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The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, which will be held on March 15, 2026, brought a whole avalanche of moments that do not leave anyone indifferent. In particular, the fact that not a single film about the events in Ukraine that was presented in the long list – among which is the film of Oscar winner Mstislav Chernov “2000 Meters to Andriyivka” – made it to the list.
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The 2026 Oscar favorites were “The Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” – they received 16 and 13 nominations respectively, while some actors, for example, Paul Mescal, who played Shakespeare in the drama “Hamnet”, did not make it to the list of nominees. Here are some surprises and disappointments from this year's awards that the entire cinematographic world is talking about.
Disappointment: Ariana Grande didn't receive a nomination for “Charmed”
Not long ago, right after the release of the Wicked sequel, it seemed that Glinda was confidently walking towards the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Last year she was very close – and this season looked like her finest hour. But everything did not go according to plan: the film did not find support from either the audience or the critics.
On the morning of the nominations, it became clear that Wicked: For Good didn't win a single one. (The original Wicked, remember, had ten.) Once considered a near-guaranteed top-ten contender, the film even missed out on such “technical” categories as art direction and costume design—the same ones where the film had won before and where it was predicted to triumph this time. It also missed out on cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, original song (for two new songs, “The Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home”), and a nomination for Cynthia Erivo. Absolutely stunning.
Surprise: Elle Fanning – nominated for “Sentimental Value”
It's hard to believe, but Elle Fanning has never been nominated for an Oscar. When the competition in the supporting actress category intensified, it seemed that history would repeat itself. But, fortunately, this did not happen: Fanning was nominated for an extremely subtle and sensual role in Joachim Trier's Norwegian family drama. The film received a total of nine nominations, including for best picture.
Surprise: Kate Hudson nominated for “Love Song”
If Ariana Grande's absence was a disappointment at the ceremony, the biggest surprise was undoubtedly the appearance of the experienced actress on the list of nominees. Hudson was last nominated for an Oscar a quarter of a century ago, for “Almost Famous.”
Her musical about a Neil Diamond tribute band has been slowly gaining traction with the academy, and there's been talk that she could be shortlisted – having already been nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award – but seeing her name among the nominees for Best Actress is still a pleasant surprise.
Disappointment: Paul Mescal didn't get a nomination for “Hamnet”
“Hamnet” came to the Oscars on the heels of its success at the Golden Globes, where it beat “The Sinners” in the best drama category. In total, the film received a respectable eight nominations, but it missed out on the nominations for “cinematography” and “editing” – the latter category traditionally considered a key indicator of a win in the “Best Picture” category.
Paul Mescal, who was almost unanimously considered a guaranteed nominee for the role of the gloomy William Shakespeare, was also left out of the list. However, the Irish favorite already has a nomination under his belt (for Aftersun in 2023) and will undoubtedly appear in this race more than once. Especially since the role of Paul McCartney is ahead.
As for “Hamnet's” overall chances, this could indicate a shift in the balance of power: “Sinners” will come in second place in the race for best picture behind “One Battle After Another,” while “Hamnet” will fall back to third place.
Disappointment: Guillermo del Toro didn't get a nomination for “Frankenstein”
Kudos to the Mexican master, a three-time Oscar winner, who launched a truly titanic campaign around his controversial film “Frankenstein.” He managed to guide it from its premiere in Venice to the status of a full-fledged award contender – thanks to endless interviews, events and screenings.
The result is nine nominations. But the irony of fate turned out to be cruel: the director himself did not get into the “Best Director” category, despite the presence of the film in the nominations for “Best Picture” and “Best Adapted Screenplay”. A victory there is unlikely, but, knowing del Toro, he will direct all his energy to ensure that his team wins the maximum number of awards.
From Jacob Elordi in a supporting role to the technical categories — costumes, production design, and makeup — several wins look very real.
Surprise: “Bougonia”
Yorgos Lanthimos' sci-fi film could have easily gone without a single nomination. (Yes, at one time, “The Favourite” won the Oscar with nine nominations, “Poor Creatures” – four out of eleven, but “The Kindness of Kindness” was completely ignored by the Academy.)
But it seems like everyone still has a soft spot for the Greek provocateur. “Bugonia” received four nominations, including best picture and best actress for Emma Stone for her magnetic lead role. Jesse Plemons, long considered a potential contender for leading actor, was not nominated this time.
Disappointment: The absence of the film “It was just an accident” in the main nominations
It is worth considering the fate of Jafar Panahi, the Iranian dissident director and Palme d'Or winner who was recently sentenced to prison again after the international success of his dark comedy “It Was Just an Accident,” inspired by his own previous stint behind bars. The film, which until recently was considered a serious contender for the main award, ended up receiving only two nominations – for best international film and for original screenplay. Panahi himself, unfortunately, was left out of the nomination for best director.