Skip to content
  • Essence GU
  • Beautycon
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Afropunk
  • Essence Studios
  • Soko Mrkt
  • Ese Funds
  • Refinery29
  • WeLoveUs.shop
  • 2026 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Entrepreneurship
  • News
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Home • Entertainment

31st Critics Choice Awards Nominations: Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ Leads With 17 Nods

This year’s ceremony will air live on E! and USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
31st Critics Choice Awards Nominations: Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ Leads With 17 Nods
‘Sinners’ (2025). Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
By Okla Jones · Updated December 5, 2025
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

Today, the Critics Choice Association unveiled the nominees for its 31st annual Critics Choice Awards, and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, dominated the list with a staggering 17 nominations.

The genre-blending film earned recognition across nearly every major category—best picture, best director, and best original screenplay—while its cast delivered standout performances that landed Michael B. Jordan a best actor nod, Wunmi Mosaku a supporting actress nomination, and Miles Caton recognition in the young actor category. With additional nods in cinematography, production design, editing, costume, sound, visual effects, stunt design, and more, the film is now the year’s most decorated contender.

One Battle After Another followed closely with 14 nominations, while Frankenstein and Hamnet picked up 11 each. Warner Bros.,which was recently acquired by Netflix, now fronts the field thanks to the combined strength of Anderson’s and Coogler’s films.

But amidst the list of nominations, one of the most surprising omissions is that of Cynthia Erivo, the powerhouse lead of Wicked: For Good, being left out of best actress. The film itself scored seven nominations, including best picture and supporting actress for Ariana Grande, making Erivo’s absence even more glaring. Many expected her performance to be a critics’ favorite.

The Critics Choice Awards will air live on E! and USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Take a look at the full list of nominees below.

Best Picture

  • “Bugonia” (Focus Features)
  • “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • “Jay Kelly” (Netflix)
  • “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • “Sentimental Value” (Neon)
  • “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
  • “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Best Director

  • Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Ryan Coogler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)
  • Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)

Actor

  • Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Joel Edgerton, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
  • Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon” (Sony Pictures Classics)
  • Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent” (Neon)

Actress

  • Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (A24)
  • Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)
  • Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • Emma Stone, “Bugonia” (Focus Features)

Supporting Actor

  • Benicio del Toro, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Paul Mescal, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Adam Sandler, “Jay Kelly” (Netflix)
  • Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)

Supporting Actress

  • Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)
  • Ariana Grande, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)
  • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)
  • Amy Madigan, “Weapons” (Warner Bros.)
  • Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)

Original Screenplay

  • Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, “Jay Kelly” (Netflix)
  • Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Ryan Coogler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Zach Cregger, “Weapons” (Warner Bros.)
  • Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby” (A24)
  • Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value” (Neon)

Adapted Screenplay

  • Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
  • Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don Mckellar and Jahye Lee, “No Other Choice” (Neon)
  • Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Will Tracy, “Bugonia” (Focus Features)
  • Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)

Young Performer

  • Everett Blunck, “The Plague” (Independent Film Company)
  • Miles Caton, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Cary Christopher, “Weapons” (Warner Bros.)
  • Shannon Mahina Gorman, “Rental Family” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • Jacobi Jupe, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Nina Ye, “Left-Handed Girl” (Netflix)

Casting and Ensemble

  • Nina Gold, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold, “Jay Kelly” (Netflix)
  • Jennifer Venditti, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Cassandra Kulukundis, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Francine Maisler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Best Comedy

  • “The Ballad of Wallis Island” (Focus Features)
  • “Eternity” (A24)
  • “Friendship” (A24)
  • “The Naked Gun” (Paramount)
  • “The Phoenician Scheme” (Focus Features)
  • “Splitsville” (Neon)

Animated Feature

  • “Arco” (Neon)
  • “Elio” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
  • “In Your Dreams” (Netflix)
  • “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix)
  • “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” (GKIDS)
  • “Zootopia 2” (Walt Disney Animation Studios)

Production Design

  • Kasra Farahani and Jille Azis, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Marvel Studios)
  • Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Jack Fisk and Adam Willis, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Cinematography

  • Claudio Miranda, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • Dan Laustsen, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Łukasz Żal, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Michael Bauman, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Autumn Durald Arkapaw, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Adolpho Veloso, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)

