Sinners might have missed out on best picture, but make no mistake – the 2026 Oscars were the best yet for horror

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While the Academy Awards was a successful night for many, some movie fans were likely disappointed that Ryan Coogler’s film, Sinners, didn’t win the biggest prize.

Despite being considered a strong contender, the politically charged vampire film wasn’t the frontrunner for the Best Picture award throughout most of the awards season. However, after winning Best Ensemble at The Actor Awards, some predicted a late push that could have allowed it to surprisingly beat Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly praised film and win the top prize.

In the end, One Battle won Best Picture, and it’s easily one of the best winners in recent years. However, Sinners still had a fantastic season and shouldn’t be overshadowed by not winning this one award.

Everyone’s been talking about the film receiving a record-breaking sixteen Academy Award nominations, but only winning four. However, calling the remaining nominations “losses” doesn’t make sense. It’s more accurate to simply say they weren’t wins, rather than framing it as a failure.

Just because a movie is nominated for an award but doesn’t win doesn’t mean it’s a failure. Being recognized as one of the best in its category is a significant achievement. In fact, receiving sixteen nominations shows the film is highly respected, even if another excellent movie ultimately won by a small margin.

In his third acceptance speech, Anderson explained that there wasn’t a single ‘best’ film, but rather that the winning choice often depends on how people are feeling at the moment. He compared the situation to the highly competitive 1975 Best Picture race – featuring films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Jaws – implying that this year’s nominees were equally deserving and that choosing just one was largely a matter of opinion. He felt all the nominated films were strong contenders.

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Despite a competitive night, the film Sinners had a lot to be proud of. The biggest highlight was Michael B. Jordan winning Best Actor, beating out Timothée Chalamet, who was expected to win. This win made Jordan only the sixth Black actor to ever receive the award, joining Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, and Will Smith.

The award for best cinematography was a bit of a surprise. While many predicted One Battle After Another would win, Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history as the first woman to receive the award. As expected, Ryan Coogler won for original screenplay and Ludwig Göransson took home the prize for best original score – both well-deserved wins.

It’s even more remarkable considering horror films aren’t often recognized by the Academy. The Silence of the Lambs is the only previous Best Picture winner widely considered a true horror film – though some also include Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

Over the past ten years, however, attitudes have clearly started to change. The success of films like Get Out in 2018, which received several nominations and won for Best Original Screenplay, signaled this shift. More recently, the multiple nominations for Coralie Fargeat’s intense horror film The Substance last year showed how much progress has been made, even though it only won for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Let me tell you, last night was a phenomenal night for horror – truly the best I’ve seen in nearly a century of these awards. Beyond the wins for ‘Sinners,’ Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of ‘Frankenstein’ absolutely swept the technical categories. The film took home three awards for its stunning production design, incredible makeup and hairstyling, and breathtaking costume design. It was a real showcase of artistry and a high point for the genre.

For horror fans, Amy Madigan’s win for best supporting actress is arguably the most exciting result of all – and a clear sign that horror is now recognized by major awards shows. Her brilliantly unsettling performance in Weapons wasn’t just a nod to the genre; she fully became a terrifying and instantly memorable villain in a film that wholeheartedly embraced everything that makes horror great.

While many will celebrate this success, some dedicated horror fans might still feel something is missing. A Best Picture win for Sinners would have been the ultimate achievement, and it’s disappointing that strong performances, like Sally Hawkins’s captivating work in Bring Her Back, weren’t recognized with the attention they deserved.

Don’t let that one issue overshadow what was otherwise a fantastic night. It’s further proof that horror is now respected as much as any other popular type of movie or story.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming services. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time has interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

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2026-03-16 16:35