What to watch on the road to the Academy Awards 2026
The road to the academy awards 2026 tightened this month as nominees finalized plans for the 98th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 15 at 7 p. m. ET at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. With nominees, presenters and producers lining up, the next few weeks will decide whether a front-runner holds or a late surge upends the race.
Nominees convened at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Feb. 10 for the annual Oscars luncheon, where they took the official class photo and mingled. Films singled out among this year’s contenders include Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Sinners and One Battle After Another.
The nominations were revealed in January, with several headline figures shaping attention: One Battle After Another picked up 13 nominations; Marty Supreme, Frankenstein and Sentimental Value each earned nine nominations; and Hamnet received eight nominations. Sinners has broken the long-standing record for the most Oscar nominations, surpassing films that held the previous high of 14 nominations apiece.
Conan O'Brien will host the ceremony for a second consecutive year; he told Good Morning America in January that there are “a lot of possibilities” for the show. The broadcast will air on ABC and stream on Hulu. Last year’s winners Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldaña are scheduled to return as presenters, and producers have said more talent will be announced in the coming weeks.
Academy Awards 2026: presenters and producers firm up the lineup
Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan announced a batch of presenters that will hit the Oscars stage, including Javier Bardem, Chris Evans, Chase Infiniti, Demi Moore, Kumail Nanjiani and Maya Rudolph. Producers also said additional names will be added ahead of the March 15 ceremony.
Nominees gathered in Beverly Hills ahead of March 15
The Feb. 10 luncheon doubled as a reunion for nominees, who traded congratulations and soaked in the moment as they posed for the official photograph. The event came weeks after nominations were posted in January and ahead of the Dolby Theatre show on March 15 at 7 p. m. ET/4 p. m. PT.
The late-season race: Sinners vs. One Battle After Another
As the race heads into its final act, pundits and guild results have focused attention on two heavy hitters. One Battle After Another has swept several major precursors, winning NBR, Critics’ Choice, the DGA and BAFTA — a run that made it the only film besides American Beauty and Slumdog Millionaire to claim that particular set of awards since SAG formed in 1994. That streak has framed conversations about whether a single film can carry through to Oscar night.
Meanwhile, chatter about a split outcome between Sinners and One Battle After Another has grown. Some observers are predicting Sinners for Best Picture and One Battle After Another for directing, with names like PTA and Coogler debated as likely winners in different categories. Commentary has noted that winning the PGA was considered a late-season hinge for momentum in some voters’ minds.
On the immediate calendar: nominees, presenters and producers will continue promotional appearances and the Academy will add more show talent in the weeks before March 15. The 98th Academy Awards will begin at 7 p. m. ET at the Dolby Theatre, where the winners for this year’s films will be announced and the season will reach its conclusion.
