Oscars 2026: The Winners and the Big Night for ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Sinners’
The 98th Academy Awards are in the books, and Hollywood has a new heavyweight champion. At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, there were victories, laughter, and more than a few folks who talked themselves hoarse. But who actually got to take home that coveted gold statue? Here’s the complete rundown of the 2026 Oscar winners – and why this year’s crop was particularly special, even for seasoned cinephiles.
The Night of the Epic: ‘One Battle After Another’
What a ride. Paul Thomas Anderson has done it again. His sweeping epic ‘One Battle After Another’ was the night's big dominator. With six trophies – including the real heavy hitters like Best Picture and Best Director – the ensemble cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn reaped the rewards. Particularly moving: Sean Penn, who snagged the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role and got properly political in his acceptance speech. He didn't hold back on the current political climate in the US. This wasn't a dull thank-you speech; it was pure, gripping cinema.
The Record-Breaker: ‘Sinners’ and the Big Score
And then there was ‘Sinners’. Ryan Coogler's film went into the history books with a staggering 16 nominations – more than ‘Titanic’ or ‘All About Eve’. In the end, it took home only four Oscars, but some of the most prestigious ones. Michael B. Jordan nabbed the Oscar for Best Actor, edging out Timothée Chalamet (‘Marty Supreme’) and Leo DiCaprio. It also scored gold for Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score. The score, by the way, comes from Sweden's Ludwig Göransson, bagging his second Oscar after ‘Oppenheimer’. A name that, for music fans, instantly creates a link to The World of Hans Zimmer – even though Zimmer himself missed out this year, his legacy lives on brilliantly through the new generation of composers like Göransson.
The Night's Undercurrents: Where are Springsteen and Tarantino?
Now, about the rumours and hopes swirling before the show. Sure, Bruce Springsteen – the Boss – didn't have a new song in the running. But his spirit loomed large over the evening. ‘One Battle After Another’ is a deeply American epic that thematically fits Springsteen's blue-collar romanticism like a glove. You almost wished he'd opened the night musically.
And Quentin Tarantino? He wasn't nominated either, but you can bet he was somewhere in the auditorium, eyeing the competition closely. After all, rumours are swirling that his final film is slowly taking shape. Still, for film history buffs, it felt like a Tarantino-esque evening: Paul Thomas Anderson's speech was peppered with nods to 20th-century classics, and the crowd ate it up.
The Complete List of 2026 Winners
If you want the full breakdown of who won in the technical categories, here's the list:
- Best Picture: ‘One Battle After Another’
- Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, ‘One Battle After Another’
- Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, ‘Sinners’
- Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, ‘Hamnet’
- Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, ‘One Battle After Another’
- Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, ‘Weapons’
- Best Original Screenplay: ‘Sinners’
- Best Adapted Screenplay: ‘One Battle After Another’
- Best Cinematography: ‘Sinners’
- Best Film Editing: ‘One Battle After Another’
- Best Production Design: ‘Frankenstein’
- Best Costume Design: ‘Frankenstein’
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling: ‘Frankenstein’
- Best Original Score: ‘Sinners’ (Ludwig Göransson)
- Best Original Song: ‘Golden’ from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’
- Best Sound: ‘F1: The Movie’
- Best Visual Effects: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
- Best International Feature Film: ‘Sentimental Value’ (Norway)
- Best Animated Feature: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’
- Best Documentary Feature: ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’
What's the takeaway from this 2026 Oscar night? That cinema is alive and kicking. That the grand storytellers like Anderson and Coogler aren't letting the streamers steal their lunch money. And that a night where both a dark epic and a horror film clean up is just fantastic. We're already looking forward to next year – and seeing where the ride takes us then.