The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, was a night defined by historical milestones and a hard-fought competition between two major cinematic heavyweights. The ceremony saw the long-awaited triumph of director Paul Thomas Anderson, whose counter-culture thriller One Battle After Another emerged as the evening's most decorated film, winning six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The evening was framed as a "rumble in the jungle" between Anderson’s political thriller and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Although Sinners made history before the show even began by earning a record-breaking 16 nominations, it ultimately took home four awards. Despite winning fewer trophies than its rival, Sinners provided some of the night’s most significant moments. Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his dual role as twin brothers, becoming the sixth Black actor to win in a leading category. Furthermore, Autumn Durald Arkapaw broke a major industry barrier by becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Cinematography.
The acting categories were filled with both expected victories and surprises. Jessie Buckley became the first Irish actress to win the Best Actress award for her role in Hamnet. In the supporting categories, Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another, while Amy Madigan secured Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons, a victory that came forty years after her first nomination.
A major addition to the ceremony's format was the introduction of the Best Casting award, the first new competitive category added since 2001. The inaugural trophy was awarded to Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another. This addition brought the total number of competitive categories to 24.
Conan O'Brien served as the host, returning to the stage with a "madcap" energy that was widely acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. His monologue balanced humor with political commentary, featuring jokes about the film Wicked and the political climate of the era. The broadcast also saw a slight rise in viewership, reaching approximately 19.7 million viewers.
Other films achieved notable success in the craft and international categories. Frankenstein was a dominant force in technical fields, winning for Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling. The Best Animated Feature award went to KPop Demon Hunters, which also won Best Original Song for the track "Golden." In a landmark win for European cinema, Sentimental Value became the first Norwegian film to win the Oscar for Best International Feature.
The In Memoriam segment was expanded this year to honor a large number of industry legends. Standing tributes were given to icons such as Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and director Rob Reiner. However, the segment also drew some criticism for the omission of certain international figures and actors who had passed away during the previous twelve months.
Ultimately, the 2026 Oscars celebrated a mix of "legacy" wins for established masters and "barrier-breaking" victories for a new generation of filmmakers, cementing the 98th ceremony as a pivotal moment in the history of the Academy.


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