Oscars 2026 Predictions In All 24 Categories: Nominees & Winners

Welcome to ScreenRant’s page dedicated to the Oscars 2026! Here, you’ll find predictions for all 24 award categories. We have detailed predictions for some of the major awards, and the 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15, 2026.

We’re seeing all the familiar award categories this year, plus a new one: Best Casting, which honors the film’s casting director. The Academy also announced a Best Stunt category will be added in the future, but it won’t be part of the competition until the 100th Academy Awards. That leaves us with 24 categories to consider and make predictions about this season.

Key Oscars 2026 Dates:

• Oscars shortlists announcement: December 16, 2025
• Oscars nominations voting period: January 12-16, 2026
• Oscars nominations announcement: January 22, 2026
• Final voting period: February 26–March 5, 2026
• 98th Academy Awards: March 15, 2026

As a total film buff, I’m so excited for the Oscars! I’m putting together my predictions for all the categories – who I think will get nominated, and who I believe will actually win. I’ll be updating these throughout awards season as things develop, so keep checking back for the latest!

Commentary and predictions updated on October 31

Best Picture

The race for the ten Best Picture nominations is still wide open, but some films are emerging as strong candidates. Currently, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, Sinners, and Sentimental Value seem to be leading the pack, with Marty Supreme gaining momentum after a very positive reception at the New York Film Festival, potentially completing the top five.

We’ve updated the list with three new additions: Frankenstein, It Was Just an Accident, and Train Dreams. To make room, we removed A House of Dynamite, The Secret Agent, and Jay Kelly. Wicked: For Good has moved up a position due to positive early feedback, while Avatar: Fire and Ash has moved down one spot.

Right now, I’m leaning towards Hamnet as the likely winner in this category. One Battle After Another is a close second to Chloé Zhao’s film, but Sentimental Value, Marty Supreme, and other contenders could still win depending on how they perform in upcoming awards and competitions.

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Picture race for the 2026 Oscars, including predictions for nominees and who’s likely to win.

Best Director

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

The competition for Best Director is expected to be very close this year. Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloé Zhao, and Ryan Coogler are all strong candidates, and most experts believe they’re likely to receive nominations.

The main update to these predictions is the addition of Josh Safdie (director of Marty Supreme) as a potential contender. I had previously included Kathryn Bigelow, but the mixed reception to her new film, A House of Dynamite, suggests it’s unlikely to perform well during awards season.

I currently believe Paul Thomas Anderson will win the Best Director Oscar, which would be a first for him. It remains to be seen if he’ll maintain this lead throughout awards season or if another nominee will gain momentum.

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Director race for the 2026 Oscars, including predictions for nominees and who’s likely to win.

Best Actress

The race for Best Actress is very competitive. Emma Stone, who has already won twice, is a strong possibility for a nomination. While Jessie Buckley is currently considered the favorite to win, many expect Emma Stone to also be in the running.

This round of predictions sees some shifts in the category: Renate Reinsve and Cynthia Erivo both moved up one spot, while Emma Stone dropped one. There’s growing doubt about whether Bugonia will be a serious contender at the Oscars. Amanda Seyfried has entered the top 5 thanks to increased attention for The Testament of Ann Lee, temporarily pushing fellow nominee Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You) out of that spot.

This competition is still wide open, and things could shift significantly in the coming months. Chase Infiniti with “One Battle After Another” and Kate Hudson with “Song Sung Blue” are both strong contenders. Jennifer Lawrence, with “Die, My Love,” is also a frontrunner, having received a Gotahm nomination.

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Actress race for the 2026 Oscars, including predictions for nominees and who’s likely to win.

Best Actor

As a film buff, I’m already getting excited about the Best Actor race this year – it’s shaping up to be incredibly competitive! We’ve got a great mix of established winners and some seriously talented newcomers. Everyone’s talking about Leonardo DiCaprio potentially winning his second Oscar, and honestly, Michael B. Jordan is really starting to look like a strong contender too. I think it’s going to be a tough one to call!

Currently, Timothée Chalamet is the frontrunner to win. Early reviews, especially from Marty Surpeme, have been incredibly positive – some of the best of his career. After being a strong contender last year with his performance in A Complete Unknown, many believe this could be the role that finally earns him an Academy Award.

Dwayne Johnson’s film didn’t perform as well as expected, causing him to drop out of the top 5. Ethan Hawke is now a leading contender, boosted by a nomination from the Gotham Awards, which also helped solidify Moura’s position.

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Actor race for the 2026 Oscars, including predictions for nominees and who’s likely to win.

Best Supporting Actress

After a memorable performance as Glinda, Ariana Grande was a strong contender last year, though Zoe Saldaña ultimately won. Now, with the release of Wicked: For Good, many believe she’s the favorite to win in 2026.

As a movie fan, I’m really curious to see if Zendaya can hold onto her frontrunner status. It’s definitely possible Teyana Taylor or Regina Hall could gain some momentum as the awards season progresses, and honestly, a dark horse could always emerge. It’s exciting! What’s interesting is that so far, Teyana Taylor is the only one who’s been recognized by the Gotham Awards, which could give her a little boost.

