The 98th Academy Awards delivered one of the most celebrated screenplay nights in recent memory. Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler each claimed their first-ever Oscar wins Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood — both honoring the art of writing for the screen at the 2026 Oscars.

Paul Thomas Anderson Wins Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another

Paul Thomas Anderson won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another, marking his first Academy Award win after years of nominations.

In his acceptance speech, Anderson paid tribute to novelist Thomas Pynchon, whose 1990 novel Vineland loosely inspired the film. He described the film as a personal message to his children, saying he wrote it "to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we're handing off to them," while expressing hope that the next generation would bring "common sense and decency."

The Best Adapted Screenplay award could be the first of several trophies for Anderson tonight, as he is also nominated for Best Director and Best Picture as a producer on the film. One Battle After Another had been an awards frontrunner since its September debut, driven by rave reviews and a growing sense that Anderson was long overdue for Academy recognition.

Ryan Coogler Wins Best Original Screenplay for Sinners

Ryan Coogler secured his first Academy Award as well, with Sinners winning Best Original Screenplay. During his speech, Coogler thanked the Academy for recognizing the film and praised his fellow nominees for the "gifts that your movies were."

He extended heartfelt thanks to Warner Bros., the cast and crew of Sinners, his producer Sev Ohanian, and his partner Zinzi Coogler, whom he called "the best mom and wife in the world." Coogler closed with a deeply personal note to his children: "I apologize for all the time away. Dad loves you. Memories are all we have."

Sinners also took home the Oscar for Best Original Score, awarded to composer Ludwig Göransson. The Ryan Coogler film entered the 2026 Oscars as the record-breaking top nominee, earning 16 nominations — the most in Oscars history — including Best Picture and Best Director.

One Battle After Another Dominates Early Awards Count

One Battle After Another has taken four awards so far at the 2026 Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Casting for Cassandra Kulukundis, and Best Film Editing for Andy Jurgensen.

Sean Penn was not in attendance to accept his Best Supporting Actor award. His win for One Battle After Another was noted as a record-setting moment at the ceremony. The Paul Thomas Anderson-directed film entered the night with 13 nominations and has been steadily building its total throughout the evening.

Where the 2026 Oscars Are Happening

The 98th Academy Awards are being held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O'Brien for the second consecutive year, airing live on ABC and Hulu beginning at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET) on Sunday, March 15.

Other notable early wins at the 2026 Oscars include Amy Madigan taking Best Supporting Actress for Weapons, KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature, and Frankenstein claiming three awards for costume design, makeup and hairstyling, and production design. Best Picture and Best Director remain among the top prizes still to be awarded as the ceremony continues.