For the first time in its history, the Critics Choice Association has released official shortlists across 11 artisan categories, spotlighting the creative teams whose technical and behind-the-scenes work shaped some of the year’s most acclaimed films.
These categories — often referred to as below-the-line, a term used in the industry for the crafts departments that execute everything audiences see and hear on screen — include cinematography, editing, production design, sound, visual effects, costume design, stunt design, and more.
The new format brings the Critics Choice Awards closer to guild and Oscars-style recognition and arrives just as nomination voting begins. More than 500 CCA members received ballots this week, with each artisan category set to produce six official nominees.
And one film stood above the rest.
‘Sinners’ Dominates With 13 Mentions
Warner Bros.’ Sinners emerged as the year’s technical powerhouse, appearing in all 11 categories — the only film to do so — including cinematography, costume design, editing, production design, sound, visual effects, hair and makeup, and stunt design. The music-driven drama also secured three spots in Best Original Song for “I Lied to You,” “Last Time (I Seen the Sun),” and “Pale, Pale Moon.”
Following closely behind with nine mentions each were Netflix’s Frankenstein, Apple’s racing drama F1, and Universal’s Wicked: For Good. Each made strong showings across sound, editing, production design, visual effects, and music.
Warner Bros. led all studios with 31 total shortlist mentions, followed by Netflix (21), A24 (12), Focus Features (10), and Neon (9).
Several anticipated December releases — including James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash — were not screened in time to be considered. However, each artisan category includes one open write-in slot for eligible late-year films.
CCA nomination ballots are due in early December, and full nominations for the 31st Critics Choice Awards will be announced Dec. 5. Chelsea Handler returns as host for the Jan. 4, 2026 ceremony, airing on E! and USA Network.
Below are the complete shortlists across all 11 below-the-line categories.
Best Casting and Ensemble
- Susanne Scheel – A House of Dynamite (Netflix)
- Nina Gold – Hamnet (Focus Features)
- Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold – Jay Kelly (Netflix)
- Rich Delia – The Long Walk (Lionsgate)
- Jennifer Venditti – Marty Supreme (A24)
- No Other Choice (Neon)
- Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
- Rebecca Dealy – The Plague (IFC)
- Kei Kawamura, Yumi Takada – Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures)
- Gabriel Domingues – The Secret Agent (Neon)
- Francine Maisler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
- Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Best Cinematography
- Anthony Dod Mantle – 28 Years Later (Sony Pictures)
- Claudio Miranda – F1 (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.)
- Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein (Netflix)
- Łukasz Żal – Hamnet (Focus Features)
- Linus Sandgren – Jay Kelly (Netflix)
- Darius Khondji – Marty Supreme (A24)
- Kim Woo-hyung – No Other Choice (Neon)
- David Chambille – Nouvelle Vague (Netflix)
- Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
- Steven Breckon – The Plague (IFC)
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
- Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams (Netflix)
Best Production Design
- Jeremy Hindle, David Schlesinger – A House of Dynamite (Netflix)
- Ben Munro, Mark Tildesley, Reynan Castro Del Rosario, Andrew McCarthy, Véronique Melery – F1
- Kasra Farahani, Jille Azis – The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel Studios)
- Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Frankenstein (Netflix)
- Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton – Hamnet (Focus Features)
- Cara Brower, Stella Fox – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Marty Supreme (A24)
- Ryu Seong-hie – No Other Choice (Neon)
- Inbal Weinberg, Kendall Anderson – Roofman (Paramount Pictures)
- Jørgen Stangebye Larsen, Catrine Gormsen – Sentimental Value (Neon)
- Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
- Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Best Editing
- Kirk Baxter – A House of Dynamite
- Stephen Mirrione – F1
- Evan Schiff – Frankenstein
- Chloé Zhao, Affonso Gonçalves – Hamnet
- Amir Etminan – It Was Just an Accident
- Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Kim Sang-bum, Kim Ho-bin – No Other Choice
- Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another
- Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor
- Michael P. Shawver – Sinners
- Bob Ducsay – Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
- Joe Murphy – Weapons
Best Costume Design
- Alexandra Byrne – The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Kate Hawley – Frankenstein
- Malgosia Turzanska – Hamnet
- Lindsay Pugh – Hedda
- Colleen Atwood – Kiss of the Spider Woman
- Miyako Bellizzi – Marty Supreme
- Colleen Atwood – One Battle After Another
- Rita Azevedo – The Secret Agent
- Ruth E. Carter – Sinners
- Ernesto Martinez – Song Sung Blue
- Małgorzata Karpiuk – The Testament of Ann Lee
- Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good
Best Hair and Makeup
- 28 Years Later
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- Hedda
- Kiss of the Spider Woman
- Kokuho
- Sinners
- The Smashing Machine
- Superman
- The Ugly Stepsister
- Weapons
- Wicked: For Good
Best Visual Effects
- F1
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Frankenstein
- How to Train Your Dragon
- Mickey 17
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- Predator: Badlands
- Sinners
- Sketch
- Superman
- Tron: Ares
- Wicked: For Good
Best Stunt Design
- Ballerina
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- One Battle After Another
- Predator: Badlands
- Sinners
- The Smashing Machine
- Superman
- Thunderbolts
- Warfare
- Wicked: For Good
Best Song
- “Clothed by the Sun” – The Testament of Ann Lee
- “Dear Me” – Diane Warren: Relentless
- “Drive” – F1
- “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
- “Lose My Mind” – F1
- “No Place Like Home” – Wicked: For Good
- “Pale, Pale Moon” – Sinners
- “Train Dreams” – Train Dreams
Best Score
- Volker Bertelmann – A House of Dynamite
- Jerskin Fendrix – Bugonia
- Hans Zimmer – F1
- Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein
- Max Richter – Hamnet
- Hildur Guðnadóttir – Hedda
- Daniel Lopatin – Marty Supreme
- Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another
- Johan Lenox – The Plague
- Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
- Kangding Ray – Sirāt
- Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares
Best Sound
- A House of Dynamite
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- The Lost Bus
- One Battle After Another
- Sinners
- Sirāt
- Superman
- Warfare
- Wicked: For Good