Best Picture Nominees 2026: Behind the Scenes of the Oscars Race

Director Ryan Coogler, known for his innovative approach, once creatively customized drinks at the movie theatre as a child. This playful spirit mirrors the genre-bending nature of his latest film, a best picture contender that seamlessly blends vampire horror with the soulful sounds of 1930s Mississippi blues.

The 2026 Oscars promise a thrilling showdown, with several categories incredibly close. Alongside Coogler’s film, One Battle After Another is a strong frontrunner, making this a genuinely exciting year for the awards.

17 Fascinating Facts About the 2026 Oscar Nominees

1. Box Office Titans: Zootopia 2 leads the pack as the highest-grossing nominated film, earning a staggering $1.86 billion worldwide. Interestingly, it’s known as Zootropolis in Europe due to a prior trademark registration by Givskud Zoo in Denmark. Other box office successes include Avatar: Fire & Ash ($1.48 billion) and the racing thriller F1 ($632 million).
2. Emma Stone’s Record-Breaking Year: At 37, Emma Stone has become the youngest woman to achieve seven Oscar nominations, surpassing Meryl Streep. She’s also the only actress with her first five nominations all for best picture contenders.
3. Frankenstein’s Long Journey: A remarkable 207 years separate Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein from Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 Netflix adaptation – one of the longest gaps between source material and film in Oscar history.
4. A Cinematic Destiny: Chase Infiniti, the breakout star of One Battle After Another, was seemingly destined for a film career. Her name is a tribute to Nicole Kidman’s character in Batman Forever and Buzz Lightyear’s iconic phrase.
5. Miriam Margolyes’ Long-Awaited Recognition: Miriam Margolyes receives her first Oscar nomination for A Friend of Dorothy, a best live action short. She feels she was previously overlooked, particularly for her role in Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence.
6. Director-Actor Loyalty: Four lead acting nominees are collaborating with their long-term directors, showcasing strong creative partnerships.
7. Jessie Buckley’s Potential Breakthrough: Jessie Buckley could become the first Irish actress to win best actress, having already secured wins at the Critics Choice, Golden Globe, Bafta, and Actor Awards.
8. Brad Pitt’s Surprise Nomination: Brad Pitt’s F1 earned a best picture nomination despite lacking nods for directing, screenplay, or acting – a rare feat last seen with Beauty and the Beast in 1991.
9. KPop Demon Hunters’ Double Threat: The Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters is a favourite to win both best animated feature and best original song for “Golden” by Huntr/x.
10. Solo Nominations: Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, and Amy Madigan each received the sole nomination for their respective films, a challenging position with a low success rate.
11. Timothée Chalamet’s Rising Star Status: Timothée Chalamet is the youngest actor since Marlon Brando to earn three Oscar nominations for acting.
12. Norwegian Representation: Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas are both nominated for Sentimental Value, marking only the third and fourth Oscar nominations for Norwegian actors.
13. DiCaprio and De Niro’s Legacy: One Battle After Another marks Leonardo DiCaprio’s 12th best picture nomination, tying him with Robert De Niro.
14. Wagner Moura’s International Impact: Wagner Moura joins an exclusive group of best actor nominees from films primarily spoken in languages other than English.
15. Oscars Comeback Trail: Kate Hudson and Benicio del Toro are nominated after 25 and 22 years, respectively, while Amy Madigan receives her second nomination after a 40-year gap.
16. Delroy Lindo’s Unexpected Nod: Delroy Lindo’s nomination for best supporting actor came without prior recognition from the Bafta, Golden Globe, or Actor Awards – a rare occurrence.
17. Shakespeare Meets Soap Opera: The film Hamnet features a piece of music, “On The Nature of Daylight,” also used in an episode of the British soap opera EastEnders, creating a unique cultural crossover.

The Academy Awards take place on Sunday (15 March). Pavel Talankin’s film Mr Nobody Against Putin has already won a Bafta and is now competing for an Oscar. The event, in its fifth year, is hailed a success after more than 80 films were shown in nine days.

As the final days approach, the BBC film critics offer their expert predictions for the winners. Screenwriter Chris Chibnall is also curating a film festival in Bridport and will be writing and directing a new comedy, The Popinjay Cavalier.

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