LOS ANGELES — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled its nominations for the 98th Oscars on Thursday, with Ryan Coogler’s vampire period horror “Sinners” achieving unprecedented recognition by securing 16 nominations—breaking the longstanding record of 14 jointly held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.”
Set in the segregated US South of the 1930s, the blues-infused supernatural drama earned nominations across nearly every eligible category, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan—who portrays twins combating both supernatural forces and racism—and recognition for its screenplay, original score, and production design. Notably, “Sinners” also received a nomination in the newly introduced Best Casting category, the first addition to the Oscars in over two decades.
In second place was Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which garnered 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. However, the film’s female lead, 25-year-old newcomer Chase Infiniti, was unexpectedly overlooked by voters.
Both top-contending films are Warner Bros. productions, the studio currently embroiled in a bidding war between Netflix and Paramount.
Other notable contenders include Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” and Timothée Chalamet’s ping-pong drama “Marty Supreme,” along with the Norwegian arthouse favorite “Sentimental Value,” each receiving nine nominations. “Hamnet,” a period drama depicting William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes coping with the loss of their son in plague-stricken England, earned eight nominations, including a Best Actress nod for Jessie Buckley, though co-star Paul Mescal was omitted.
The expanded international voting body of the Academy influenced this year’s selections, with both “Sentimental Value” and the Brazilian political thriller “The Secret Agent” earning Best Picture nominations. However, the Persian-language Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just An Accident” did not make the cut for the top category and will compete in Best International Feature instead.
During the nomination announcement, Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor addressed the growing influence of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that “the heartbeat of film is and will always remain unmistakably human.”
The 98th Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15.