One Battle After Another Dominates the 98th Academy Awards

The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerge as the night’s biggest winner, securing six Oscars. Blood & Sinners followed with four awards, while Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein also garnered recognition with three wins.

Key Wins and Highlights

Best Film

One Battle After Another was awarded Best Film, marking the sixth Oscar for the action-thriller.

Best Actor

Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his performance in Blood & Sinners. This was Jordan’s first Oscar nomination and win.

Best Actress

Jessie Buckley took home the award for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet.

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson was recognized as Best Director for One Battle After Another.

Best Supporting Actor

Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his work in One Battle After Another.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Madigan was awarded Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Weapons: The Hour of Disappearance.

Best International Film

Norway secured its first Oscar win with Sentimental Value, which was named Best International Film.

Best Original Screenplay

Ryan Coogler won Best Original Screenplay for Blood & Sinners.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another, inspired by the works of Thomas Pynchon.

Additional Awards

• Best Production Design: Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau for Frankenstein
• Best Costume Design: Kate Hawley for Frankenstein
• Best Editing: Andy Jurgensen for One Battle After Another
• Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
• Best Animated Short Film: The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva
• Best Casting: Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another
• Best Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw for Blood & Sinners
• Best Makeup and Hairstyles: Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey for Frankenstein
• Best Film Music: Ludwig Göransson for Blood & Sinners
• Best Song: “Golden” by Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Teddy Park, Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick in KPop Demon Hunters
• Best Sound: F1
• Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
• Best Documentary: Mr. Nobody against Putin
• Best Documentary Short Film: All the Empty Rooms

Historical Firsts

The 2026 Oscars marked several historic moments: Cassandra Kulukundis won the first-ever Oscar for Best Casting, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Best Cinematography category.

About One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another, released in September 2025, is a black comedy action-thriller directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. The story centers on an ex-revolutionary forced back into a combative lifestyle when pursued by a corrupt military officer. The film had a budget of $130–175 million and grossed $209.6 million worldwide.