Costume Design

  • Kate Hawley, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Malgosia Turzanska, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Lindsay Pugh, “Hedda” (Amazon MGM Studios)
  • Colleen Atwood and Christine Cantella, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions)
  • Ruth E. Carter, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Paul Tazewell, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Editing

  • Kirk Baxter, “A House of Dynamite” (Netflix)
  • Stephen Mirrione, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Andy Jurgensen, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Viridiana Lieberman, “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
  • Michael P. Shawver, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)

Hair and Makeup

  • Flora Moody and John Nolan, “28 Years Later” (Sony Pictures)
  • Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox and Mia Neal, “The Smashing Machine” (A24)
  • Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat and Jason Collins, “Weapons” (Warner Bros.)
  • Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier and Laura Blount, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Sound

  • Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta and Gareth John, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern and Greg Chapman, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Jose Antonio Garcia, Christopher Scarabosio and Tony Villaflor, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Chris Welcker, Benny Burtt, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker, Felipe Pacheco and David V. Butler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Laia Casanovas, “Sirāt” (Neon)
  • Mitch Low, Glenn Freemantle, Ben Barker, Howard Bargroff and Richard Spooner, “Warfare” (A24)

Visual Effects

  • Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (20th Century Studios)
  • Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price and Keith Dawson, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • Dennis Berardi, Ayo Burgess, Ivan Busquets and José Granell, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Alex Wuttke, Ian Lowe, Jeff Sutherland and Kirstin Hall, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (Paramount Pictures)
  • Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter and Donnie Dean, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • Stephane Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé and Guy Williams, “Superman” (Warner Bros.)

Score

  • Hans Zimmer, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • Alexandre Desplat, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
  • Max Richter, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
  • Daniel Lopatin, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
  • Jonny Greenwood, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)
  • Ludwig Göransson, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)

Song

  • “Drive,” Ed Sheeran, John Mayer and Blake Slatkin, “F1” (Apple Original Films)
  • “Golden,” Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24 and Teddy, “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix)
  • “I Lied to You,” Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)
  • “Clothed by the Sun,” Daniel Blumberg, “The Testament of Ann Lee” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • “Train Dreams,” Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
  • “The Girl in the Bubble,” Stephen Schwartz, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Foreign Language Film

  • “Belén” (Amazon MGM Studios)
  • “It Was Just an Accident” (Neon)
  • “Left-Handed Girl” (Netflix)
  • “No Other Choice” (Neon)
  • “The Secret Agent” (Neon)
  • “Sirāt” (Neon)

Television

Drama Series

  • “Alien: Earth” (FX)
  • “Andor” (Disney+)
  • “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
  • “Paradise” (Hulu)
  • “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
  • “Pluribus” (Apple TV)
  • “Severance” (Apple TV)
  • “Task” (HBO Max)

Comedy Series

  • “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • “Elsbeth” (CBS)
  • “Ghosts” (CBS)
  • “Hacks” (HBO Max)
  • “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
  • “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
  • “The Righteous Gemstones” (HBO Max)
  • “The Studio” (Apple TV)

Limited Series

  • “Adolescence” (Netflix)
  • “All Her Fault” (Peacock)
  • “Chief of War” (Apple TV)
  • “Death by Lightning” (Netflix)
  • “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” (Peacock)
  • “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
  • “Dying for Sex” (FX on Hulu)
  • “The Girlfriend” (Prime Video)

Movie Made for Television

  • “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock)
  • “Deep Cover” (Prime Video)
  • “The Gorge” (Apple TV)
  • “Mountainhead” (HBO Max)
  • “Nonnas” (Netflix)
  • “Summer of ’69” (Hulu)

Actor in a Drama Series

  • Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise” (Hulu)
  • Diego Luna, “Andor” (Disney+)
  • Mark Ruffalo, “Task” (HBO Max)
  • Adam Scott, “Severance” (Apple TV)
  • Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman” (Paramount+)
  • Noah Wyle, “The Pitt” (HBO Max)

Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
  • Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside” (Netflix)
  • David Alan Grier, “St. Denis Medical” (NBC)
  • Danny McBride, “The Righteous Gemstones” (HBO Max)
  • Seth Rogen, “The Studio” (Apple TV)
  • Alexander Skarsgård, “Murderbot” (Apple TV)

Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

  • Michael Chernus, “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” (Peacock)
  • Stephen Graham, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
  • Brian Tyree Henry, “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
  • Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” (Netflix)
  • Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me” (Netflix)
  • Michael Shannon, “Death by Lightning” (Netflix)

Actress in a Drama Series

  • Kathy Bates, “Matlock” (CBS)
  • Carrie Coon, “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
  • Britt Lower, “Severance” (Apple TV)
  • Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us” (HBO Max)
  • Keri Russell, “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
  • Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus” (Apple TV)

Actress in a Comedy Series

  • Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
  • Natasha Lyonne, “Poker Face” (Peacock)
  • Rose McIver, “Ghosts” (CBS)
  • Edi Patterson, “The Righteous Gemstones” (HBO Max)
  • Carrie Preston, “Elsbeth” (CBS)
  • Jean Smart, “Hacks” (HBO Max)
  • Jessica Biel, “The Better Sister” (Prime Video)
  • Meghann Fahy, “Sirens” (Netflix)
  • Sarah Snook, “All Her Fault” (Peacock)
  • Michelle Williams, “Dying for Sex” (FX on Hulu)
  • Robin Wright, “The Girlfriend” (Prime Video)
  • Renée Zellweger, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

  • Patrick Ball, “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
  • Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
  • Ato Essandoh, “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
  • Wood Harris, “Forever” (Netflix)
  • Tom Pelphrey, “Task” (HBO Max)
  • Tramell Tillman, “Severance” (Apple TV)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Ike Barinholtz, “The Studio” (Apple TV)
  • Paul W. Downs, “Hacks” (HBO Max)
  • Asher Grodman, “Ghosts” (CBS)
  • Oscar Nuñez, “The Paper” (Peacock)
  • Chris Perfetti, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Timothy Simons, “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

  • Owen Cooper, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
  • Wagner Moura, “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
  • Nick Offerman, “Death by Lightning” (Netflix)
  • Michael Peña, “All Her Fault” (Peacock)
  • Ashley Walters, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
  • Ramy Youssef, “Mountainhead” (HBO Max)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

  • Nicole Beharie, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
  • Denée Benton, “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
  • Allison Janney, “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
  • Katherine LaNasa, “The Pitt” (HBO Max)
  • Greta Lee, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
  • Skye P. Marshall, “Matlock” (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

  • Danielle Brooks, “Peacemaker” (HBO Max)
  • Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks” (HBO Max)
  • Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Justine Lupe, “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
  • Ego Nwodim, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
  • Rebecca Wisocky, “Ghosts” (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

  • Erin Doherty, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
  • Betty Gilpin, “Death by Lightning” (Netflix)
  • Marin Ireland, “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” (Peacock)
  • Sophia Lillis, “All Her Fault” (Peacock)
  • Julianne Moore, “Sirens” (Netflix)
  • Christine Tremarco, “Adolescence” (Netflix)

Animated Series

  • “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox)
  • “Harley Quinn” (HBO Max)
  • “Long Story Short” (Netflix)
  • “Marvel Zombies” (Disney+)
  • “South Park” (Comedy Central)
  • “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” (Disney+)

Foreign Language Series

  • “Acapulco” (Apple TV)
  • “Last Samurai Standing” (Netflix)
  • “Mussolini: Son of the Century” (MUBI)
  • “Red Alert” (Paramount+)
  • “Squid Game” (Netflix)
  • “When No One Sees Us” (HBO Max)

Talk Show

  • “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
  • “Hot Ones” (YouTube)
  • “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC)
  • “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (NBC)
  • “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS)
  • “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” (Bravo)

Comedy Special

  • “Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life” (HBO Max)
  • “Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian” (HBO Max)
  • “Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things” (Netflix)
  • “Marc Maron: Panicked” (HBO Max)
  • “Sarah Silverman: PostMortem” (Netflix)
  • “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” (NBC)

Variety Series

  • “Conan O’Brien Must Go” (HBO Max)
  • “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO Max)
  • “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

TOPICS:  critics choice awards Michael B. Jordan ryan coogler Sinners Wunmi Mosaku