Oscars 2026: A Split Year, A Historic Night, and a Race We’ll Never Stop Debating
It’s been a long season, but the 2026 Oscars have finally happened, closing out one of the most competitive and exciting awards races in recent memory. This was a benchmark year for cinema, defined by a razor-thin Best Picture race, major industry milestones, and a ceremony that balanced reverence with genuine celebration. While many outcomes followed the expected trajectory, a handful of surprises, historic wins, and long-overdue recognitions ensured the night felt anything but predictable.
The Race
As anticipated, the race ultimately came down to Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Both films emerged as dominant forces throughout the season and each walked away with multiple Oscars. In the end, One Battle After Another claimed Best Picture, a victory that feels both deserved and destined to be debated for years to come. This was the rare kind of split year where there was no wrong answer, only differing visions of excellence.
Horror Breaks Through
If any group truly “won” Oscar night, though, it was horror fans. The Academy has long been criticised for its reluctance to embrace the genre, but this year marked a clear shift. Horror films earned eight nominations, including major acting wins from Michael B. Jordan in Best Actor (Sinners) and Amy Madigan in Supporting Actress (Weapons). Whether this signals a lasting change remains to be seen, but for now, it feels like a long-overdue crack in the Academy’s genre bias.
Surprises
The first major surprise of the night came with the inaugural casting award, which went to One Battle After Another (Cassandra Kulukundis) instead of the heavily favoured Sinners, which had swept the precursors and critics prizes. As this was the first year for the category, it will be fascinating to see how it aligns with Best Picture moving forward.
Cinematography also defied expectations. After dominating the guild awards, One Battle After Another seemed like a lock, but the Oscar instead went to Sinners.
Then came one of the most unexpected moments of the night: a tie. For the first time in 14 years, two winners were announced in Best Live Action Short Film, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award.
In Documentary Feature, Mr Nobody Against Putin triumphed over The Perfect Neighbour, a Netflix-driven breakout that many had predicted would take the prize after becoming the only documentary to truly penetrate the cultural conversation.
Records Broken
History was made across multiple categories. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win Best Cinematography, and only the fourth ever nominated, delivering one of the most moving speeches of the night as she asked all the women in the audience to stand.
Amy Madigan set a remarkable record for the longest gap between a first nomination and a first win, a 40-year span dating back to Twice in a Lifetime in 1986.
Diane Warren extended her unique Oscars legacy with a 17th nomination without a win, continuing her streak as the Academy’s most consistent near-miss in the Original Song category.
Warner Bros. tied the all-time record for most wins by a studio, taking home 11 awards. It’s an achievement that feels slightly bittersweet given the studio’s impending sale to Paramount following such a dominant year both financially and critically.
Jessie Buckley also made history, becoming the first Irish woman to win Best Actress, marking a significant moment for Irish cinema on the global stage.
The Ceremony
The ceremony itself struck a rare tonal balance. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the show leaned into a genuine love of movies rather than easy cynicism, allowing the films to remain the focus. The In Memoriam segment stood out as one of the strongest in years, particularly a tribute for Rob Reiner that brought together collaborators from across his career in a deeply moving moment.
Perhaps most satisfying of all was seeing Paul Thomas Anderson finally recognised by the Academy after decades of near-misses, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners still walked away as one of the night’s most celebrated films. With two towering contenders at the centre of the race, there was never a definitive “correct” winner.
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