Hollywood’s biggest night is here — and the 2026 Oscars might just be the most electric ceremony in years. The 98th Academy Awards kicks off Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. The show starts at 4 p.m. Pacific time, with the iconic red carpet rolling out at 3:30 p.m. Pacific.
In the U.S., the Oscars airs live on ABC and streams simultaneously on Hulu. Cord-cutters can also catch every moment through live TV platforms that carry ABC — including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, and FuboTV.
How and Where To Watch the 2026 Oscars
Pre-show coverage is packed this year. On the Red Carpet at the Oscars, hosted by Tamron Hall and Jesse Palmer, begins at 8:30 p.m. GMT and streams on ABC-affiliated platforms. E! Live from the Red Carpet follows at 9 p.m. GMT on Peacock, Roku, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. British comedian Amelia Dimoldenberg is back for her third straight year as the official Oscars social media correspondent — a fan-favorite presence who consistently steals the night online.
Conan O’Brien returns as host for the second consecutive year. He has signaled he is more prepared and comfortable this time around, and that the mood of the world will inevitably shape the evening’s tone.
Oscars History Made by Sinners
No film has commanded this awards season quite like Sinners. Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller — set in 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi — follows twin brothers who open a juke joint only to face vampires, racism, and the ghosts of their past. The film earned a jaw-dropping 16 Oscar nominations, the most in Academy Awards history. That breaks the previous record of 14, a mark shared by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
For months, Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark action-comedy One Battle After Another held firm as the safe front-runner for Best Picture and Best Director. But in the final stretch, Sinners surged hard — and Sunday’s ceremony could genuinely go either way.
The full Best Picture lineup this year:
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Oscars Nominees in the Major Categories
The acting fields are stacked. Best Director nominees include Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), and Ryan Coogler (Sinners).
Best Actor contenders are Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
Best Actress nominees are Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).
Oscars Predictions and the Night’s Biggest Surprises
The consensus among industry insiders leans toward Sinners and One Battle After Another splitting the major prizes. Michael B. Jordan is the slight favorite for Best Actor, with Timothée Chalamet close behind. Jessie Buckley is widely seen as the Best Actress front-runner for Hamnet. Paul Thomas Anderson holds a narrow Best Director edge, though Ryan Coogler’s late momentum makes it one of the night’s most unpredictable races.
In the supporting categories, Sean Penn is favored for Best Supporting Actor for One Battle After Another, while Teyana Taylor is a strong Best Supporting Actress contender for the same film.
The nominations also delivered genuine surprises. Delroy Lindo, 73, landed his first-ever Oscar nomination for Sinners — a long-overdue recognition that sent a wave of celebration through Hollywood. Kate Hudson earned her first nomination in over two decades for the musical drama Song Sung Blue, a result few saw coming. And the racing blockbuster F1 raised eyebrows with a Best Picture nod, a rare feat for a summer action film.
On the flip side, Wicked: For Good — sequel to a film that earned 10 nominations and two wins just last year — was completely shut out. Paul Mescal was passed over for Hamnet, and Guillermo del Toro was a notable absence from Best Director despite helming Frankenstein.
