The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced shortlists across 12 categories for the 98th Academy Awards, including four Arab films from Tunisia, Palestine, Iraq, and Jordan.
The nominations was announced Tuesday and included a competitive field led by Warner Bros.’ “Sinners” and Universal’s “Wicked: For Good,” which each landed eight mentions.
Members from various Academy branches participated in preliminary voting across multiple categories, including animated short film, documentary feature, documentary short, international feature, live action short, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound and visual effects.
This year also marks the debut of two new shortlist categories: achievement in casting and best cinematography.
Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” emerged as one of the day’s biggest success stories, earning recognition in seven categories: casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound, visual effects and a double showing in original song.
“Wicked: For Good” matched that momentum with shortlist placements in casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, original score, sound, visual effects and two original songs by Stephen Schwartz.
The cinematography mention was a welcome and long-overdue recognition for Alice Brooks, a gifted DP still awaiting her first Oscar nomination.
Netflix’s “Frankenstein” also made a strong showing, landing six mentions across casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, original score, sound and visual effects.
The international feature film category offered few surprises, though distributor Neon secured a record five of the 15 available slots. Switzerland’s “Late Shift” edged out the United Kingdom’s “My Father’s Shadow,” despite the latter’s recent Gotham Award win for lead actor Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù.
The Academy’s inaugural casting category shortlist includes nine films with female casting directors, a significant step forward for representation.
Other notable multi-category performers included “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value,” and the international contender “Sirât,” each demonstrating technical strength across multiple categories.
Women directors also made their mark in this year’s selections: seven of the 15 international feature films are directed by women, and 10 of the 15 documentary feature contenders are also helmed by female filmmakers.
Three Student Academy Award-winning films from 2025 were also shortlisted: “The Shyness of Trees” (animated short), “Butcher’s Stain” (live action short), and “Dad’s Not Home” (live action short).
Final nominations in the shortlisted categories will be determined in the coming weeks. Oscar voting opens Monday, January 12, and closes Friday, January 16. Nominations will be announced Thursday, January 22.
Comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host the 98th Academy Awards, taking place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre.
The complete list of films on the shortlist is below.
- Casting
Marking the first year of the Oscars’ newest category, pundits and studio strategists had little precedent to help project where the Casting Directors Branch might lean.
Notably, nine of the 10 films shortlisted feature a female casting director — a remarkable achievement for the category’s debut.
The lineup includes what many presume to be six of the top contenders for best picture: “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sinners.”
Alongside those are more eclectic and inspired selections, including two international feature entries — Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” and Spain’s “Sirât” — as well as the summer horror hit “Weapons.”
Among the notable omissions are “Bugonia” (another collaboration from Jennifer Venditti), “Jay Kelly” (a Nina Gold and Douglas Aibel pairing) and “Nouvelle Vague.”
Ten films will advance in the casting category for the 98th Academy Awards.
Members of the Casting Directors Branch vote to determine both the shortlist and the final nominees.
Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from the shortlisted films and pre-recorded interviews with the casting directors on Friday, January 9, 2026, in Los Angeles and London, and on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in New York.
- Cinematography
An inspired list of legends and up-and-coming faces among the finalists for best cinematography.
Marking the first year for the shortlist, the preliminary voting was able to produce between 10 and 20 motion pictures. They opted for 16, which will be whittled down to five in the final nominations.
For a category that has yet to produce a female winner, we have three in the running for nominations — Alice Brooks for “Wicked: For Good,” coming one year after nabbing her first ASC nom, a surprise inclusion of Amy Vincent for “Song Sung Blue” and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who many deem as the early frontrunner for “Sinners.”
Many of the other usual suspects are among the tally, such as “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “One Battle After Another” and the spectacularly shot “Train Dreams.”
Some of the other surprises, along with “Song Sung Blue,” were the Jennifer Lawrence vehicle “Die My Love” with its legendary DP Seamus McGarvey, and the absolutely thrilling “Sirât.”
- Documentary Feature
The documentary feature shortlist included several expected heavy hitters. “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” “The Alabama Solution,” “Apocalypse in the Tropics” and “Come See Me in the Good Light” were all recognized by the Documentary Branch.
The list also delivered a few bold surprises that shifted the tone of the season.
Films such as “Cover-Up,” “My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow,” “Seeds” and “The Perfect Neighbor” held their ground from earlier projections, signaling a growing consensus around socially driven, topical storytelling.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of more independently distributed titles like “Holding Liat” and “Yanuni” reflected a refreshing openness among voters to champion under-the-radar voices over more commercially backed campaigns.
