Oscar predictions 2026

A last-minute forecast this year; a movie-viewing spree this week has allowed me to belatedly catch up with most of the nominated films, so my tips are at least semi-informed.

• Best Picture
  • One Battle After Another
• Best Actor
  • Michael B Jordan
• Best Actress
  • Jessie Buckley
• Best Supporting Actor
  • Benicio del Toro
• Best Supporting Actress
  • Teyana Taylor
• Best Director
  • Paul Thomas Anderson
• Best International Feature
  • The Secret Agent

As you can see One Battle After Another was my favourite movie of the year, probably because I can identify with Leonardo DiCaprio’s bewildered ex-radical. I did consider The Secret Agent for Best Picture, but I think it’s got a better chance of picking up the International award.

Of the other front-runners, I found Hamnet a bit dull and emotionally manipulative, and Sinners was entertaining, but disjointed, though they were elevated by the performances of Jessie Buckley and Michael B Jordan respectively. Marty Supreme was impressive, but fatally undermined for me by a protagonist who was just too much of an unlikeable asshole to root for. Sentimental Value looks like the sort of film that I would enjoy, and perhaps it would have featured more in my list if I had been organised enough to see it by now.

I’m tempted to stay up late to live-blog the ceremony tomorrow, but I have to go to work the next day, so I’ll probably skip it and come back with an update on Monday.