Okay, the Oscar predictions are shifting again! It looks like Gwyneth Paltrow is now being talked about as a serious contender, which means Emily Blunt—who I really loved in The Smashing Machine—has fallen out of the top five. Elle Fanning is gaining some momentum, jumping up two spots, but unfortunately, Regina Hall has dropped two. It’s all so unpredictable, but exciting!

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Supporting Actress category, including predictions for nominees and who might win at the 2026 Oscars.

Best Supporting Actor

The race for Best Supporting Actor is expected to be very close, and the frontrunners won’t be clear until we see results from earlier awards shows. Several past winners and nominees are in the mix, and actors like Adam Sandler are hoping to receive their first-ever nomination.

Stellan Skarsgård is currently my top pick to win. His performance in Sentimental Value really stood out and put him in contention for an award. If the movie is well-received overall and he can beat out other strong contenders like Sean Penn and Paul Mescal, he has a good chance of winning.

The most notable shift in this ranking is Jacob Elordi joining the top five, replacing Delroy Lindo from Sinners.

Here’s ScreenRant’s complete breakdown of the Best Supporting Actor race for the 2026 Oscars, including predictions for nominees and who’s likely to win.

Best Casting

The new Best Casting category has a lot of strong contenders for its first nominations. This is particularly true for movies with large casts where the casting directors made excellent choices for every role.

I’ve adjusted my rankings this time around: One Battle After Another is now ranked one spot higher, while Hamnet has moved down one. I’ve also added Marty Supreme to the list, replacing A House of Dynamite.

I’m predicting Francine Maisler will win the award for casting ‘Sinners.’ The entire cast is excellent, and while this award is for the casting director, it would also be a nice acknowledgement of the actors’ great work.

Best Original Screenplay

While many screenplays are in the running, Ryan Coogler’s script for Sinners is currently the frontrunner. Its excellent writing, well-developed characters, and crisp dialogue have resonated with audiences, potentially making it an Oscar contender.

The competition includes screenplays for Sentimental Value and Marty Supreme. Joachim Trier was previously nominated for The Worst Person in the World, and Josh Safdie is well-known for his other films. Noah Baumbach is also a strong contender, having received three previous screenplay nominations in these categories.

A book called A House of Dynamite is no longer in this category, which moved Jay Kelly up one position and made room for It Was Just an Accident to be included.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winning an award for screenplay is frequently a stepping stone to winning Best Picture, having occurred in 62 past instances. Most often, this happens with adaptations – 40 of those wins were for adapted screenplays. This year, both Hamnet and One Battle After Another are strong contenders and could repeat this pattern.

For Hamnet to win Best Picture, it really needs to win Best Adapted Screenplay first. Looking back over the last two decades, the only film to win both Best Director and a screenplay award but not Best Picture was The Artist. And in that case, the other screenplay category didn’t win either.

For this update, Bugonia has joined the top five, bumping Song Sung Blue out.

Best Animated Feature

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

It’s currently very easy to see how this category will turn out. The massive global success of Netflix’s biggest movie ever has made KPop Demon Hunters a serious Oscar contender, and not just for Best Animated Feature.

KPop Demon Hunters is currently the clear frontrunner to win this category. Disney is hoping to break its losing streak with a new sequel, Zootopia 2, in a category they once owned. Meanwhile, international animated films like Little Amélie or the Character of Rain and Arco are aiming to replicate the success of last year’s winner, Flow.

Based on positive initial responses, I’ve added Netflix’s In Your Dreams to the list of likely award nominees, replacing Ne Zha 2 from China and A24.

Best International Feature Film

The competition for Best International Feature Film is still developing, but several films are already standing out. Currently, Norway’s entry, Sentimental Value, is considered a strong contender and has a good chance of also being nominated for Best Picture.

Generally, when a foreign film is nominated for Best Picture, it goes on to win. However, Emilia Pérez broke that pattern – it was the first international film nominated for Best Picture that didn’t win Best International Feature, with I’m Still Here taking home that award instead.

Following a drop in Best Picture consideration, The Secret Agent has moved down one position in the rankings. Meanwhile, It Was Just an Accident is gaining traction due to potential nominations in other categories.

Best Original Song

With the huge popularity of Wicked last year, many people expected its song “Wicked: For Good” to win Best Original Song at the 2026 Oscars, especially with the new songs written for the characters Elphaba (“No Place Like Home”) and Glinda (“The Girl In The Bubble”). However, its chances of winning now seem less likely.

It’s hard not to pick “Golden” as the winner of this category right now. This could all change in a month once Wicked: For Good comes out and its original songs catch fire. But, KPop Demon Hunters has one of the songs of the year. While the franchise’s future could allow more chances in the future, there’s no guarantee anything else will hit as big as “Golden.”

Okay, so I’ve updated my predictions, and I’m really starting to think “I Lied To You” has a good shot at winning – I’ve moved it up two spots! I’m also predicting Miley Cyrus’ song from Avatar: Fire and Ash will make the final cut. Even though the previous Avatar songs didn’t get nominated, her popularity is just too big to ignore.

