Who will take it all? Predictions for the 2026 Oscars

BY ASHTYN HANSARD

Digital Media Director

To quote the late Catherine O’Hara, my favorite season truly is awards season. On March 15, the Oscars will air live on Hulu and I will be glued to the screen along with people around the world, waiting to see if my picks were correct.

Listed below in no specific order are my predictions for the 2026 Oscar winners.

NOTE: Before we get into this, I tried my best to watch all the nominated films, but there are a few I couldn’t get to in time. This list is not concrete.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: “Frankestein”

There were a couple different options that I could have picked for this category, but I thought that “Frankenstein” deserves to get the win here. Jacob Elordi’s look as Frankenstein’s monster is so well done and used beautifully that I don’t think there’s any comparison, and this is coming from someone who thought Remick’s ripped cheek at the end of “Sinners” was amazing.

Best Costume Design: “Frankenstein"

Again, “Frankenstein” takes the cake for me here. I liked the costumes in “Hamnet” and “Sinners,” but Mia Goth stole the show with her Victorian gothic dresses and style. Every outfit had a delicate craft and gorgeous look that I think the other films just couldn’t quite replicate.

Best Visual Effects: “Avatar: Fire and Ash”

I don’t think it’s any surprise that “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is nominated for its visual effects, and I’ll be even less surprised if it wins. The “Avatar” series has thrived in its visual effects throughout the three films, and this newest addition to the series has only proven this. 

Best Production Design: “Sinners”

I know this is a bit of a wild pick considering the other nominees, but I really believe that “Sinners” did amazing with their production design, specifically because it is shot mainly at one location. 

When you only have land and an older building portraying a juke joint, it’s hard to get very creative with the production design, but Ryan Coogler’s team did a brilliant job at really making the whole set feel immersed and lived in rather than something that was built specifically for a movie set. 

Best Film Editing: “Sinners”

Once again, “Sinners” is on the list (you may want to get used to this). Now, this was a bit of a harder choice considering “One Battle After Another” was also a nominee, but I think “Sinners” just barely beats it. 

All it really takes is a few scenes to make it the winner, such as the beginning with the quick shots of Remick and the entirety of the juke joint scene with Sammie Moore singing being a one shot that leads to our first glimpse at Remick, Joan and Bert stalking their prey for the night. 

Honestly, I could keep going, but I think you get the idea.

Best Cinematography: “One Battle After Another”

For the first nomination for “One Battle After Another,” the cinematography of this movie is just so addicting. 

Everything from the lighting, the colors and the way the camera chooses to focus on each character during specific moments just really keeps the movie rolling, which is great for a film as long as this one. The sweeter moments really receive their time while the chaotic scenes show through the hustle of the camera work.

Best Sound: “One Battle After Another”

“One Battle After Another” comes in again for a nomination for the best sound design. This movie has it all, especially when the more chaotic sequences are building up in both the beginning and the end. 

It also does a great job with the sounds surrounding weaponry and how they would actually act in real life. 

Best Original Score: “Bugonia” or “Sinners”

As you can tell, this pick is a tough one for me. I really just wanted to give this one to “Sinners” at first, but I instantly fell in love with the score of “Bugonia” on first listen. 

Both scores perfectly capture the essence of their films, “Sinners” bringing the rural blues of Mississippi to the screen while “Bugonia” brings us to another dimension with its electric tunes. 

I truly don’t know which of these two will win, so it should be an interesting watch.

Best Original Song: “Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters”

I’d like to preface this section by saying that this is not the song I personally would like to win. If it were up to me, Miles Canton would win the Oscar for the song “I Lied To You” from “Sinners,” but I am unfortunately not a voting member of the Academy. 

“Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” became extremely popular after its Netflix debut and has become a massive hit to the general public. While it’s not my pick, I think it’s pretty clear that this song will take home the award.

Best Casting: Francine Maisler for “Sinners”

This was another tough section, mainly since every actor that was casted in the nominee films did such a great job. I almost selected “Hamnet” due to Jessie Buckley’s performance, but I hesitated since I was not the biggest fan of Paul Mescal’s performance. 

I was, however, blown away by the acting choices of the “Sinners” cast. Micheal B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku and Jack O’Connell are just a few prime examples of show stopping performances, each character feeling lived in and like someone I could meet in real life. 

I couldn’t imagine another actor or actress playing any of these characters, and I think that really helps solidify my decision for this award.

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another”

This was one of the hardest sections to do, mainly because of all the films I watched, I feel like the director really perfected how they wanted the story portrayed. 

I was tempted to list Coogler or Chloé Zhao, the director of “Hamnet,” both of which are my preferred picks, but I feel that the Oscar will go to Paul Thomas Anderson for his directorial work in “One Battle After Another.” 

This is a great movie and you can really feel Anderson’s voice in this piece. I also really enjoyed the pacing that he gave this movie along with the tension that follows the plot, I just personally was more impacted by Coogler and Zhao’s directorial choices.

Best Adapted Screenplay: “Hamnet”

This was the section that kept me from having an answer for the longest time. I watched four out of five of the selections listed, and I loved them all. 

Personally, I think “Bugonia” deserves this award. I absolutely love the storyline and acting, and combined with the camera work and score, I feel in my heart that it should walk away with an Oscar. However, I also absolutely loved “Hamnet.” 

