The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were dominated by Hollywood’s most endangered species — highly original, studio-made films with hefty budgets.
“Sinners,” a horror fantasia set in the 1930s and rooted in Black culture, and “One Battle After Another,” a primal scream about authoritarianism and citizen resistance, emerged as films to beat by securing nominations in most major categories, including picture, director, actor, supporting actress, supporting actor cinematography and screenplay. “Sinners,” which sold $368 million in tickets, received 16 nominations in total, more than any other film in Academy Award history.
“One Battle After Another,” which collected $206 million at the worldwide box office, received 13 nominations.
The two films were produced by Warner Bros., the studio that Netflix and Paramount Skydance are fighting each other to purchase. Studios have mostly stopped making these kinds of movies, instead pursuing spectacle-driven sequels with the potential for $500 million or more in box office returns. (In fact, the Warner Bros. executives who backed “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” Mike De Luca and Pamela Abdy, were widely expected to lose their jobs for taking those swings. Now they look shrewd.)
Hollywood has been notably close-mouthed about politics over the past year, with many liberal stars afraid to land in the cross hairs of President Trump and his followers. But the film establishment sent clear political messages by rallying around these two (extremely well-reviewed) movies to the degree it did — one an allegory about racism and cultural appropriation, and the other about rising fascism and societal division.
Before the outstandingly strong showing by “Sinners,” three movies held the record for the most Oscar nominations. “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land” each received 14.
Most of the other films that received numerous nominations on Thursday came from the opposite end of the cinematic spectrum — little-seen and low-budget specialty cinema. This group included the heart-rending “Hamnet,” which was honored with eight nods and has taken in $30 million worldwide, and “Sentimental Value,” a subtitled Norwegian family drama that received nine nominations and has collected $16 million.
They joined “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” in the best picture race. Also receiving nominations for the top prize were “The Secret Agent,” a Brazilian crime drama; Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein”; the absurdist “Bugonia”; the racing blockbuster “F1: The Movie”; “Marty Supreme,” a bouncy period sports drama; and “Train Dreams,” a slow-moving rumination on loss.
The academy expanded the best picture field to 10 in 2022. It previously had a sliding number with as few as five slots. The academy positioned the changes as part of an expanded focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
As always, Hollywood will pay as much attention to which films and contributions got brushed aside. “Wicked: For Good” was shut out entirely. Voters also rejected “Jay Kelly,” despite the pedigree of its star, George Clooney. An exhaustive campaign by Dwayne Johnson to get recognized for “The Smashing Machine” ended with nothing. And del Toro, considered a best-director candidate for “Frankenstein,” was also left out, although the effects-driven Netflix picture picked up nine nominations in total.
Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”) and Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”) both received directing nominations for their films that are dominating the Oscar race. Josh Safdie landed a slot for his first solo directing effort, “Marty Supreme,” which received nine nominations overall. The first-time directing nominee Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”) and a previous winner, Chloé Zhao (“Hamnet”), rounded out the category.
The five contenders for best actress include two actresses exploring facets of motherhood: Jessie Buckley in “Hamnet” and Rose Byrne in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” They will face Kate Hudson for her role as a Neil Diamond cover musician in “Song Sung Blue,” the Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve for her portrayal of an aggrieved daughter in “Sentimental Value” and the two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone for her role as a kidnapped executive in “Bugonia.”
The best actor race features Timothée Chalamet (“Marty Supreme”) for his titular role as the abrasive, single-minded table tennis player. It was his third career nomination, making him the youngest actor to achieve that feat. (He’s 30.)
He will compete against Leonardo DiCaprio, who played a burned-out revolutionary in “One Battle After Another.” Also nominated were Michael B. Jordan, playing the twins Smoke and Stack in “Sinners”; Ethan Hawke for his portrayal of the lyricist Lorenz Hart in “Blue Moon”; and Wagner Moura, who becomes the first Brazilian man to be nominated for an Oscar, for his role in “The Secret Agent.”
Supporting actress nominees included Teyana Taylor, who was recognized for her steamy revolutionary in “One Battle After Another,” and Wunmi Mosaku, honored for her performance as a hoodoo healer in “Sinners.” Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (“Sentimental Value”) and Elle Fanning (“Sentimental Value”) rounded out the category.
Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro both received supporting actor nominations for their torrid performances in “One Battle After Another.” Stellan Skarsgard, who won a Golden Globe for his supporting role in “Sentimental Value,” also received a nod, as did Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”) and Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”).
In the writing categories, “Sinners,” “Sentimental Value,” “Marty Supreme,” “It Was Just an Accident” and “Blue Moon” received original screenplay nominations. “One Battle After Another,” “Bugonia,” “Hamnet,” “Train Dreams” and “Frankenstein” filled out the adapted screenplay field.
While Warner Bros. dominated the morning with 30 nominations, the indie film company Neon punched way above its weight class with 18. (Netflix received 16.) Neon, the company behind the previous best picture winners “Parasite” and “Anora,” garnered two best picture contenders with “The Secret Agent” and “Sentimental Value.” It also dominated the international film category, with four out of the five slots going to films it bought out of festivals this year. It earned four acting nominations in “Sentimental Value” and a sound nomination for the Spanish-French co-production “Sirat.”
The Oscars is expanding by one category: casting directors (up to two per film) are now eligible for a trophy. The academy chose to honor those from “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “The Secret Agent” and “Sinners” for its inaugural class. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last added a competitive category (animated film) in 2001.
Yes, this probably means the telecast will get even longer. Last year’s show stretched to three hours and 50 minutes. The Oscars ceremony will be held on March 15 and broadcast by ABC and Hulu. The date is later than usual to avoid overlap with live sporting events.
Conan O’Brien will reprise his Oscar hosting duties. O’Brien received high marks for his work as the M.C. of the 97th Oscar telecast, which delivered a five-year ratings high for ABC. About 19.7 million people tuned in, up from 19.5 million. As recently as 2019, though, the Oscars attracted 30 million viewers.
As audience numbers have eroded for almost all award shows — the Game Awards, which honors video games, being one notable exception — the academy has scrambled to find ways to keep the Oscars relevant. The Oscars, for instance, will move to YouTube starting in 2029, ending a run on ABC that started in 1976.
Brooks Barnes is the chief Hollywood correspondent for The Times. He has reported on the entertainment industry for 25 years.
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