Sinners' 2026 Oscars Nominations Just Broke An Astonishing Record

Ryan Coogler's masterful "Sinners" was considered an exceptionally risky bet when Warner Bros. won a bidding war to make the pricey Deep South vampire tale in 2024. There were many people in Hollywood who felt the studio had overpaid, especially when they agreed to Coogler's demands for final cut, first-dollar gross, and full rights to the movie 25 years after its release. Though Coogler had strung together a series of hits with "Creed," "Black Panther," and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," those films were derived from pre-existing IP. "Sinners" was a complete original.

Warner Bros. has been richly rewarded for placing their faith in Jordan. "Sinners" grossed $368 million against a $100 million budget, and just shattered an Academy Awards record by earning 16 nominations. That's two more than "All About Eve," "Titanic," and "La La Land," which were previously tied for the record. And it's a loud and clear signal that it's now the movie to beat for Best Picture.

"Sinners" is also nominated for Best Director, Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo), Best Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku), Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound. What are the chances "Sinners" pulls off a wholly unprecedented sweep?

While "Sinners" is presently riding a tidal wave of momentum, Oscar campaigning can get awfully cutthroat. That said, Coogler, his stars, and the film itself are so darn likable that I'm not sure how you could turn a significant number of voters against them. And if you did try, it could very well strengthen the already fervent support for the movie.

"Sinners" does, however, have legitimate competition. Chloe Zhao's "Hamnet," about Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) and her husband William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) grieving the death of their young son, is a performance-driven tear jerker. In other words, it's actor catnip, and the actors branch of the Academy boasts by far the most voters. Meanwhile, Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" is a politically charged masterpiece that speaks powerfully to the catastrophic state of our nation. Furthermore, Anderson, who's never won Best Director, has been one of the top filmmakers in Hollywood since 1997's "Boogie Nights." There is a sense among many that he's "due" for a win.

It feels right now like it's "Sinners" year, but I wouldn't be shocked if "Hamnet" takes Best Picture, while Anderson finally gets his Best Director trophy. If I were placing a wager at the moment, though, I'd be all in on Coogler's invigorating, blues-soaked take on the vampire genre.