The 98th Academy Awards nominations were revealed on Thursday morning, with the film “Sinners” making history by garnering a total of 16 nominations. This achievement surpassed previous records set by films like “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.” The movie received recognition across various categories, including directing, acting (marking Michael B. Jordan’s first Oscar nomination), and best picture, largely due to Ryan Coogler’s writing and direction and Jordan’s performance.
Other notable films that received multiple nominations were “One Battle After Another” and the Norwegian film “Sentimental Value.” “Sentimental Value” secured nine nominations, a notable feat for a non-English language film, while both it and Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” contributed to the trend of foreign language films competing for best picture for the eighth consecutive year. Additionally, both “One Battle” and “Sentimental Value” are contenders for the Oscars’ newly introduced category after 25 years: achievement in casting.
The event kicked off with nominations for best performance by an actress in a supporting role, which included Elle Fanning (“Sentimental Value”), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (“Sentimental Value”), Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), Wunmi Mosaku (“Sinners”), and Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”).
The ceremony culminated with the highly anticipated award for best picture. The nominated films vying for this prestigious title were “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners,” and “Train Dreams.”
While the nominations mostly aligned with expectations from earlier awards shows, a few surprises emerged. “Wicked: For Good” failed to secure any nominations despite performances by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo last year. Additionally, Delroy Lindo from “Sinners” replaced the anticipated nominee, Miles Caton, for the supporting actor category. Notably, “One Battle After Another” narrowly missed a record by receiving four acting nominations, one short of the five required to match a record set back in 1976.
The Oscars also highlighted the success of “Hamnet” and “Marty Supreme,” which received eight and nine nods, respectively. Jessie Buckley from “Hamnet” is a strong contender for the best actress award, having already won at the Critics Choice and Golden Globes. Timothée Chalamet from “Marty Supreme” is a frontrunner for best actor, competing closely with Leonardo DiCaprio from “One Battle.”
“One Battle After Another” dominated the nominations with 13 nods, following its success at the Golden Globes. The film, alongside “Sinners,” showcased a remarkable performance and contributed to a significant showing for Warner Bros.
In terms of international representation, Canadian directors Domee Shi and Maggie Kang were nominated for best animated feature for their works “Elio” and “KPop Demon Hunters.” “KPop Demon Hunters” is a strong contender owing to its widespread popularity, while France’s “Arco” remains a critical favorite in the category.
The Canadian film industry also saw recognition with “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” and “Perfectly a Strangeness” earning nominations for best animated short film and documentary short film, respectively. Furthermore, Canadian teams involved in “Frankenstein” received nominations for makeup and hairstyling, sound, and production design.
The 98th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with Conan O’Brien set to host the event.