Notable omissions from the lineup include Kahlil Joseph’s formally daring “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions,” Kim A. Snyder’s timely “The Librarians” and Raoul Peck’s sweeping political exploration “Orwell: 2+2=5.”
Fifteen films will advance to the next round out of the 201 that were eligible in the category.
Members of the Documentary Branch will vote to determine the final five nominees.
- Documentary Short Film
Fifteen films will advance in the documentary short film category for the 98th Oscars.
Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.
- International Feature
The international feature shortlist delivered a geographically diverse slate that balances established auteurs with emerging voices, while major distributors like Neon continue to dominate the conversation with five titles making the cut.
The roster of contenders aligned almost identically with predictions, though Switzerland’s “Late Shift” emerged as a notable surprise.
It secured a spot many expected would go to the United Kingdom’s “My Father’s Shadow” — particularly after its strong Gotham Award win for leading performer Sopé Dìrísù.
Critical acclaim and festival momentum don’t always translate to Academy recognition, especially in a category known for its unpredictability.
Neon’s impressive five-film presence (“The Secret Agent,” “Sirât,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “Sentimental Value,” and “No Other Choice”) shows the distributor is gearing up for a bloodbath of its own in the international space.
Tunisia’s masterful “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is in the running for a spot after the Golden Globe nom.
Additionally, streaming giants Netflix (“Left-Handed Girl”) and Amazon MGM Studios (“Belén”) maintain their competitive footing.
Watermelon Pictures makes dual representation with entries from Jordan (“All That’s Left of You”) and Palestine (“Palestine 36”), highlighting the continued push for representation from Middle Eastern cinema on the global stage.
The international feature film category drew 86 eligible submissions from countries and regions around the world.
The Academy defines an international feature film as a feature-length picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the U.S. with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting, though eligibility required meeting a minimum viewing requirement.
In the nominations round, members from all branches may opt in to participate but must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
From this shortlist of 15 titles, five films will advance to the final nomination ballot.
- Makeup and Hairstyling
The makeup and hairstyling shortlist proved to be one of the season’s most delightfully unpredictable categories, mixing expected blockbuster contenders with scrappier independent fare that managed to muscle its way into the conversation.
Barry Levinson’s first-quarter crime drama “The Alto Knights” raised eyebrows as an early-year entry that successfully maintained momentum through a crowded awards season.
However, the real cause for celebration came from the offices of IFC and Toho — two indie distributors that pulled off impressive campaigns to secure spots for the Norwegian body horror entry “The Ugly Stepsister” and the Japanese drama “Kokuho” (which also made the international feature shortlist).
Also breaking through were Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” featuring Timothée Chalamet’s transformative unibrow work, and “Nuremberg,” anchored by Russell Crowe’s intense portrayal of a Nazi prisoner.
The race ahead looks remarkably wide open.
While Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” appears to be the only lock for a nomination — given the branch’s historic affinity for creature features and period horror — the remaining four slots are genuinely anyone’s game.
Ten films will advance in the makeup and hairstyling category for the 98th Academy Awards.
All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films in January before casting their final nomination ballots.
- Original Score
Three women earned spots on the original score shortlist, including current Music Branch governor Lesley Barber for “Diane Warren: Relentless,” Oscar nominee Laura Karpman for “Captain America: Brave New World” and Academy Award winner Hildur Guðnadóttir for “Hedda.”
The list featured several inspired choices, notably Kangding Ray’s haunting work on “Sirât” and Nathan Johnson’s inventive score for “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.”
Among the more unexpected selections were Brian Tyler’s “Nuremberg,” signaling a strong overall showing for the film, and Aaron Zigman’s “Truth and Treason,” a historical drama from Angel Studios based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener.
Twenty films will advance in the original score category from an eligible field of 135 submissions—the lowest number in a decade.
Members of the Music Branch will vote to determine both the shortlist and the final nominees.
Among the scores that were either not submitted or deemed ineligible: “After the Hunt” (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), “Blue Moon” (Graham Reynolds), “Ella McCay” (Hans Zimmer), “KPop Demon Hunters” (Marcelo Zarvos), and “The Phoenician Scheme” (Alexandre Desplat).
- Original Song
The original song finalists hit every note on the emotional and sonic spectrum. With only 68 songs eligible — marking the lowest tally in over a decade — the 15 advancing tracks represent a concentrated mix of prestige, star power and surprise.
