Oscar nominations: ‘Sinners’ breaks records with 16 Academy Award nominations

WASHINGTON — Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic “Sinners” led all films with 16 nominations to the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday, setting a record for the most in Oscar history.

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences voters showered “Sinnners” with more nominations than they had ever bestowed before, breaking the 14-nomination mark set by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” Along with best picture, Coogler was nominated for best director and best screenplay, and double-duty star Michael B. Jordan was rewarded with his first Oscar nomination, for best actor.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s father-daughter revolutionary saga “One Battle After Another,” the favorite coming into nominations, trailed in second with 13 nominations of its own. Four of its actors — Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn — were nominated, though newcomer Chase Infiniti was left out in best actress.

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Horror films have traditionally been left out of the Oscars, but as nominations for the 98th Academy Awards are announced Thursday, Ryan Coogler’s vampire tale “Sinners” could make history.

Ten films are nominated for best picture, as read by presenters Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman: “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners” and “Train Dreams.”

The first category read was supporting actress. The nominees are Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter LilIeaas for “Sentimental Value,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons,” Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners” and Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another.”

For supporting actor, the nominees are Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein,” Sean Penn for “One Battle After Another,” Stellan Skarsgård for “Sentimental Value,” Benicio del Toro for “One Battle After Another” and Delroy Lindo for “Sinners.”

No movie has ever landed more than 14 nominations — something achieved only by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” But “Sinners” could top that mark with a heap of nods for its lush craft, Coogler’s writing and direction, and Michael B. Jordan’s acting (it would be his first nomination).

Right with it will likely be Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which has coasted through awards season as the clear frontrunner. The father-daughter revolutionary comedy could land 14 nominations of its own, including five or even six acting nominations.

Whatever the final tally is, Warner Bros. is poised for its best Oscar showing in the 102-year-old studio’s history. Both “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” should lead Warner Bros. to a record haul even as the studio prepares for its sale to Netflix. Earlier this week, Netflix amended its $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash offer, sweetening its offer over that of Paramount Skydance.

This year, the Oscars are introducing a new category for casting. That new honor helped “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” pad their already impressive stats. Along with those two films, the nominees are “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme” and “The Secret Agent.”

“Sinners” can also be found among the nominees for original song: “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters,” “Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams,” “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentess,” “I Lied To You” from “Sinners” and “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and will be televised live on ABC and Hulu. YouTube’s new deal to exclusively air won’t take effect until 2029. This year, Conan O’Brien will return as host.

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