The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled its shortlists for the 98th Academy Awards on Tuesday, offering an early snapshot of how the 2026 Oscars race is shaping up.
Leading the pack are Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Universal’s Wicked: For Good, the only two films to appear on every shortlist they were eligible for. Both landed mentions across seven categories, including casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound, visual effects, and original song, where each earned two slots among the final 15 contenders. It’s a strong showing that positions both titles as serious multi-category players heading into nominations voting.
Sinners marks a particularly big moment for Coogler, whose film picked up recognition in casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, sound, visual effects, and original song. Wicked: For Good matched that momentum, with added attention on its technical craft and soundtrack.
This year’s shortlist announcement also reflects structural changes at the Academy. Two categories are being shortlisted for the first time: Best Casting, which will officially be presented during the Oscar telecast, and Best Cinematography, expanding the total number of awards to 24. Preliminary voting included branches across documentary, international feature, short films, sound, visual effects, makeup and hairstyling, score, and song.
Female representation stands out across the lists. Nine of the casting shortlist films were led by women casting directors, while women directed nearly half of the international feature contenders and the majority of the documentary feature hopefuls—quiet progress, but real progress.
Nominations voting runs from January 12 through January 16, with official Oscar nominations set to be announced on Thursday, January 22. The 2026 Academy Awards will air live on Sunday, March 15, and broadcast on ABC to more than 200 countries worldwide.
Take a look at the shortlist for the 2026 Academy Awards below.
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 Ass!
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
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 from Tron: Ares
Dear Me from Diane Warren: Relentless
Dream As One from Avatar: Fire and Ash
Drive from F1
Dying To Live from Billy Idol Should Be Dead
The Girl In The Bubble from Wicked: For Good
Golden from KPop Demon Hunters
Highest 2 Lowest from Highest 2 Lowest
I Lied To You from Sinners
Last Time (I Seen The Sun) from Sinners
No Place Like Home from Wicked: For Good
Our Love from The Ballad of Wallis Island
Salt Then Sour Then Sweet from Come See Me in the Good Light
Sweet Dreams Of Joy from Viva Verdi!
Train Dreams from 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