Oscar nominations: Sinners breaks Academy record with 16 nods and Kpop Demon Hunters shines bright

Dubai: Ryan Coogler’s genre-defying drama Sinners has secured a whopping 16 Oscar nominations this morning, the most ever for a single film, surpassing the previous record held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).

The nominations highlight the film’s strength across major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director and Original Screenplay for Coogler, Best Lead Actor for Michael B. Jordan, and Supporting nods for Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku. Its performance positions it as a serious contender alongside presumed front-runner One Battle After Another, which trails closely with double-digit nominations and major wins at the Critics Choice and Golden Globe Awards.

Released in April, Sinners quickly became the highest-grossing domestic film in 15 years — a milestone not seen since Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Despite initial industry skepticism and controversy, the film emerged as the theatrical phenomenon of the spring in North America, winning over critics and audiences alike while generating substantial awards buzz for its cast and crew.

Coogler’s track record has been stellar, from his indie debut Fruitvale Station to franchise successes Creed and Black Panther.

Entering this awards season, he had two prior Oscar nominations: for producing Judas and the Black Messiah and co-writing the song “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Sinners marks his first nominations for directing and screenplay, making him only the seventh Black filmmaker nominated for Best Director — the last being Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman in 2019.

Michael B. Jordan earns his first Oscar nomination for his dual roles as twins Smoke and Stack Moore, completing a full-circle moment from his first lead role in Coogler’s Fruitvale Station 12 years ago.

Supporting actors Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku also receive their first nominations, while behind-the-scenes veterans such as costume designer Ruth E. Carter and composer Ludwig Göransson return to the race after prior wins for Coogler’s Black Panther films.

Netflix hit Demon Hunters are also enjoying a moment in the Oscars sun.

Key Nominations

Best Picture

• Bugonia

• F1

• Frankenstein

• Hamnet

• Marty Supreme

• One Battle After Another

• The Secret Agent

• Sentimental Value

• Sinners

• Train Dreams

Actress in a Leading Role

• Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

• Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

• Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

• Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

• Emma Stone, Bugonia

Actor in a Leading Role

• Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

• Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

• Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

• Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

• Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value

• Amy Madigan, Weapons

• Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

• Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

• Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another

• Delroy Lindo, Sinners

• Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

• Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

Best Original Screenplay

• Blue Moon

• It Was Just An Accident

• Marty Supreme

• Sentimental Value

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Bugonia

• Frankenstein

• Hamnet

• One Battle After Another

• Train Dreams