Best Original Score

As a film score fanatic, I’m telling you, the Original Score category is stacked this year. Johnny Greenwood really delivered with the piano work in One Battle After Another – it’s been stuck in my head! And Ludwig Göransson’s score for Sinners is just unforgettable, honestly. Both composers are bringing their absolute best.

Fredrik Göransson has already won two Oscars for his work on Black Panther and Oppenheimer, and he’s hoping to make it three wins from three nominations. Another victory would solidify his place as one of the top film composers working today.

There are no changes to this prediction in this update.

Best Sound

Sound plays a huge role in making a movie great. The way sound is designed and mixed – once judged as two separate skills at the Oscars – directly affects how we experience a film. Many of 2025’s best movies showcase this beautifully, with One Battle After Another being a particularly strong example.

I’m predicting this movie will win, but big-budget films like Wicked: For Good and Avatar: Fire and Ash often do well in this category. Racing movies like F1 also have a good track record, as similar films have won awards recently.

This week, Sinners climbed to second place and is a strong contender for another victory. Avatar: Fire and Ash has replaced Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere in the rankings, though that film is still a possible winner.

Best Visual Effects

Whenever a new Avatar film is released, it’s almost guaranteed to be nominated for an Oscar, particularly for Best Visual Effects. James Cameron’s previous two movies won this award comfortably, and Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to face little serious competition.

The third film in the series is bigger and more ambitious, featuring new settings, characters, and impressive fire effects. This makes it a strong contender for visual spectacle, even before the movie is released.

No changes have been made to this category in this round of predictions.

Best Film Editing

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

When it comes to film editing awards, two particularly long movies are getting attention because their skillful pacing makes them feel surprisingly fast. Critics have noted that the nearly three-hour film One Battle After Another moves along quickly, and audiences have also praised the brisk pace of the two-and-a-half-hour Marty Supreme.

Several other films nominated for Best Picture could also be in the running. Because most Best Picture winners are also nominated in this category, we’re predicting Hamnet will be a strong contender. If the film gains more momentum, it could even win.

I’ve adjusted the ranking in this update, moving Hamnet ahead of A House of Dynamite because A House of Dynamite isn’t performing as well in awards competitions. Films like Sentimental Value, F1: The Movie, or Wicked: For Good might take its place soon.

Best Cinematography

As a movie buff, I’ve seen a lot of visually stunning films already, and honestly, the upcoming releases look just as promising based on what I’ve read and seen in trailers. Right now, though, Sinners is really standing out – especially when you look at the technical aspects like sound, editing, and visual effects. It’s definitely the one to beat in those categories, and I’d say it’s the frontrunner for awards in those areas at the moment.

If Autumn Durald Arkapaw wins, it would be a significant achievement. She would be the fifth woman ever nominated for this award, and the first to actually win. However, she faces strong competition.

Currently, nothing has been altered, but the visual style of Train Dreams is getting a lot of positive buzz, potentially boosting its chances for a nomination or even a surprise win.

Best Production Design

Last year, Wicked won an award for its production design, which sets the sequel up well to win again. Wicked: For Good will feature many of the same locations as before, but also includes brand new sets and designs. This combination of returning favorites and fresh elements should give it a competitive advantage.

While audiences might be getting tired of stories set in the fantastical world of Oz, films like Hamnet, with its historical setting, and Frankenstein, with its spooky, gothic style, could become strong competitors. However, I still believe Wicked: For Good will ultimately win.

There are no new nominees or changes to the order for this update.

Best Costume Design

The costume design win for Wicked could lead to even more awards for Wicked: For Good. With new costumes for characters like Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero, and the addition of costumes inspired by The Wizard of Oz characters like Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man, the costume team has a great opportunity to impress again.

The costumes in the musical Wicked are particularly imaginative and stand out from other films this year. Several movies set in the past may also be contenders for awards, including Marty Supreme and Hedda.

There haven’t been any recent changes, but Frankenstein is becoming increasingly popular and could soon be the leading choice.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

I initially predicted Wicked: For Good would win, as the film has been gaining recognition in technical categories. However, I now believe Frankenstein will take the prize. Netflix is effectively promoting the film, and the outstanding work of the makeup and hair teams is sure to be noticed.

There’s still a good possibility that Wicked: For Good could win an Oscar in March, so it’s too early to rule it out. Its success will likely depend on how much audiences enjoy the movie and whether it receives positive attention from other awards shows.

Best Documentary Feature

The competition for Best Documentary is still wide open, but the shortlist released in December has helped narrow things down. Currently, Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor seems to be the frontrunner. It premiered at Sundance, was picked up by Netflix, and is now available to stream, already making a strong impact on viewers.

Another strong contender is 2000 Meters to Andriivka, directed by Mstyslav Chernov, who previously won this award two years ago for 20 Days in Mariupol. I feel most secure in predicting these two films will remain frontrunners, though the rest of the nominations are still very open and could shift significantly in the coming months.

Best Documentary Short Subject

Coming in December

Best Animated Short Film

Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Coming in December

Best Live-Action Short Film

Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Coming in December

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2025-11-01 00:51