Among the heavyweights: Nine Inch Nails’ brooding “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” from “Tron: Ares” electrifies the list alongside Miley Cyrus’ soaring “Dream As One” from “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
Stephen Schwartz pulls off a rare double placement with “The Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home” from “Wicked: For Good,” while perennial Oscar contender Diane Warren returns with yet another entry, “Dear Me.” But it’s not all familiar faces. Indie charmers like “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” (from Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile) and “Train Dreams” (Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner) bring poetic intimacy.
“Sinners,” which storms in with two shortlisted songs, signaling the film’s ambitions aren’t just to get nominated but to get gold.
Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
- Animated Short Film
“Retirement Plan” (Antidote Films) — dir. John Kelly
“The Shyness of Trees” (Gobelins, l’Ecole de l’Image) — dir. Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck Du Plessis D’Argentré, Lina Han, Simin He, Jiaxin Huang, Maud Le Bras, Bingqing Shu
In the nominations round, Academy members from the Animation Branch and the Short Films Branch may opt in to vote.
Eligible members must view all 15 shortlisted films to cast a vote.
- Live Action Short Film
Fifteen films will advance in the live-action short film category for the Oscars.
Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary voting round, provided they met the minimum viewing requirement.
In the nominations round, members may opt in to vote and must view all 15 shortlisted films.
Starring Jeremy Allen White as the Boss, the film is written for the Screen and directed by Scott Cooper, based on the book “Deliver Me from Nowhere.”
- Sound
The category is a symphony of chaos (in all the best ways).
“One Battle After Another” earns its spot with gritty, ground-level realism, where every explosion and anguished scream is meticulously orchestrated for visceral emotional impact, pulling audiences directly into the fog of battle.
Meanwhile, “Sinners” continues its awards momentum with a sound mix that’s equal parts operatic and ominous, creating an unsettling sonic atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll.
Among the coolest inclusion of the decade is “Sirât,” a more meditative international entry that proves sound excellence isn’t exclusive to English-language blockbusters.
In the music-driven lane, “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” turns up the volume with soulful studio sessions and stadium-worthy acoustics that capture The Boss at his most intimate and anthemic.
And it would have been foolish to count out “Wicked: For Good,” which enchants with a masterful blend of soaring vocals from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, lush orchestrations and magical effects that make Oz feel tactile and alive.
“Superman” flies in with thunderous heroics. You can hear every punch, crash and sonic boom in a mix that makes you feel like you’re soaring alongside the Man of Steel. There’s also “F1,” a full-throttle contender where sound practically becomes a character, immersing viewers in the roar of engines and the split-second tension of race day. “Frankenstein” takes a starkly different route, combining gothic atmosphere and eerie silence.
Action enthusiasts and Tom Cruise devotees can rest easy as “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” has landed on the list, a fitting recognition for what’s the franchise’s final chapter. It’s also no surprise to see “Avatar: Fire and Ash” here, with James Cameron once again demonstrating his unparalleled ability to make the soundscape of Pandora feel as immersive and alive as the world itself.
All eligible members of the Sound Branch will vote to determine the shortlist and the final nominees. In January, members will be invited to view excerpts from each shortlisted film.
Branch members will vote to nominate five films for Oscar consideration.
- Visual Effects
Let’s touch down with the obvious juggernaut: “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
James Cameron’s VFX empire rolls on with another eye-popping Na’vi saga that seems destined to go deep into Oscar territory. But it won’t have the field to itself. Netflix’s “The Electric State” buzzes with post-apocalyptic charm and robot-powered spectacle, proving the streamer continues to push the envelope.
“F1” brings the roar of engines and digital precision to the track with photoreal race sequences that had audiences wondering what was real and what wasn’t. And speaking of lifelike illusions, “Frankenstein” blends practical effects and CGI.
There’s also “Jurassic World Rebirth,” reminding us that you can’t keep a good dinosaur franchise extinct for long. Meanwhile, “The Lost Bus” takes a quieter, more emotionally resonant approach to VFX, using subtle digital work to elevate a grounded story. It’s a wildcard, but a worthy one.
Also in the field are “Sinners” and “Superman,” both flying high with explosive visuals and world-crushing stakes.
“Sinners” surprised many by showing off VFX depth beyond genre expectations, while “Superman” swoops in with the kind of cape-flapping grandeur DC fans crave.
Rounding out the list are two stunners: “Tron: Ares,” with its neon-soaked cyber-dreamscapes and “Wicked: For Good,” which proves that musical magic can be just as technically impressive as space battles and superpowers.
The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the 10-film shortlist.
In January, all members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and artist interviews from each shortlisted film. Branch members will then vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
Follow the latest news on Google News
