When the Academy revealed the nominations for the 98th Oscars, few expected a horror film to dominate the morning. Yet by the time the final names were read aloud, one title had clearly stolen the spotlight: Sinners.
Ryan Coogler’s dark Southern epic did more than impress critics — it made history.
Announced during the early-morning ceremony at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, the nominations unfolded before a small but energized audience. As the list grew longer, the reaction inside the room shifted from curiosity to disbelief. Each new category brought louder applause, and it soon became clear that Sinners was not just another contender — it was the defining film of this Oscar season.
By the end of the announcement, the vampire-themed drama had collected an astonishing 16 nominations, setting a brand-new record for the most nods ever earned by a single movie in Academy Awards history. The previous benchmark, shared by classics such as Titanic, All About Eve, and La La Land, stood at 14. Coogler’s film didn’t just surpass it — it shattered it.
A Rare Triumph for the Horror Genre
Horror has long struggled for recognition at the Oscars, often confined to technical categories. Sinners changed that narrative overnight.
The film secured a place among the Best Picture nominees and appeared across nearly every major branch of the Academy, including directing, acting, writing, music, sound, and visual design. It was also among the first films recognized in the Academy’s newly introduced Best Casting category, marking a milestone moment for the industry.
Michael B. Jordan’s lead performance emerged as one of the ceremony’s most celebrated mentions, earning a Best Actor nomination that drew some of the loudest reactions of the morning. Veteran actor Delroy Lindo delivered one of the day’s biggest surprises with his first-ever Oscar nomination for Supporting Actor — a moment widely viewed as long overdue.
In the supporting categories, Wunmi Mosaku also entered the race, receiving her first Academy recognition for a performance that critics have described as one of the film’s emotional anchors.
From Box Office Hit to Awards Powerhouse
Released in spring 2025, Sinners quickly proved it was more than a genre experiment. The original story — not based on any franchise or novel — went on to earn nearly $370 million worldwide, becoming one of the year’s most successful non-sequel releases.
Since then, the film has built unstoppable momentum throughout awards season, earning major nominations from the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Critics Choice. By Oscar morning, many insiders expected strong results — but few predicted a record-breaking sweep.
The success also signals a broader shift in how the Academy views genre cinema, with Sinners now standing as one of the most recognized films in Oscar history.
A Highly Competitive Oscar Year Ahead
While Sinners dominated the headlines, the 2026 Oscars remain fiercely competitive. Other heavily nominated films include Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, along with performances from Timothée Chalamet and Emma Stone that are already fueling intense debates among awards watchers.
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Comedian Conan O’Brien returns as host for a second consecutive year, with the ceremony set to air live on ABC and stream on Hulu.
One thing is already certain: regardless of who wins, this will be remembered as the year a horror film rewrote Oscar history.
Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. - © Warner Bros.