Oscar History Made: ‘Sinners’ Earns Record 16 Nominations
In a historic achievement, the film ‘Sinners’ has created a new record at the Academy Awards by earning 16 Oscar nominations. This is the highest number of nominations ever received by a single film in the 98-year history of the Oscars.
The 2026 Oscar nominations, announced on January 22, confirmed Sinners as the most-nominated film of the year. Earlier, the record was shared by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016), each with 14 nominations.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners is a musical thriller set in 1930s Mississippi. The film explores racial discrimination through a fictional story inspired by Dracula. Michael B. Jordan plays dual roles and has been nominated in major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
The film also made history in individual achievements. Ruth E. Carter, the costume designer, became the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history, earning her fifth nomination. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became only the fourth woman ever nominated in the Best Cinematography category.
After Sinners, One Battle After Another received 13 nominations, while Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, and Frankenstein earned nine nominations each.
In acting categories, Timothée Chalamet, Jessie Buckley, and Wagner Moura emerged as strong contenders. Moura also made history as the first Brazilian actor nominated for Best Actor.
The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15 in Los Angeles.
‘Sinners’ Oscar-Nominated Categories
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Ryan Coogler
- Best Actor - Michael B. Jordan
- Best Supporting Actor - Delroy Lindo
- Best Supporting Actress - Hailee Steinfeld
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Cinematography - Autumn Durald Arkapaw
- Best Film Editing
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design - Ruth E. Carter
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Original Score - Ludwig Goransson
- Best Original Song
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Actor (Dual Role)
