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Presenters Announced, Record Nominations Set Stage for 2026 Oscars on March 15

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  • TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release.
    TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release.
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    TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Source Full size
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  • TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release.
    TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release.
    Image: Newsweek
    TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Source Full size
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    Image: AP
    Source Full size

Presenters and Host Confirmed for March 15 Ceremony The Academy revealed that Best Actor winners Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison, together with supporting‑actor winners Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña, will present awards at the 98th Oscars on March 15, 2026 [1]. Conan O’Brien will host the live ABC broadcast at 7 p.m. Eastern/4 p.m. Pacific [1]. This group constitutes the first set of presenters announced for the ceremony [1].

“Sinners” Breaks Record with Sixteen Nominations Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners leads the field with a historic 16 nominations, surpassing the previous record of 14 [1][2]. The film is a frontrunner in Original Screenplay, Score, the newly created Achievement in Casting, and could deliver the first female win for Best Cinematography to Autumn Durald Arkapaw [2]. Its dominance underscores the competitive landscape ahead of the awards [1][2].

Top Acting Contenders Highlighted Across Categories Best Actor nominees include Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan and Wagner Moura, while Best Actress nominees feature Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Renate Reinsve, Emma Stone and Kate Hudson [1]. Newsweek notes Chalamet could become the youngest winner since Adrien Brody in 2003, and Buckley is a strong favorite for Best Actress [2]. Stellan Skarsgård is projected to secure a Supporting Actor nomination, despite competition from Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro [2].

Music and Technical Categories Feature New Milestones Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is expected to win a musical category thanks to its hit song “Golden” [2]. Ludwig Göransson’s blues‑infused score for Sinners receives particular praise, and the Academy introduced an Achievement in Casting award this year [2]. The potential first female cinematography win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw adds further historic significance to the ceremony [2].

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Timeline

Jan 4, 2026 – Critics’ Choice Awards take place in Santa Monica, where Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another wins Best Picture and Best Director, Timothée Chalamet wins Best Actor for Marty Supreme, and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners secures Best Original Screenplay and the inaugural Best Casting award, signaling early momentum for both films ahead of the Oscars[9].

Jan 7, 2026 – The Actor Awards announce their nominations, with One Battle After Another leading with a record seven acting nods (Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, etc.), while Sinners and Marty Supreme also earn major acting nominations and Kate Hudson surprises with a Lead Actress nod, reshaping Oscar expectations[5].

Jan 7, 2026 – A Critics’ Choice preview notes that the awards have set a “pre‑Oscar barometer,” with the Academy’s nomination window closing on Jan 16 and the Oscar voting deadline on Mar 5, underscoring the tight campaign calendar for studios[4].

Jan 16, 2026 – The Academy’s official nomination window closes, finalizing eligibility for the 98th Oscars and setting the stage for the upcoming January 22 announcement of nominees[4].

Jan 22, 2026 – The Academy announces the 98th Oscar nominations, with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners breaking the all‑time record by earning 16 nominations, “surpassing the previous 14‑nomination mark held by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land”[11][13].

Jan 22, 2026 – The new Achievement in Casting category debuts, boosting Sinners and One Battle After Another’s nomination totals and marking the first Oscar recognition for casting directors[3][8].

Jan 22, 2026 – Warner Bros. Discovery secures a studio‑record 33 nominations; CEO David Zaslav calls the haul a “golden moment” as the company navigates a potential all‑cash sale to Netflix, highlighting the shifting studio landscape[8].

Jan 22, 2026 – Conan O’Brien is confirmed as host of the March 15 ceremony, and the broadcast partners are set: ABC will air the show live while Hulu streams it online, with a future YouTube exclusive deal slated for 2029[13].

Jan 22, 2026 – The Academy releases the full Best Picture slate of ten films—Sinners, Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value and Train Dreams—illustrating a diverse mix of genres and international voices[8].

Jan 22, 2026 – Cinemark and Regal announce “Oscar Movie Week,” a March 9‑15 theater program featuring all nominated titles (Regal also shows the ten Best Picture nominees from March 6‑15), offering festival passes and discounted popcorn to drive audience engagement ahead of the ceremony[10][12].

Feb 18, 2026 – Industry analysts project that One Battle After Another is the favorite for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Director, that Timothée Chalamet could become the youngest Best Actor winner since Adrien Brody in 2003, and that Sinners is positioned to break new ground in Original Screenplay, Score and possibly Best Cinematography with Autumn Durald Arkapaw[3].

Feb 19, 2026 – The Academy reveals its first group of presenters: previous Best Actor winners Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison, and supporting‑actor winners Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña, underscoring a tradition of past winners returning to honor the 98th Oscars[6].

Mar 1, 2026 – The Actor Awards ceremony streams on Netflix, providing a final awards‑season showcase that could influence Oscar voting ahead of the March 15 deadline[5].

Mar 5, 2026 – Oscar voters must submit their final ballots by this deadline, concluding the Academy’s internal voting process and locking in the winners to be announced on March 15[4].

Mar 9‑15, 2026 – “Oscar Movie Week” runs at participating theaters, giving audiences daily access to the nominated films and building public buzz in the week leading up to the ceremony[10][12].

Mar 15, 2026 – The 98th Academy Awards take place at the Dolby Theatre, hosted by Conan O’Brien, broadcast live on ABC and Hulu at 7 p.m. ET, with the previously announced presenters and a record‑breaking slate of nominees, culminating the awards season[6][13].

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