The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is set to announce this year’s Oscar nominations later today, with Leonardo DiCaprio’s politically themed thriller One Battle After Another widely expected to top the shortlist across multiple categories, , reports Baltimore Chronicle via BBC. The nominations will be revealed from 13:30 GMT and are expected to reflect a year in which prestige dramas outperformed several high-profile box office sequels.
Industry analysts and awards watchers point to One Battle After Another as a likely frontrunner, both for best picture and across acting categories. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio alongside Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, with the unusually large ensemble placing the production in contention for a significant share of the available acting slots. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film follows a former revolutionary who reunites with his former allies in an attempt to rescue his daughter after she is abducted by a white supremacist group. Despite strong critical reception, the film reportedly struggled to break even financially, underscoring a recurring divide between awards recognition and box office performance.
Vampire-themed horror film Sinners is also considered a serious contender, particularly in the acting categories. Michael B. Jordan is among those expected to feature prominently in the best actor race, while British actress Wunmi Mosaku is viewed as a leading candidate for a supporting actress nomination after securing recognition during the awards season and appearing on the Bafta longlist.
Irish performers are forecast to have a stronger showing than their British counterparts this year, largely due to Hamnet, the screen adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel. Jessie Buckley is regarded as a favourite in the best actress category, while Paul Mescal is expected to receive a supporting actor nomination. By contrast, British actors had a limited presence during earlier awards events, with only Cynthia Erivo for Wicked: For Good and Emily Blunt for The Smashing Machine nominated at the Golden Globes, and neither is widely predicted to be recognised by the Academy. If no British actors are nominated, it would mark the first absence of UK nominees in acting categories since 1986.
Several major studio releases that dominated the global box office are expected to receive fewer nominations than previous entries in their franchises. Wicked: For Good and Avatar: Fire and Ash were among the highest-grossing films of the year, with the latter surpassing $1bn worldwide. However, Wicked’s second instalment received a more muted critical response, while the third Avatar film is thought to face diminishing awards momentum amid franchise fatigue and director James Cameron’s limited engagement with traditional Oscar campaigning.
The best actor category is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years, featuring a concentration of established Hollywood names. Alongside DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet is considered a frontrunner for his role in Marty Supreme, with Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia) also expected to contend. At the same time, several prominent actors who headlined films during the year are forecast to miss out, including Julia Roberts (After The Hunt), George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy), as their campaigns lost traction in recent weeks.
Attention is also focused on potential first-time nominees. Younger performers such as Chase Infiniti, Elle Fanning and Jacob Elordi are all seen as possible newcomers to the Academy Awards. Among more established actors, Rose Byrne, Wagner Moura, Joel Edgerton and Stellan Skarsgård could receive their first nominations despite decades-long careers. Adam Sandler is also considered a strong candidate for Jay Kelly, which would mark his first Academy Award nomination following a career historically associated more with box office success and Razzie Awards than with Oscar recognition.
Several veteran performers may return to the Oscars conversation after long absences. Amy Madigan is tipped for a supporting actress nomination for her role in the horror film Weapons, which would be her first Academy nod since 1986. Kate Hudson could be nominated for Song Sung Blue, her first potential recognition since Almost Famous 25 years ago, while a nomination for Benicio Del Toro would be his first in more than two decades.
This year also introduces a structural change to the awards, with the Academy debuting a new category for best casting. Many of the films expected to compete for best picture are also anticipated to feature prominently in this category. The Academy has confirmed that an additional category recognising best stunt design will be introduced from 2028, following a model already used by the Actor Awards.
In the animated feature race, Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is widely regarded as the leading contender. The film, centred on a girl band that battles demons outside of their music career, was one of the platform’s biggest hits of the year and is also expected to dominate the best original song category with the track Golden. The film is forecast to outperform even Zootopia 2, which grossed more than $1bn globally.
The Academy is also implementing a new voting requirement this year, obliging members to confirm that they have watched the films they are voting on. Voters must either view eligible titles via the Academy’s streaming platform or submit proof of a cinema screening, a move intended to increase transparency and credibility in the voting process.
The nominations will be announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman and will be streamed on the Academy’s official website and social media platforms. The announcement is expected to last around 20 minutes, beginning at 13:30 GMT, with a scheduled break for US broadcaster ABC.
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