Oscar season is upon us, and the suspense is palpable! Get ready for potential upsets, record-breaking contenders, and maybe even a few surprises. The burning question on everyone's mind: Who will make the cut for the 98th Academy Awards?
Mark your calendars for an early start on Thursday, January 22nd, because that's when the nominations will be revealed. Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman will be doing the honors, unveiling the lucky nominees at 5:30 a.m. PT.
Here's how you can tune in live: The announcement will be streaming across multiple platforms, including Oscar.com and Oscars.org. You can also catch it on the Academy's social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Plus, ABC's "Good Morning America" will be covering the reveal, and "ABC News Live" will be available via Disney+ and Hulu. So, you have plenty of options to choose from!
Industry insiders are predicting a fiercely competitive race for Best Picture. Variety's senior awards editor, Clayton Davis, has released his projections, anticipating nominations for a diverse range of films, including "Bugonia," "F1," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "One Battle After Another," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners," and "Train Dreams." But here's where it gets controversial... Davis suggests that Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" and Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" have the potential to dominate the nominations, possibly even challenging the all-time record of 14 nominations held jointly by "All About Eve" (1950), "Titanic" (1997), and "La La Land" (2016). Can they really pull it off? Could we see history in the making?
A significant change this year is the introduction of a new category: Best Casting. This addition brings the total number of Oscar categories to 24, recognizing the crucial role casting directors play in the success of a film. The Best Picture category will remain capped at 10 nominees, ensuring a select group of contenders for the top prize. And this is the part most people miss: the choices made in casting often determine a film's success, so this new award is a well-deserved recognition.
Turning to the acting categories, Davis predicts a Best Actor lineup featuring Timothée Chalamet ("Marty Supreme"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("One Battle After Another"), Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), Michael B. Jordan ("Sinners"), and Wagner Moura ("The Secret Agent"). The competition is already heating up, with Chalamet recently securing a Golden Globe win over DiCaprio. Will that momentum carry him through to an Oscar nomination, or will DiCaprio's performance prove too strong to ignore?
On the Best Actress side, the anticipated nominees include Jessie Buckley ("Hamnet"), Rose Byrne ("If I Had Legs I’d Kick You"), Chase Infiniti ("One Battle After Another"), Renate Reinsve ("Sentimental Value"), and Emma Stone ("Bugonia"). It's a diverse group of talented actresses, each bringing a unique performance to the screen.
Get ready to welcome back Conan O’Brien as the host! After his successful debut in 2025, which drew the show's largest audience in five years, O'Brien will be returning to emcee the 98th Academy Awards. The ceremony will take place on March 15th at the Dolby Theatre, broadcasting live on ABC and streaming on Hulu.
What are your predictions for the Oscar nominations? Do you agree with Clayton Davis's projections? Are there any dark horse contenders you think deserve recognition? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below! Let's discuss who you think will take home the gold!
