The 98th Academy Awards celebrated the best films of 2025 on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with the films One Battle After Another and Sinners dominating the night’s honours.
The ceremony, hosted for the second consecutive year by Conan O’Brien, lasted nearly four hours and was broadcast on ABC while also streaming on Hulu.
The biggest winner of the night was One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, which secured six awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The political thriller stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former radical entangled in a tense pursuit.
Meanwhile, Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, won four Oscars.
The film earned Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan, who portrayed twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore in the vampire-themed drama.
Despite entering the ceremony with a record 16 nominations, the highest in Oscars history, Sinners finished with fewer awards than expected, although it still contributed to a strong showing for Warner Bros., which led all studios with 11 wins.
Several historic moments highlighted the ceremony.
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners, and also the first woman of colour nominated in the category.
Another milestone was the introduction of the Best Casting category, the first new competitive Oscar category in 24 years—which was awarded to One Battle After Another.
For Anderson, the evening marked a major career breakthrough after years of nominations.
Having previously received 14 nominations without a win, he claimed three major awards in one night: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Veteran actress Amy Madigan also made history, returning to the Oscars after a 40-year gap between nominations to win Best Supporting Actress for the film Weapons.
Other notable winners included Frankenstein, which dominated several craft categories such as Production Design and Costume Design, while the animated film KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Golden.”
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance in Hamnet, while Sean Penn claimed Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another.
The ceremony also featured live performances, including the song “I Lied To You” from Sinners, and a tribute by Barbra Streisand honouring veteran actor Robert Redford.
The event reaffirmed the Oscars’ role as the film industry’s most prestigious celebration, recognising artistic achievements and landmark moments in global cinema.
