Best Director.
Another potential nominee for Best Director is Paul Thomas Anderson, who is the focus of an "it's time" campaign due to his lack of Oscar wins. A24's film, Marty Supreme, has a budget of $70 million, making it the most expensive film in A24's history. If Marty Supreme is successful, A24 plans to make more movies with bigger budgets.
Joining Coogler and Anderson in the Best Director race are Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), Jon Chu (Wicked for Good), Luca Guadagnino (After the Hunt), and Kathryn Bigelow (A House of Dynamite). Other projected contenders for Best Picture include Avatar: Fire and Ash, Bugonia, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Sentimental Value, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, and Wicked: For Good.
The landscape remains highly speculative, with predictions based largely on festival buzz and early reviews since many films have not yet been widely released. These early lists will be refined as more movies premiere later this year and during the fall festival season.
In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Wagner Moura, and Jeremy Allen White are potential nominees for Best Actor. Adam Sandler is a candidate for an "it's time" campaign due to his lack of Oscar nominations. Delroy Lindo and Adam Sandler are potential nominees for Best Supporting Actor.
In the Best Actress category, Rose Byrne, Jessie Buckley, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Lawrence, and Renate Reinsve are potential nominees. Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, Ariana Grande, and Wunmi Mosaku are potential nominees for Best Supporting Actress.
Many of the projected contenders for the 2026 Oscars will screen at major festivals like Telluride, Venice, Toronto, and New York. These festivals have a proven track record of launching successful Oscar campaigns, and this year's lineup promises to be no exception.
As the race for the 2026 Oscars heats up, one thing is certain: the competition will be fierce, and the results are sure to be unpredictable. The 2026 Oscars will take place on March 26.
Movies and television are thriving sources of excitement and anticipation as the 2026 Academy Awards approach, with a myriad of potential nominees vying for recognition in various categories. For instance, Ryan Coogler's blockbuster, Sinners, has already made an impact with its impressive box office performance and strong buzz.
