2026 Oscars: ‘One Battle After Another’ leads with 6 wins as ‘Sinners’ shines

The 98th edition of the Academy Awards took place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre, celebrating the best films released in 2025.

The ceremony was hosted for the second straight year by comedian and television personality Conan O’Brien and ran for nearly four hours. It aired on ABC and was also streamed on Hulu.

The evening featured a garden courtyard–inspired stage design, musical performances including “I Lied To You” from Sinners, and a special tribute by legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand to veteran actor Robert Redford. Organisers also maintained heightened security around the venue due to reported external threats.

‘One Battle After Another’ Emerges Biggest Winner

The night was largely dominated by two films — One Battle After Another and Sinners — both produced by Warner Bros. and considered strong contenders throughout the awards season.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner of the night, taking home six Academy Awards, including the coveted Best Picture prize.

The political thriller stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former radical caught in a tense manhunt. Anderson also secured Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, marking his first Oscar wins after years of nominations.

‘Sinners’ Scores Key Victories

Meanwhile, Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, claimed four Oscars, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.

Jordan was honoured for his dual performance as twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore in the supernatural drama.

Despite entering the ceremony with 16 nominations — the highest ever recorded for a single film at the Oscars — the movie ended the night with fewer awards than many had predicted.

Still, the production made history in other areas. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners, and also the first woman of colour nominated in the category.

Historic and Memorable Moments

The ceremony also introduced Best Casting, the first new competitive Oscar category in more than two decades, which went to One Battle After Another.

Another highlight came when veteran actress Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, returning to the Oscars after a 40-year gap between acting nominations — the longest in Academy history.

Other films that made a strong showing included Frankenstein, which dominated several technical categories, while the animated film KPop Demon Hunters secured two awards.

*FULL LIST OF 2026 OSCARS WINNERS*

*Best Picture*

One Battle After Another (winner)
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams

*Best Director*

Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another (winner)
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler – Sinners

*Best Actor*

Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (winner)
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent

*Best Actress*

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet (winner)
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia

*Best Supporting Actor*

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another (winner)
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

*Best Supporting Actress*

Amy Madigan – Weapons (winner)
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

*Best Original Screenplay*

Sinners – Ryan Coogler (winner)
Blue Moon
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value

*Best Adapted Screenplay*

One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson (winner)
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Train Dreams

*Best Animated Feature*

KPop Demon Hunters (winner)
Arco
Elio
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

*Best International Feature*

Sentimental Value (Norway) (winner)
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
It Was Just an Accident (France)
Sirāt (Spain)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)

*Best Documentary Feature*

Mr. Nobody Against Putin (winner)
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
The Perfect Neighbor

*Best Cinematography*

Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw (winner)
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Train Dreams

*Best Original Score*

Sinners – Ludwig Göransson (winner)
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another

*Best Original Song*

“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (winner)
“Dear Me” (Diane Warren: Relentless)
“I Lied To You” (Sinners)
“Sweet Dreams of Joy” (Viva Verdi!)
“Train Dreams” (Train Dreams)

*Best Film Editing*

One Battle After Another – Andy Jurgensen (winner)
F1
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners

*Best Production Design*

Frankenstein (winner)
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners

*Best Costume Design*

Frankenstein – Kate Hawley (winner)
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners

*Best Makeup and Hairstyling*

Frankenstein (winner)
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister

*Best Sound*

F1 (winner)
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt

*Best Visual Effects*

Avatar: Fire and Ash (winner)
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners

*Best Casting*

One Battle After Another – Cassandra Kulukundis (winner)
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
The Secret Agent
Sinners

*Best Documentary Short*

All the Empty Rooms (winner)
Armed Only with a Camera…
Children No More…
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness

*Best Animated Short*

The Girl Who Cried Pearls (winner)
Butterfly
Forevergreen
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters

*Best Live Action Short (tie)*

The Singers (winner)
Two People Exchanging Saliva (winner)
Butcher’s Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama