The Academy has unveiled its shortlists in 12 categories for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards, and Sinners and Wicked: For Good have emerged as the clear early frontrunners.
Both films earned placements across every category in which they were eligible, making them the only two features to appear on all of their respective shortlists this year. Their strong showing spans technical, creative, and musical branches of the Academy, signaling broad support as awards season moves into its next phase.
The announcement also marks a milestone year for the Oscars, with the introduction of Best Casting as a competitive category and the Academy’s first-ever cinematography shortlist. The Academy confirmed that all 24 categories—including Casting—will be presented during the live ceremony, expanding the telecast from last year.
Oscar nomination voting runs from January 12 through January 16, 2026, with official nominations set to be announced on January 22. The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026, with Conan O’Brien returning to host.
Below, find the complete list of films shortlisted in each category.
CASTING
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sirât
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ballad of a Small Player
Bugonia
Die My Love
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Nouvelle Vague
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sirât
Song Sung Blue
Sound of Falling
Train Dreams
Wicked: For Good
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
The Alabama Solution
Apocalypse in the Tropics
Coexistence, My Ass!
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cover-Up
Cutting Through Rocks
Folktales
Holding Liat
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Mistress Dispeller
My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow
The Perfect Neighbor
Seeds
2000 Meters to Andriivka
Yanuni
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
All the Empty Rooms
All the Walls Came Down
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Bad Hostage
Cashing Out
Chasing Time
Children No More: Were and Are Gone
Classroom 4
The Devil Is Busy
Heartbeat
Last Days on Lake Trinity
On Healing Land, Birds Perch
Perfectly a Strangeness
Rovina’s Choice
We Were the Scenery
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Argentina — Belén
Brazil — The Secret Agent
France — It Was Just an Accident
Germany — Sound of Falling
India — Homebound
Iraq — The President’s Cake
Japan — Kokuho
Jordan — All That’s Left of You
Norway — Sentimental Value
Palestine — Palestine 36
South Korea — No Other Choice
Spain — Sirât
Switzerland — Late Shift
Taiwan — Left-Handed Girl
Tunisia — The Voice of Hind Rajab
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Ado
Amarela
Beyond Silence
The Boy with White Skin
Butcher’s Stain
Butterfly on a Wheel
Dad’s Not Home
Extremist
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
Pantyhose
The Pearl Comb
Rock, Paper, Scissors
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
The Alto Knights
Frankenstein
Kokuho
Marty Supreme
Nuremberg
One Battle After Another
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Wicked: For Good
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Bugonia
Captain America: Brave New World
Diane Warren: Relentless
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Hedda
A House of Dynamite
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
Nuremberg
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirât
Train Dreams
Tron: Ares
Truth and Treason
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Wicked: For Good
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” — Tron: Ares
“Dear Me” — Diane Warren: Relentless
“Dream As One” — Avatar: Fire and Ash
“Drive” — F1
“Dying To Live” — Billy Idol Should Be Dead
“The Girl In The Bubble” — Wicked: For Good
“Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters
“Highest 2 Lowest” — Highest 2 Lowest
“I Lied To You” — Sinners
“Last Time (I Seen The Sun)” — Sinners
“No Place Like Home” — Wicked: For Good
“Our Love” — The Ballad of Wallis Island
“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” — Come See Me in the Good Light
“Sweet Dreams Of Joy” — Viva Verdi!
“Train Dreams” — Train Dreams
SOUND
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Frankenstein
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirât
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Superman
Wicked: For Good
VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash
The Electric State
F1
Frankenstein
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Superman
Tron: Ares
Wicked: For Good
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Autokar
Butterfly
Cardboard
Éiru
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Hurikán
I Died in Irpin
The Night Boots
Playing God
The Quinta’s Ghost
Retirement Plan
The Shyness of Trees
Snow Bear
The Three Sisters