Richard Roeper Predicts Oscars 2026 Winners, Forecasts Split Between Two Films

Richard Roeper released his Oscars 2026 predictions, picking One Battle After Another and Sinners to split the evening with five wins apiece. Voting for the awards closed Thursday at 8: 00 p. m. ET, a deadline that matters because many of the approximately 10, 000 Academy voters cast ballots in the final days.

Richard Roeper’s Predictions for Oscars 2026

Roeper projected that One Battle After Another and Sinners will each take five Academy Awards, and he forecast Frankenstein could win as many as four craft Oscars. He also named KPop Demon Hunters as the likely winner in both best animated feature and original song, and predicted nine other films or performances would win one award apiece.

Sinners’ Record 16 Nominations and the New Casting Category

Sinners leads the field with 16 nominations, setting a new record and surpassing films that previously had 14 nods each. The Academy added a best achievement in casting category this year, the first new category since best animated feature was introduced in 2001.

Where to Watch Nominees in Canada and Which Films Are Available

Canadian viewers looking to catch up can find almost all of the nominated films available to stream or rent; the roundup lists titles including Sinners, One Battle After Another, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, Hamnet and Wonderfully chaotic Marty Supreme’s listing. Notable performers across these nominees include Michael B. Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley and Stellan Skarsgård.

Availability notes in the roundup emphasize that most best picture contenders can be seen before the ceremony, giving audiences a chance to watch titles that earned the most attention: Sinners (16 nominations), Frankenstein (multiple craft-category hopes), and One Battle After Another (Roeper’s predicted five wins).

Voting began on Feb. 26 and closed later that week; the final-hours voting window is significant because actors form the largest voting bloc and late momentum from guild awards can affect outcomes. With ballots submitted by roughly 10, 000 voters, several major categories remained unsettled heading into the final vote.

The awards ceremony itself is expected next Sunday; exact start time for the ceremony has not been confirmed in ET.