The 98th Academy Award nominations are officially in, and the record books have been rewritten. Ryan Coogler’s period vampire thriller, ‘Sinners’, has emerged as an unprecedented awards juggernaut, landing a staggering 16 nominations.
By reaching this number, the film has eclipsed the legendary 14-nomination record previously shared by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). While the addition of the new Best Casting category this year provided an extra path to the record, Sinners didn’t just edge past the finish line—it sprinted across it, securing nods in every single category for which it was eligible.
For decades, horror and “genre” films have often been sidelined at the Oscars, usually relegated to the technical categories. Sinners has effectively shattered that glass ceiling. Set in the 1932 Mississippi Delta, Coogler’s vision of the “Smokestack Twins” battling an ancient evil has resonated with every branch of the Academy.
Key Nominations for ‘Sinners’:
- Best Picture
- Best Director – Ryan Coogler (His first-ever Directing nomination)
- Best Actor – Michael B. Jordan (For his dual role as Elijah and Elias Moore)
- Best Supporting Actor – Delroy Lindo (A long-awaited first nomination for the veteran)
- Best Supporting Actress – Wunmi Mosaku
- Best Original Screenplay – Ryan Coogler
- Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
- Best Original Song – “I Lied to You”
The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air on March 15, 2026. The big question now is no longer if Sinners can win, but how many. With 16 nominations, the film is in a prime position to challenge the all-time win record of 11 trophies held by Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
