The path toward the 98th Academy Awards is finally beginning to take shape, and the inaugural hard cut has finally been made. It occurred on December 16, 2025, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued its shortlists for 12 categories, allowing for greater accuracy regarding which films will survive the extended awards season that now looms for these movies.
Of these, only two have stood out at this stage, and these would be Wicked: For Good and Sinners, which are both under the direction of Ryan Coogler and both of which have been noticed in seven or eight categories. Close on their heels would also be the technically acclaimed Frankenstein, which re-established itself, yet again, as the leader in craftsmanship with its appearance on six shortlists.
Why Wicked and Sinners are pulling ahead
The gap between the two leading competitors is vast. The second half of Universal’s massive musical offering, Wicked: For Good, is swimming along in apparent Academy-friendly waters. Its lineup in Visual Effects, Sound, and Original Song puts it solidly on course to become a technical giant, with two of its musical offerings already progressing past the cut-off line. It is an awesome showing of inter-Golden Slate support for a sequel at this early date.
Sinners, on the other hand, is actually trending in a fairly unconventional manner as well. Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller was set to lead every discussion regarding the box office and its respective genre, and although it is set to perform admirably in a number of categories, including Cinematography and the new category of Best Casting, it is a testament to the fact that it is to be considered seriously as a work of art and not merely a cultural phenomenon, which is a definite requirement for any movie nominated in the category of Best Picture.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein runs along a well-trodden but difficult path. The Gothic production values, the extensive make-up, and the epic soundtrack ensure that the film appears on a yearly basis in the various technical categories at the Academy Awards, thus establishing Del Toro’s reputation within the technical membership of the Academy.
The announcement of this year’s shortlists is also noteworthy in that it follows the inclusion of Best Casting as a category that has already demonstrated its ability to uncover a crop of films that could go on to use this nomination as a springboard to other categories, such as acting. These films include Sinners, Wicked: For Good, Hamnet, and Marty Supreme.
But further reducing the field will be the “bake-off” screenings that are scheduled to take place in the Visual Effects and Makeup and Hairstyling categories on January 10. These events have a history of being turning points that turn certain films into clear favorites after the work in progress has left an impression on the voters. Historically, those films that gain broad technical support nominations relatively early in the voting process, as opposed to having a peak in one spot specifically, will ultimately have the best hope of making it into the running for the Best Picture nominations. At this point, the film that best appears to be following this model is Sinners and Wicked: For Good. The nomination voting will take place in mid-January, while the ceremony itself will be held on March 15th.
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
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 A–!
- 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
Listed alphabetically by country:
- 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
Key Dates for the 98th Oscars
- Nominations Voting: January 12–16, 2026
- Nominations Announcement: January 22, 2026
- 98th Academy Awards Ceremony: March 15, 2026
- Location: Dolby Theatre, Ovation Hollywood
- Broadcast: Live on ABC worldwide
