Oscars 2026 LIVE: Where to watch, Nominees, Cheapest ways to stream the 98th Academy Awards

It’d be a Sin to give the Oscar to anyone else

The eagle-eyed will have spotted I predicted a Sinner Best Picture win and Paul Thomas Anderson Best Director win. Am I predicting that rare beast of a split for the top prizes or cowardly splitting my chances? Both.

But, let’s not forget Sinners leads with an incredible 16 nominations. Sixteen!

To put that in perspective that’s the most in Oscar history by not one but two nominations, albeit this includes a new category Best Casting but it’s incredible. A film which came out nowhere near the typical awards season window towards the end of the year and about bloody vampires is the FRONTRUNNER for the Academy Awards.

However, despite that and maybe due to the unstoppable juggernaut which One Battle After Another has been most of awards season with 13 nominations, it’s also managed to position itself as the scrappy underdog.

It would be a sin for any other film to win, right?

Cards on the table

For full transparency, this amateur film writer has attempted to predict the categories in what is called the most unpredictable Oscars in years (they always say that though).

Here’s my predictions so you can hold me to account later…

Best Picture – Sinners

Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Actor – Timothée Chalamet

Best Actress – Jessie Buckley

Best Supporting Actor – Sean Penn

Best Supporting Actress – Teyana Taylor

Best Original Screenplay – Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay – One Battle After Another

Best Animated Feature – KPop Demon Hunters

Best International Feature – Sentimental Value

Best Documentary Feature – The Perfect Neighbour

Best Documentary Short – All the Empty Rooms

Best Live Action Short – Two People Exchanging Saliva

Best Animated Short – Butterfly

Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson

Best Original Song – Golden

Best Sound – F1

Best Casting – Sinners

Best Production Design – Frankenstein

Best Cinematography – Sinners

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Frankenstein

Best Costume Design – Frankenstein

Best Editing – One Battle After Another

Best Visual Effects – Avatar: Fire and Ash

One Sinner After Another

Not since the year of Barbenheimer have two films completely dominated the Oscar conversation. One Battle After A Sinner? One Sinner After Another? Hmmmm there’s not really a good portmanteau for them…

It’s pretty much the conventional wisdom that either Sinners or One Battle After Another will bring home the big prizes of Picture, Director, Writing and some of the other acting categories.

But who will prevail?

How to watch the Oscars wherever you are…

Whether you’re strapping in as we approach midnight with a strong coffee in Europe…or you’re watching as sunset rises with a strong coffee in Asia (that’s where this writer is) or you’re watching at a sensible time with a strong coffee in America…how do you watch the ceremony?

Well, thankfully we’ve got you covered! Find out how to watch it wherever you are with our handy guide here.

What does the ceremony look like?

For those new to Hollywood’s sacred annual ritual, here’s what the night looks like…

24 categories will be presented include this year’s newest one, Best Casting, just to boost that running time a little more.

You have the much covered acting categories – with Actor, Supporting Actor, Actress and Best Actress – the more technical awards – Production Design, Sound etc – and then the big ones: Writing, Directing and Picture.

Who will take home the most Academy Awards, stay tuned…

Welcome to the Oscars!

Hello from wherever you are in the world, and welcome to the biggest night in Hollywood!

Strap in for what’ll most likely be – if we’re being conservative judging by the ‘shortest’ ceremonies – one hour of pre-coverage and four hours of Oscar drama. And I’ll be with you through it all.

Stay tuned wherever you are as the action kicks off in less than an hour…