History broke this morning in Hollywood. The 98th Academy Awards nominations arrived with a thunderous announcement that completely reshaped the record books. Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller Sinners emerged as the undisputed titan of the year. It secured a staggering 16 nominations and shattered the long standing ceiling held by cinema legends.
The announcement signaled a massive shift in industry trends. New talent surged forward in the acting categories while international cinema cemented its place in the main competition. Global audiences and industry insiders alike are reeling from a ballot that balanced massive blockbuster power with intimate, world spanning storytelling.
A New Benchmark for Blockbuster Cinema
The headline story belongs entirely to Warner Bros. and their massive hit Sinners. The film landed 16 nominations. This is the most nominations received by a single film in Academy history. For decades, the magic number was 14. That record was shared by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. Coogler’s vampire thriller set in the Jim Crow South did not just match that record. It cleared it.
This achievement marks a significant moment for genre films. Horror and supernatural thrillers have historically struggled to gain traction in above the line categories. Sinners broke that curse with force. It picked up nods for Best Picture and Best Director along with a slew of craft recognitions.
Warner Bros. has plenty to celebrate beyond just the raw numbers. They landed three Best Picture nominees in a single year. This flex flatters their strategic narrative against streaming giants like Netflix. The studio successfully positioned theatrical experiences as the dominant force in this awards cycle.
The sheer volume of support for Sinners suggests a broad consensus across all branches of the Academy.
Voters clearly responded to the film’s mix of high stakes tension and deep historical subtext. It is rare for a film to sweep technical categories like Sound and Visual Effects while also dominating the acting and directing conversation. This 16 nomination haul puts the film in the driver’s seat heading into the ceremony.
Ryan Coogler Sinners movie Oscar record breaking nominations list
Fresh Faces and Long awaited Returns
The acting fields delivered a massive wave of new blood. Eleven performers woke up this morning as first time Oscar nominees. The list includes rising stars and veteran character actors who finally broke through.
The roster of first time nominees includes:
- Rose Byrne
- Jacob Elordi
- Elle Fanning
- Michael B. Jordan
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
- Delroy Lindo
- Wunmi Mosaku
- Wagner Moura
- Renate Reinsve
- Stellan Skarsgård
- Teyana Taylor
This influx suggests voters are looking beyond the usual suspects. They are rewarding fresh energy and breakout turns. However, the Academy did not completely abandon its favorites. Previous winners like Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro returned to the fold.
One statistic stands out as particularly strange. Timothée Chalamet is the only acting nominee this year who was also nominated last year. This highlights just how much turnover occurred in the acting branch over the last 12 months.
The most emotional narrative of the morning belongs to Amy Madigan. She secured a supporting nomination for Zach Cregger’s Weapons. This comes exactly 40 years after her first nomination for Twice in a Lifetime in 1985. The Academy confirmed this is the third longest gap between acting nominations in history. It sits just behind Judd Hirsch and Henry Fonda. It is a testament to longevity and the ability to find the right role at any stage of a career.
Global Cinema and Directing Milestones
International representation is no longer a side story at the Oscars. It is the main event. A record breaking four non English language performances were nominated this year. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Wagner Moura, Renate Reinsve, and Stellan Skarsgård proved that language barriers have fully dissolved for voters. This surpasses the previous record of three set back in 1976.
The Best Picture race reflects this global perspective. The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value both made the cut. They became the 12th and 13th films to be nominated for both International Feature Film and Best Picture in the same year. This marks the eighth consecutive year that at least one non English language film competes for the top prize.
The directing category also saw a major historical correction.
Chloé Zhao returned to the race with Hamnet. Her nomination makes her only the second woman in history to receive multiple directing nominations. She joins Jane Campion in this exclusive club. The Best Picture field further emphasized this shift. This is the seventh year in a row that a woman has directed at least one Best Picture nominee.
Steven Spielberg continues to build his own unreachable legacy. He received his 14th Best Picture nomination as a producer. This extends his record for an individual producer. His ability to remain relevant and prolific across decades remains unmatched in the industry.
Casting Finally Takes the Spotlight
This year marks a structural turning point for the Academy. The 98th Oscars introduces the Achievement in Casting category. This is the first new competitive category added since Best Animated Feature Film debuted in 2001.
Casting directors have lobbied for this recognition for decades. Their work is the foundation of every film. The inaugural nominees reflect the crucial role casting plays in ensemble chemistry and discovery. It changes the way we view the “complete” film. A movie cannot work without the right people in the right roles.
The inclusion of this award also reshapes the ceremony itself. It adds another layer of suspense to the night. Industry analysts expect this category to overlap significantly with the Best Picture winner. It is hard to imagine a Best Picture contender that does not also have world class casting.
The technical branches also made history today. The sound team for Sirāt became the first all female team nominated for a sound award. Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas, and Yasmina Praderas broke a glass ceiling that has existed since the inception of the awards.
In the visual effects category, Charmaine Chan became only the sixth woman ever nominated. Across the board, a record 74 women were nominated this year. This data point proves that diversification efforts within the Academy are yielding tangible results on the ballot.
The race is now set. Sinners has the numbers. But the Academy has a history of spreading the wealth on the big night. We have weeks of campaigning ahead. The narratives will shift and evolve. But right now, the number 16 is the only thing Hollywood is talking about.
What are your thoughts on Sinners breaking the all time record? Do you think the new Casting category is a good addition? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you are discussing the snub list on social media, use the hashtag #OscarNoms98 to join the conversation.
