Overview of the 98th Academy Awards

The 98th Academy Awards, commonly referred to as the Oscars 2026, was an exceptional event held to honor and celebrate the finest films of 2025. This year’s ceremony showcased a remarkable collection of talent both in front of and behind the camera, marking a night of significant achievements in the film industry.

Major Award Highlights

One Battle After Another emerged as the standout film of the evening, winning a total of six Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award. Other notable wins for this film included Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, as well as awards for Casting, Film Editing, and Adapted Screenplay.

Sinners, which garnered the most nominations at 16, secured four awards, highlighted by Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and additional wins for Cinematography, Original Score, and Original Screenplay. Notably, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman in Oscar history to take home the Cinematography award.

The film Frankenstein, nominated in nine categories, won three Oscars, including Achievement in Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling.

Memorable Moments

This year’s ceremony featured several historic moments, including KPop Demon Hunters’ win for Best Original Song, marking a first for a KPop track at the Oscars. Additionally, a tie occurred in the Best Live-Action Short Film category for The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, a rare event in Oscar history.

Complete List of Winners

Best Motion Picture of the Year

• Bugonia
• F1
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another – WINNER
• The Secret Agent
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

• Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
• Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
• Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
• Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) – WINNER
• Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

• Benicio Del Toro (One Battle After Another)
• Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
• Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
• Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) – WINNER
• Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

• Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) – WINNER
• Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)
• Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
• Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
• Emma Stone (Bugonia)

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

• Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value)
• Amy Madigan (Weapons) – WINNER
• Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)
• Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)

Achievement in Directing

• Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
• Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
• Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) – WINNER
• Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
• Ryan Coogler (Sinners)

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

• Arco
• Elio
• KPop Demon Hunters – WINNER
• Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
• Zootopia 2

Best Animated Short Film

• Butterfly
• Forevergreen
• The Girl Who Cried Pearls – WINNER
• Retirement Plan
• The Three Sisters

Achievement in Casting

• Nina Gold (Hamnet)
• Jennifer Venditti (Marty Supreme)
• Cassandra Kulukundis (One Battle After Another) – WINNER
• Gabriel Domingues (The Secret Agent)
• Francine Maisler (Sinners)

Achievement in Cinematography

• Dan Laustsen (Frankenstein)
• Darius Khondji (Marty Supreme)
• Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another)
• Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners) – WINNER
• Adolpho Veloso (Train Dreams)

Achievement in Costume Design

• Deborah L. Scott (Avatar: Fire and Ash)
• Kate Hawley (Frankenstein) – WINNER
• Malgosia Turzanska (Hamnet)
• Miyako Bellizzi (Marty Supreme)
• Ruth E. Carter (Sinners)

Best Documentary Feature Film

• The Alabama Solution
• Come See Me in the Good Light
• Cutting through Rocks
• Mr. Nobody
• Against Putin – WINNER
• The Perfect Neighbor

Best Documentary Short Film

• All the Empty Rooms – WINNER
• Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
• Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”
• The Devil Is Busy
• Perfectly a Strangeness

Achievement in Film Editing

• Stephen Mirrione (F1)
• Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
• Andy Jurgensen (One Battle After Another) – WINNER
• Olivier Bugge Coutté (Sentimental Value)
• Michael P. Shawver (Sinners)

Best International Feature Film of the Year

• The Secret Agent
• It Was Just an Accident
• Sentimental Value – WINNER
• Sirāt
• The Voice of Hind
• Rajab

Best Live Action Short Film

• Butcher’s Stain
• A Friend of Dorothy
• Jane Austen’s Period Drama
• The Singers – WINNER
• Two People Exchanging Saliva – WINNER

Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

• Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey (Frankenstein) – WINNER
• Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino and Tadashi Nishimatsu (Kokuho)
• Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry (Sinners)
• Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein (The Smashing Machine)
• Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg (The Ugly Stepsister)

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

• Jerskin Fendrix (Bugonia)
• Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein)
• Max Richter (Hamnet)
• Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another)
• Ludwig Goransson (Sinners) – WINNER

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

• “Dear Me” (Diane Warren: Relentless)
• “Golden” (KPop Demon Hunters) – WINNER
• “I Lied To You” (Sinners)
• “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” (Viva Verdi!)
• “Train Dreams” (Train Dreams)

Achievement in Production Design

• Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau (Frankenstein) – WINNER
• Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton (Hamnet)
• Jack Fisk, Adam Willis (Marty Supreme)
• Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino (One Battle After Another)
• Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne (Sinners)

Achievement in Sound

• Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta (F1) – WINNER
• Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern (Frankenstein)
• José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio and Tony Villaflor (One Battle After Another)
• Chris Welcker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor and Steve Boeddeker (Sinners)
• Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas and Yasmina Praderas (Sirāt)

Achievement in Visual Effects

• Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett (Avatar: Fire and Ash) – WINNER
• Ryan Church, Matthew E. Butler and John Knoll (Frankenstein)
• Jasper H. M. Dempsey, Dan Lemmon, Scott McCauley and Chris Watts (One Battle After Another)
• Michael F. McAlister, Steve Preeg and Ted Rae (Sinners)
• Mark S. Dindal, Andrew R. Jones and Jason Schneider (The Smashing Machine)

Conclusion

The 98th Academy Awards served not only as a celebration of cinematic talent but also as a reminder of the evolving landscape of film. With historic wins and standout performances, this year’s Oscars will be remembered for their significant contributions to the industry.

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