Monday, January 19, 2026

98th Oscar Predix

Announcing Thursday morning at 8:30AM Eastern by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. 

How much do they go for the foreign film performances after SAG ignored them? 3 foreign films in the Best Picture lineup? 3 horror movies in that lineup? (Yes, please!) Can Sinners break the nomination record? Are the tech categories just going to be the same 7-8 films over and over? Is One Battle going to be the first film in 49 years to get 5 acting nominations? Did I break the question mark key.

VISUAL EFFECTS
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
F1
THE LOST BUS
SINNERS
SUPERMAN
alt: Frankenstein

MUSIC - ORIGINAL SONG
"Dear Me" - DIANE WARREN: RELENTLESS
"Golden" - KPOP DEMON HUNTERS
"I Lied To You" - SINNERS
"Train Dreams" - TRAIN DREAMS
"The Girl In the Bubble" - WICKED: FOR GOOD
alt: "Last Time I Seen the Sun" - Sinners
Diane Warren making a documentary about herself to get another stupid nomination in the category feels like something Jenna from 30 Rock would do. Rooting for The Ballad of Wallis Island's song to get in!

MUSIC - ORIGINAL SCORE
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
alt: F1

SOUND
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
F1
FRANKENSTEIN
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
alt: Sirāt

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
FRANKENSTEIN
MARTY SUPREME
SINNERS
THE SMASHING MACHINE
WICKED: FOR GOOD
alt: The Ugly Stepsister
Haven't seen the alt yet, but would love if that got in. 

PRODUCTION DESIGN
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
SINNERS
WICKED: FOR GOOD
alt: Fantastic Four: First Steps

COSTUME DESIGN
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
HEDDA
SINNERS
WICKED: FOR GOOD
alt: Marty Supreme

FILM EDITING
F1
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
alt: Frankenstein

CINEMATOGRAPHY
FRANKENSTEIN
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
TRAIN DREAMS
alt: F1

CASTING
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
WEAPONS
alt: Wicked: For Good
The first of two categories being introduced over the next year. Hopefully, this ends up being more than just an Ensemble prize.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
THE SECRET AGENT
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
SIRĀT
THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB
alt: Left-Handed Girl
Congrats to those Neon movies!

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA
COVER-UP
MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN
MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART 1 - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR
alt: Come See Me In the Good Light

ANIMATED FEATURE
ARCO
ELIO
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN
ZOOTOPIA 2
alt: In Your Dreams

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BUGONIA
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
TRAIN DREAMS
alt: Wake Up Dead Man

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
MARTY SUPREME
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
SINNERS
SORRY, BABY
alt: Weapons
Fifth slot is up for grabs. Julia Roberts' Golden Globe endorsement of Eva Victor might have helped put it over the edge.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
BENECIO DEL TORO - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
JACOB ELORDI - FRANKENSTEIN
PAUL MESCAL - HAMNET
SEAN PENN - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
STELLAN SKARSGÅRD - SENTIMENTAL VALUE
alt: Miles Caton - Sinners
I've said this has been the lineup for a few months now.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ODESSA A'ZION - MARTY SUPREME
INGA IBSDOTTER LILLEAAS - SENTIMENTAL VALUE
AMY MADIGAN - WEAPONS
WUNMI MOSAKU - SINNERS
TEYANA TAYLOR - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
alt: Ariana Grande - Wicked: For Good
I really hope they don't nominate Ariana. 

LEADING ACTOR
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET - MARTY SUPREME
LEONARDO DICAPRIO - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
ETHAN HAWKE - BLUE MOON
MICHAEL B. JORDAN - SINNERS
WAGNER MOURA - THE SECRET AGENT
alt: Jesse Plemons - Bugonia
I feel bad for Joel Edgerton. I'd love Jesse to get in, though. 

LEADING ACTRESS
JESSIE BUCKLEY - HAMNET
ROSE BYRNE - IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU
KATE HUDSON - SONG SUNG BLUE
CHASE INFINITI - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
RENATE REINSVE - SENTIMENTAL VALUE
alt: Emma Stone - Bugonia
Most are swapping Hudson for Stone, but I've been sticking with the Hawn spawn all season. She has a lot of industry support. I've never been sold on Chase, but the film just feels too big to miss.

DIRECTING
CHLOÉ ZHAO - HAMNET
JOSH SAFDIE - MARTY SUPREME
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON - ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
JOACHIM TRIER - SENTIMENTAL VALUE
RYAN COOGLER - SINNERS
alt: Jafar Panahi - It Was Just An Accident
Oof, this one is tough. Accident's buzz has really died off over the past couple of weeks. I think Paul and Ryan are the only truly safe nominations. Zhao would be the first woman to return after winning. And then there's Del Toro with a film that has been inexplicably strong throughout the season.

PICTURE
BUGONIA
F1
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
THE SECRET AGENT
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
SINNERS
TRAIN DREAMS
alt: It Was Just An Accident
Top 5 would be Battle, Sinners, Hamnet, Marty & Frank. Then, Sentimental. Then, Bugonia, Then, Train Dreams. Then, about half a dozen movies vying for the last two lots. I went with F1 cause it feels like another Ford V Ferrari, and it feels like a good "average" voter choice.  Went with Agent because that Brazil contingent is very strong and loud. Among others to consider: Weapons, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Wicked: For Good.

Nom totals: 
Sinners - 15 (!!!!)
One Battle - 13
Marty - 11
Hamnet - 10
Frankenstein - 9
Sentimental - 7
F1 - 4
Train Dreams - 4
Wicked: For Good - 4
The Secret Agent - 3
Avatar: Fire and Ash, Bugonia, It Was Just An Accident, KPop Demon Hunters, Weapons - 2

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