Oscars 2026: 'Sinners' makes history with record 16 nominations

Vampire thriller "Sinners" stormed into the awards race on Thursday with the most Academy Award nominations of any film in history, landing 16 nods.

"Sinners" will face off against contenders including "One Battle After Another," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme" and more for the coveted best picture prize.

The previous record for most nominations in a single year was 14, a mark hit by "All About Eve," "Titanic" and "La La Land."

"Bugonia," "F1," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value" and "Train Dreams" also were nominated for this year's best picture trophy at the highest honors in the movie business.

Together, the nominations span genres - from historical drama to supernatural horror - and reflect a film academy increasingly willing to reward unconventional storytelling.

Jordan was nominated for best actor for his dual role in "Sinners" as twin brothers who set up a juke joint in 1930s Mississippi, triggering a bloody showdown between gangsters and vampires that serves as an allegory for segregation and racism. 

The Warner Bros film also earned nominations for best director for Ryan Coogler, supporting actor Delroy Lindo, supporting actress Wunmi Mosaku and best cinematography, costume design, original screenplay and visual effects.

Jordan's competition includes Leonardo DiCaprio in offbeat action movie "One Battle After Another," which scored 13 nominations, and Timothee Chalamet in table tennis tale "Marty Supreme."

Paul Thomas Anderson earned a nomination for directing "One Battle After Another," which features DiCaprio as a one-time radical turned weed-smoking father of a teenager. Co-stars Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Teyana Taylor also were nominated in supporting categories.

For best actress, Jessie Buckley was nominated for playing William Shakespeare's wife, Agnes Hathaway, in "Hamnet," and Kate Hudson for "Song Sung Blue," the story of a Neil Diamond tribute band.

"Nomadland," landed a nomination this year for "Hamnet." Paul Mescal, who earned critical praise for his role as Shakespeare, did not receive an Oscar nomination.

Winners of the gold Oscar statuettes will be chosen by the roughly 10,000 actors, producers, directors and film craftspeople who make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

Walt Disney's (DIS.N) ABC will broadcast the awards, and comedian Conan O'Brien will host for the second straight year.

Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O),  the studio subject to a bidding war between Netflix and Paramount Skydance led all studios with 30 nominations— Web Desk/Reuters