The 98th Academy Awards nominations have delivered a historic moment, with Sinners rewriting the Oscars record books. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the period vampire thriller has earned an unprecedented 16 Academy Award nominations, the most ever received by a single film.
The achievement pushes Sinners past the long-standing 14-nomination benchmark previously held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). While the introduction of the new Best Casting category this year expanded the total number of available nominations, Sinners didn’t merely benefit from the change; it secured recognition in every category for which it was eligible.
The film’s success also marks a major shift for genre cinema at the Oscars. Horror and supernatural films have historically struggled to gain recognition beyond technical categories, but Sinners has broken through across all major branches of the Academy.
Set in the 1932 Mississippi Delta, the film follows the Smokestack Twins as they confront an ancient evil, blending historical drama with gothic horror. The story and its execution clearly resonated with voters, earning top-tier nominations across acting, directing, writing, and music.
Among the film’s standout nominations are Best Picture and Best Director for Coogler his first-ever directing nomination from the Academy. Michael B. Jordan received a Best Actor nod for his dual performance as brothers Elijah and Elias Moore, while Delroy Lindo earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Wunmi Mosaku was also recognized in the supporting actress category.
Behind the scenes, the film was honored for Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score by Ludwig Göransson, and Best Original Song for “I Lied to You.”
With 16 nominations, Sinners now enters the awards race not just as a contender, but as a potential record-setter. The current all-time wins record is 11 Oscars, which is held by Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Whether Coogler’s film can challenge that milestone remains to be seen.
The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air on March 15, 2026.
Key Oscar Nominations for ‘Sinners’
- Best Picture
- Best Director – Ryan Coogler
- Best Actor – Michael B. Jordan
- Best Supporting Actor – Delroy Lindo
- Best Supporting Actress – Wunmi Mosaku
- Best Original Screenplay – Ryan Coogler
- Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
- Best Original Song – “I Lied to You”
Source: The Modern Daily