Director Paul Thomas Anderson and cast of One Battle After Another celebrate as they accept the Oscar for best picture.

The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, concluded a closely watched and highly competitive awards season. Several films entered the ceremony with legitimate chances to win Best Picture. 

Anticipation remained high heading into the night, with the results ultimately reflecting both expected and unexpected outcomes. The ceremony itself balanced celebration with tension, as major categories remained uncertain until late in the broadcast, and multiple narratives developed both on stage and off.

Leading the field were One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. Sinners arrived with the most nominations and consistent recognition across acting and technical categories, while One Battle After Another gained momentum in directing, writing, and industry support. 

Other key nominees included Hamnet, which earned attention through its performances and emotional storytelling rooted in loss and family. Frankenstein, which was recognized for its technical craftsmanship, elaborate design, and visual ambition. Then, Marty Supreme, which won zero awards and remained in the spotlight largely due to its lead actor and the conversation surrounding him rather than its overall awards strength.

Much of the pre-ceremony discussion centered on Timothée Chalamet’s performance in Marty Supreme. Beyond the nomination itself, Chalamet became a main point of controversy during awards season after comments he made in interviews about ballet and opera. The remarks were widely debated, drawing criticism from some artists and audiences, while others dismissed them as misinterpreted or exaggerated. 

The topic followed him into the ceremony, where jokes referencing his comments surfaced, ultimately reinforcing the attention around his public image, rather than just his performance. This dynamic highlighted how awards campaigns increasingly extend beyond the work itself into broader cultural conversations.

When the awards were announced, One Battle After Another emerged as the night’s dominant film. It won Best Picture, along with Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, confirming its status as the Academy’s top choice. 

The film also secured Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Film Editing, and Best Production Design, finishing the evening with six total Oscars. Its success reflected strong support across multiple branches of the Academy, particularly in storytelling, direction, and overall production execution, positioning it as a defining film of the year.

Sinners remained one of the most successful films of the night despite falling short in the top category. Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his performance, a role that had been widely discussed throughout the season and ultimately prevailed over a competitive group of nominees, including Chalamet. 

Ryan Coogler earned Best Original Screenplay, while the film also took home Best Cinematography and Best Original Score, demonstrating strength across both creative and technical areas. Sinners made history with 16 nominations, placing it among the most nominated films in Academy history and reinforcing its position as one of the year’s most significant cinematic achievements.

In the Best Actress category, Jessie Buckley won for Hamnet, delivering a performance that had consistently been regarded as one of the strongest of the year. Her portrayal, centered on grief, resilience, and emotional depth, resonated strongly with both critics and Academy voters. Her win aligned closely with expectations built during the season and contributed to the film’s overall recognition, further establishing her as one of the leading performers of her generation.

In the best supporting actress category, Amy Madigan won for Weapons, giving a pleasant surprise for viewers. Madigan, a veteran performer with a long and respected career, had not been widely predicted to win, making her victory one of the more unexpected moments of the night. Her performance was noted for its subtlety and emotional precision, with her win being met with a strong reaction from both the audience and viewers at home. 

The category itself had been considered competitive with several potential winners. This made the outcome stand out even more as an example of the Academy favoring performance impact over awards season momentum.

Technical and craft categories were spread across multiple films, highlighting the breadth of the industry’s work. Frankenstein earned multiple awards in categories including Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects, reflecting its emphasis on design, atmosphere, and visual storytelling. 

Other films also received recognition in areas such as sound, set design, and editing, ensuring that a wide range of productions were acknowledged. This distribution reflected a year in which multiple productions achieved recognition, rather than a single film sweeping every category, reinforcing the overall competitiveness of the field.

By the conclusion of the ceremony, One Battle After Another had established itself as the night’s most awarded film. However, the broader narrative extended beyond a single winner. The competition between One Battle After Another and Sinners, the strong performances across acting categories, and the ongoing discussion surrounding Chalamet’s nomination and public reception all contributed to a ceremony defined as much by conversation as by the results. 

Industry reactions following the ceremony continued to focus on both the wins themselves and the paths films took to reach that stage.

In the end, the 2026 Oscars underscored both the unpredictability of awards season and the range of films and performances recognized by the Academy. The ceremony reflected a year in film that balanced large-scale productions with character-driven storytelling, as well as technical innovation with performance-focused narratives. 

While One Battle After Another emerged as the defining winner, the night as a whole demonstrated the diversity and complexity of contemporary cinema and ensured that the conversation surrounding this awards season will continue well beyond the ceremony itself.