The 2026 Oscars always felt like a face-off between Sinners and One Battle After Another. And ultimately, the big winner on the night was One Battle, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s genre-defying odyssey winning six awards on the night – including Best Picture, Directing and Adapted Screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson, Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Film Editing, and the brand new Casting award.
It marked a major moment for PTA, who before tonight had never won an Oscar. “You make a guy work hard for one of these, I really appreciate it,” he joked upon bagging the Directing award. “I’m so happy to call the movies home, this is terrific.” He gave three speeches across the night; though notably, Penn did not give a speech for his acting win, having declined to attend the ceremony.
While Battle ultimately won the Oscars battle, Sinners shone in several categories. The film saw Ryan Coogler win Original Screenplay, while Michael B. Jordan bagged Leading Actor amid a crowded field – a win which felt like a major moment in recent Oscars history. As well as telling Coogler – his regular collaborator, having starred in all of his films right back to Fruitvale Station – that he loves him, Jordan thanked the studio for “betting on the culture, betting on original ideas, betting on artistry.”
Sinners also brought a Cinematography win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who became the first woman, and first Black person, to receive the award. “I really want all the women in the room to stand up. Because I feel like I don’t get here without you guys,” she said, as the room celebrated her achievement. Sinners also brought a Score award for Ludwig Göransson.
Sinners
Elsewhere, Jessie Buckley won Leading Actress for Hamnet, Amy Madigan set the evening off with a bang by winning Supporting Actress right out of the gate for her Weapons icon Aunt Gladys, and there was an emotional win for the writers of Kpop Demon Hunters smash hit ‘Golden’, which conquered in the Original Song category. “Growing up, people made fun of me for liking Kpop,” said a tearful EJAE. “Now, everyone’s singing our song.” The film also won in the Animated Feature category.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein won big in several technical categories – Costume Design, Production Design, and Makeup And Hairstyling – while Avatar: Fire And Ash took home the Visual Effects award, and F1 nabbed Sound. Joachim Trier took him the International Feature Film award for Sentimental Value.
Compared to previous dramas, it was a relatively smooth ceremony, despite dodgy mic issues throughout the show. And host Conan O’Brien kept things relatively light. Notably however, there was an Oscars rarity – a tie in the Live Action Short Film category, which was split between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
For a full rundown of what happened during the ceremony, read the Empire Oscars 2026 live blog here – and check out the full list of winners below:
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Directing
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Actor In A Leading Role
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Actress In A Leading Role
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia
Actor In A Supporting Role
Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgard – Sentimental Value
Actress In A Supporting Role
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Adapted Screenplay
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Train Dreams
Original Screenplay
Blue Moon
It Was Just An Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Cinematography
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams
Documentary Feature
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me In The Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbour
International Feature Film
The Secret Agent
It Was Just An Accident
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
The Voice Of Hind Rajab
Animated Feature Film
Arco
Elio
Kpop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie Or The Character Of Rain
Zootopia 2
Makeup And Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Original Score
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Casting
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
Costume Design
Avatar: Fire And Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Original Song
‘Dear Me’ – Diane Warren: Relentless
‘Golden’ – Kpop Demon Hunters
‘I Lied To You’ – Sinners
‘Sweet Dreams Of Joy’ – Viva Verdi!
‘Train Dreams’ – Train Dreams
Production Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Film Editing
F1
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sound
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirāt
Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire And Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Live Action Short Film
Butcher’s Stain
A Friend Of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
The Singers – TIE
Two People Exchanging Saliva – TIE
Animated Short Film
Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters
Documentary Short
All The Empty Rooms
Armed Only With A Camera
Children No More
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly A Strangeness
