2026 Oscars Shortlists Revealed in 11 Categories

Academy announces early shortlists ahead of full Oscar nominations

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is announcing shortlists in 11 categories for the 2026 Oscars. The lists are being revealed Tuesday, starting around 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

Ahead of the announcement, Gold Derby experts, editors and users predicted that Sinners and Wicked: For Good would appear most often, with seven mentions each. Other films expected to perform well include F1, Frankenstein, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and One Battle After Another.

Shortlists offer an early look at how different branches of the Academy are responding, but they do not always predict final winners. Last year, Emilia Pérez and Wicked led the shortlists but finished Oscar night with two wins each. Anora won five awards, including Best Picture, despite not appearing on any shortlist.

Six categories were narrowed down to 15 contenders. These include Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Song, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Live-Action Short.

Ten films advanced in Best Casting, which is a new category, along with Best Sound, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects. Twenty contenders moved forward in the Best Score category.

The shortlists are being announced in Best Casting, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Score, Best Song, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Live-Action Short.

Full Oscar nominations across all 24 categories will be announced on January 22. The 2026 Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15, with Conan O’Brien set to host.

Source: goldderby