The 98th Academy Awards Nominees: Who’s In and Who’s Out?

Today marked the beginning of what, for many, will be a long and tiresome journey through far away lands and the not so distant past. With the announcement of the nominees for the 98th Annual Academy Awards, many movies will begin the long and arduous journey through every single film nominated for an award.

Lovingly known as: The Oscar Death Race.

For others, namely the nominees, this marks the beginning of another journey. One that could define the rest of their careers. Are they an ‘Academy Award Winner’ on their next poster or are they an ‘Academy Award Nominee?’

While the nominations had many of the expected names announced, there were a number of surprises and records that were broken. The horror genre garnered quite a lot of attention with films such as Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons,’ and Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ all seeing quite a bit of attention.

There is, of course, still plenty of time to debate as to who should have been and who could have been nominated before the show lights lift. There will be, however, plenty of takes, good and bad. This particular piece of literature aims to provide thorough analysis for the award show that will provide the bookend to what was potentially the greastest year in cinema history. 2025. The year when the stars were reborn.

The 98th Annual Academy Awards will air LIVE Sunday, March 15th, 2026 at 7pm EST/4pm PST
Hosted by Conan O’Brien
Airing on ABC

This is my favorite show of the year and why I watch awards shows in the first place. My wife and I haven’t missed it in the 10 years we’ve been together. That is until this year. I will be travelling to SXSW, but you can bet we’ll be on FaceTime and I’ll be live threading the show!

Congratulations to all of the nominees and best of luck at the show!

A Record Setting Day

Many films that were nominated today were awarded multiple nominations. ‘Frankenstein’ earned 9 nominations along with ‘Marty Supreme.’ ‘One Battle After Another’ received a hefty 13 nominations, one shy of the record of 14 with three films tying for the record (All About Eve, Titanic, La La Land). That, on any given night would be quite the nomination haul. That is, however, if not for ‘Sinners.’

Ryan Coogler’s revolutionary vampire survival picture, ‘Sinners’ brought in a record breaking 16 nominations, blowing away the previously held record and setting the internet ablaze. ‘Sinners’ was nominated in every major category except for one and then some. Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo, who nets the first nomination of his career, as well as Michael B. Jordan. Coogler, himself, was nominated for Directing.

The quality of nominees of this years field will undoubtedly lead to an exceptional show. It will assuredly be an evening that you cannot miss.

Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Sinners.’ Courtesy of Warner Bros.

What The Snub?

While there are a number of films pouring the champaigne, there are others who are left feeling empty handed. The snubs hit hard this year. There are a number of reasons that films get snubbed almost all of them are inexplicable. The most successful film of the year could be nominated at every other awards show, yet The Academy seemingly forgets it exists. Here’s looking at you “most movies released in the early months of the year.”

One of the most mind boggling omissions was that of Chase Infiniti. Infiniti had been nominated for a Golden Globe at this years show for ‘One Battle After Another’ and had provided one of the BEST overall performances of the year. She sparred with Hollywood legend, Sean Penn, as if she had been at it for years. Alas, however, The Academy did not see it the way the audience did.

No stranger to being left out, ‘The Long Walk,’ particularly the sensational David Jonsson, were again denied a nomination at one of this years awards shows. The film is in countless top 10 lists and quite a few top 5 lists across the cinema social media website, Letterboxd. It’s a Top 3 in my own list. The performances were there as was the story. The Academy just didn’t see fit to reward ‘The Long Walk.’

The most controversial, and arguably the most internet incinerating, snub was the snubbing of ‘Wicked: For Good.’ After last year’s Jon Chu broadway to silverscreen classic, ‘Wicked’ tore up the awards shows, it left high expectations for it’s successor, ‘Wicked: For Good’ who received an inexplicable zero nominations, which is downright shocking. Previously, it had seen multiple nominations at the Critics Choice Awards as well as the Golden Globes.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked: For Good.’ Courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Legendary Recognition

One of the more poignant nominations came in the Actor in a Supporting Role category when ‘Sinners’ actor, Delroy Lindo received the first nomination of his career. Lindo’s career has spanned decades and includes countless classics such as ‘The Devil’s Advocate,’ ‘Broken Arrow,’ ‘Malcolm X,’ and ‘Clockers.’

Delroy Lindo’s portrayal of Delta Slim was legendary. He oozed coolness, bravado, but a little bit of earned cynicism like someone who had been at it long enough to know. This nomination is long overdue, however, it could not have come at a more important time in cinema. Lindo helped usher in a new age of cinema with his and his colleague’s work on ‘Sinners.’ Here’s to hoping Mr. Lindo wraps it up with a gold trophy.

Delroy Lindo in ‘Sinners.’ Courtesy of Warner Bros Studios.

The night will surely be one for the record books as the nominations alone have caught social media off guard and set it abuzz. The discussions will go back and forth as the months long wait seems to drag along. Rest assured, however, movie fans alike will be sat for Hollywood’s Biggest Night. The night that the stars shine their brightest and just a few earn their place in the sky.