Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Epic Sets an All-Time Nomination Record While PTA Sweeps the Top Honors
Beverly HIlls, CA – In a historic stretch for the Academy Awards, the 98th Oscars became a definitive moment for Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” which acted as the driving force of the ceremony by shattering a 98-year-old record. Entering the night with an unprecedented 16 nominations, the film surpassed the legendary 14-nod benchmark shared by Titanic, All About Eve, and La La Land. This record-breaking momentum followed the 97th Academy Awards just a year prior, which saw “Anora” dominate with five wins including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker, while “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Pérez” led the conversation with 13 nominations each.
The 2026 ceremony, however, belonged to the legacy and technical prowess of Sinners. While the film did not achieve a clean sweep, it secured four monumental victories that defined the night’s highlights. Michael B. Jordan claimed his first-ever Oscar for Best Actor, delivering a career-defining performance as twin brothers. The film also made history in the craft categories when Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to ever win Best Cinematography, a milestone that brought the room to its feet. These wins, paired with Ryan Coogler’s first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Ludwig Göransson’s third win for Best Original Score, solidified the film as a modern titan.
Despite the shadow cast by the 16 nominations for Sinners, the night’s top prize went to Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.” Anderson, who had never won an Oscar prior to this evening, took home six statues including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The race for Best Actress was won by Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, marking the first time an Irish woman has won in that category. Other significant moments included Sean Penn winning Best Supporting Actor and Amy Madigan taking Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
From the record-shattering entry of Sinners to the long-awaited coronation of Paul Thomas Anderson, the ceremony bridged two years of cinematic excellence. It connected the experimental success of 2025’s winners, like Mikey Madison and Adrien Brody, to the powerhouse studio achievements of 2026. Ultimately, the night proved that while records for nominations set the stage, the actual wins are often distributed among the masters of the craft, leaving Sinners as the statistically greatest contender in the history of Hollywood’s biggest night.