The race to the 2026 Academy Awards has been heating up over recent months, with major releases dominating the box office and the cultural zeitgeist alike.&nbsp;

Voters have officially received their screeners, and several contenders are positioned as likely to be nominated for the upcoming Oscar Awards.
<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/who-is-miles-caton-actor-singer-sinners-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sinners</a>&nbsp;dominated the Critics Association below-the-line shortlist, earning 13 mentions across all artisan categories, including three entries in best song: "I Lied To You," "Last Time I Seen The Sun," and "Pale Pale Moon." Close behind that is Wicked: For Good, which, contrary to what fans on socials may think, is firmly positioned to earn nominations for <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/ariana-grande-wicked-career-quitting-music-actor-roles-movies-upcoming-projects-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ariana Grande</a> and Cynthia Erivo's performances in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Leading Actress categories, respectively. Not to mention, the film is a shoo-in for the music and several technical categories, and dominated the box office upon its release.&nbsp;
This week, Park Chan-wook's&nbsp;No Other Choice&nbsp;continues to gain momentum, possibly at the expense of other international contenders such as&nbsp;It Was Just An Accident, given the Academy's historical reluctance to include more than two foreign language titles in the Best Picture category. These are two films out of four from studio Neon that make likely contenders, with The Secret Agent and Sirat making waves, not to mention&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;has a strong presence in this category and in the minds of the viewer, given their extensive campaigning on social media. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Much like the rest of the world, we at L'OFFICIEL were obsessed with Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, an adaptation that offers visibility and further context to the beloved novel. Not to mention, Mia Goth looked stunning in her multi-colored gowns, emulating a worldview beyond the character's time.&nbsp;
The top five projected Oscar nomination leaders include One Battle After Another, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/frankenstein-movie-2025-cast-plot-trailers-release-dates-jacob-elordi-oscar-isaac" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frankenstein</a>, Sinners, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/who-is-jessie-buckley-actress-career-films-husband-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hamnet</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/michelle-yeoh-interview-wicked-for-good" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wicked: For Good</a>, and Sentimental Value.
The top 5 nomination studio leaders are: Warner Bros, Netflix, Neon, Focus Features, and Universal Pictures.
As voters continue to make their selections, see which projects are likely to win big at the 2026 Academy Awards with a complete list of the leading 2026 Oscar nomination predictions.&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Picture</h2>

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<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">Avatar: Fire and Ash<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;(20th Century Studios)
Frankenstein<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;(Netflix)
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Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features)
Jay Kelly<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"> (Netflix)
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Marty Supreme&nbsp;(A24)
No Other Choice (Neon)
One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) 
Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon) 
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) 
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Director</h2>

Paul Thomas Anderson -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Park Chan-wook -&nbsp;No Other Choice&nbsp;(Neon)
Ryan Coogler -&nbsp;Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Joachim Trier -&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon)
Chlo&eacute; Zhao -&nbsp;Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Actress</h2>

Jessie Buckley -&nbsp;Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features)
Cynthia Erivo -&nbsp;Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)
Kate Hudson -&nbsp;Song Sung Blue&nbsp;(Focus Features)
Chase Infiniti -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Renate Reinsve -&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Supporting Actor</h2>

Benicio del Toro -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Jacob Elordi -&nbsp;Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix)
Paul Mescal -&nbsp;Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features)
Sean Penn -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Stellan Skarsgard -&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Supporting Actress</h2>

Elle Fanning -&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon)
Ariana Grande - Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)
Regina Hall -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas -&nbsp;Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon)
Teyana Taylor -&nbsp;One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Original Screenplay</h2>

Blue Moon&nbsp;(Sony Pictures) - Robert Kaplow
Jay Kelly&nbsp;(Netflix) - Noah Baumbauch and Emily Mortimer
Marty Supreme&nbsp;(A24) - Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value&nbsp;(Neon) - Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) - Ryan Coogler

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Adapted Screenplay</h2>

Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix) - Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Maggie O'Farrell and Chlo&eacute; Zhao
No Other Choice (Neon) - Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi and Jahyee Lee
One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) - Paul Thomas Anderson
Train Dreams&nbsp;(Netflix) - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Casting</h2>

Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Nina Gold&nbsp;
Nouvelle Vague&nbsp;(Netflix) - St&eacute;phane Batut
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Cassandra Kulukundis
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) - Francine Maisler
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures) - Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Animated Feature</h2>

Arco&nbsp;(Neon)
Elio&nbsp;(Pixar)
KPop Demon Hunters&nbsp;(Netflix)
Little Am&eacute;lie or the Character of Rain&nbsp;(GKids)
Zootopia 2&nbsp;(Walt Disney Pictures)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Production Design&nbsp;</h2>

The Fantastic Four: First Steps&nbsp;(Marvel Studios) - Kasra Farahani and Jillie Azis
Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix) - Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros) - Hannah Bleachler and Monique Champagne
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures) - Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Cinematography</h2>

Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix) - Dan Lausten
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Łukasz Żal
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros) - Michael Bauman
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros) - Arnold Durald Arkapaw
Train Dreams&nbsp;(Netflix) - Adolpho Veloso

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Costume Design</h2>

Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix) - Kate Hawley
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Malgosia Turzanska
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros) - Ruth E. Carter
The Testament of Ann Lee&nbsp;(Searchlight Pictures) - Malgortza Karpuik
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures) - Paul Tazewell

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Editing</h2>

F1&nbsp;(Apple Original Films/Warner Bros) - Stephen Mirrione
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Features) - Affonso Gon&ccedil;alves and Chlo&eacute; Zhao
Marty Supreme&nbsp;(A24) - Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros) - Andy Jurgensen
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros) - Michael P. Shawver

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Makeup and Hairstyling</h2>

Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix)
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
The Smashing Machine&nbsp;(A24)
The Ugly Stepsister&nbsp;(IFC)
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Sound</h2>

Avatar: Fire and Ash&nbsp;(20th Century Studios)
F1&nbsp;(Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.)
Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix)
One Battle After Another&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Visual Effects</h2>

Avatar: Fire and Ash&nbsp;(20th Century Studios)
F1&nbsp;(Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.)
The Fantastic Four: First Steps&nbsp;(Marvel Studios)
Superman&nbsp;(Warner Bros.)
Wicked: For Good&nbsp;(Universal Pictures)

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Original Score</h2>

Frankenstein&nbsp;(Netflix) - Alexandre Desplat
Hamnet&nbsp;(Focus Pictures) - Max Richter
Hedda&nbsp;(Amazon MGM Studios) - Hildur Gu&eth;nad&oacute;ttir
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) - Jonny Greenwood
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) - Ludwig G&ouml;ransson

Avatar: Fire and Ash&nbsp;(20th Century Studios) - "Dream As One" by Miley Cyrus, Simon Franglen, Simon Mark Ronson, and Andrew Wyatt
Diane Warren: Relentless&nbsp;(Greenwich Entertainment) - "Dear Me" by Diane Warren
KPop Demon Hunters&nbsp;(Netflix) - "Golden" by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick
Sinners&nbsp;(Warner Bros.) - "I Lied To You" by Ludwig G&ouml;ransson and Raphael Saadiq
The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures) - "Clothed by the Sun" by Daniel Blumberg

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best Documentary Feature</h2>

Come See Me in the Good Light&nbsp;(Apple Original Films) - Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Ryan White, Stef Willen
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix) - Sam Bisbeem Geeta Gandbhir and Alisa Payne
The Librarians (Independent Lense) - Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum, Janique L. Robillard, and Kim A. Snyder
The Tale of Silyan (National Geographic Documentary Films) - Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Tamara Kotevska, and Jordanco Petkovski
2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS) - Raney Aronson, Mstyslav Chernov, and Michelle Mizner

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Best International Feature</h2>

It Was Just An Accident From France (Neon) - dir. Jafar Panahi
No Other Choice&nbsp;From South Korea - dir. Park Chan-wook
The Secret Agent&nbsp;From Brazil - dir. Kleber Mendon&ccedil;a Filho
Sentimental Value&nbsp;From Norway - dir. Joachim Trier
The Voice of Hind Rajab From Tunisia - dir. Kaouther Ben Hania

See All Of The Leading Oscar Nomination Predictions For The 2026 Academy Awards

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