Not only is it an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” but it becomes almost meta by also allowing us to see why “Hamlet” was created and who really made the story, well, a story. It’s an extremely close fight, but I believe “Hamnet” will be taking home the win.

Best Original Screenplay: “Sinners”

Are we really surprised that this was my selection for the best original screenplay? I mean, “Sinners” did break the record for most Oscar-nominated movie of all time, leading with 16 nominations.

Coogler perfectly blends horror and mythology with Irish and Black culture and history. I think the only flaw I can find in this movie is that it wasn’t long enough for me. 

Now, I haven’t watched “Marty Supreme" yet, but I’m almost certain it will not beat “Sinners.” Another tortured artist movie cannot top the beauty that is Coogler’s work of blending together history in a modern twist that leaves you thinking about it months after watching it. I think the juke joint scene alone tops every other movie listed, making this one of my easiest selections for these predictions.

Best Picture: “One Battle After Another”

No, this is not a typo. I know you just read my whole spill on why “Sinners” is the best movie, and I still stand by that. 

However, I’ve watched enough award shows to know that despite how many nominations a movie receives, they will almost never actually win all of them. Even “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once” lost some of its nominations, and that’s a perfect movie. 

Again, I believe this award should go to “Sinners” or “Bugonia,” and I’d even throw “Hamnet” in for a good fight, but the Academy is a bit too predictable to actually let any of them win. 

Like I said before, “One Battle After Another” is a great film and has a strong voice, but I personally don’t feel it’s the best selection. However, I don’t think any of the actors will win separate awards, so I have a feeling that the Academy will try to make up for it by giving this award to “One Battle After Another.” 

I don’t agree with it, but that’s the film industry for you.

Best Supporting Actor: Delroy Lindo for “Sinners”

I’ll admit that at first I was upset that Jesse Plemons was not nominated for his role in “Bugonia,” but after looking at the nominations, this was another very easy choice for me. 

Lindo is a side character in “Sinners,” playing as the older comic relief that has some wisdom, yet he steals every scene he’s in. Lindo has been in the industry for a long time, and I’m grateful to see him finally getting his flowers handed to him. To me, this was a no-brainer. 

Yes, he plays Delta Slim with great comedic timing, but I was truly mind blown by his monologue he gives to Sammie and Stack on the way to prep the juke joint. The way he talks about the horrors of what happened to his friend and the cadence of his voice is mystifying, capturing me every time I watch it. 

He plays Delta in such an organic way that it doesn’t even feel like he’s acting but rather someone who’s conversation I stumbled into. It’s a tough competition, but I think Lindo will get it easily.

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan for “Weapons"

I almost selected Mosaku from “Sinners” for this award, but after looking at all the choices, I had to give it to Amy Madigan for “Weapons.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Mosaku’s performance, but Madigan was the star of “Weapons.” 

Along with bringing some humor and funny moments to a dark movie, she is also frightening in her portrayal of Gladys. Madigan is another actress that has been around for a long time, and she still has not lost that spark that an actor should give with their performance. 

Every person I’ve talked to that has watched “Weapons” has loved Madigan’s portrayal, whether it’s from how terrifying she was or how she made them laugh. Again, there’s some tough competition, but I believe Madigan will win the Oscar.

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio for “One Battle After Another” or Michael B. Jordan for “Sinners”

If I’m being completely honest, I can’t pick between these two actors simply because I think they’re the only two performances that really compare to each other. 

Jordan is phenomenal as the SmokeStack twins, playing each of them so strategically that you can tell which twin is which just by a glance from Jordan. If the twins weren’t color coded in “Sinners,” I still believe that you’d easily be able to tell which character was which, and that’s not a very easy thing to do. Jordan puts such care into the twins and you can really feel his love for this role shining through the screen. 

Leonardo DiCaprio is also an excellent choice for the best actor award. He’s a star in “One Battle After Another,” each facial expression and word he says feeling completely tied to his character, Bob Ferguson. Even his funny moments kept the tension up and the storyline going. Not once did I think he was playing something too serious or too casually. 

The beauty of both of these actors is that it didn’t feel like they were acting, but that they actually were their characters. I’m happy with either of these actors taking home the Oscar, but only them two.

Best Actress: Emma Stone for “Bugonia” or Jessie Buckley for “Hamnet”

Now, I was hoping that I could give this nomination to Emma Stone only for her role in “Bugonia,” but after I watched “Hamnet,” I knew Buckley deserved to be a part of the fight. I really tried to narrow it to only one actress, but I couldn’t pick between the two. 

Stone plays her character, Michelle, in such a malleable way that fits perfectly with the storyline of “Bugonia.” Throughout the entire movie, I couldn’t truly guess if her character was an alien or not, even when she gave a beautiful monologue about mankind towards the end of the movie to Plemons’ character. 

While I didn’t like that we actually got confirmation about her character’s human status at the end, I love that she played Michelle just ambiguous enough to keep the viewer on their toes. 

Buckley was also phenomenal as Agnes in “Hamnet,” giving such a destroying and tragic portrayal of grieving a child while slowly losing yourself. While I didn’t find Mescal’s acting very groundbreaking, like I mentioned earlier, I thought that Buckley was a shining star next to him. 

She plays Agnes with a certain whimsical aspect that was such a breath of fresh air hidden in the travesty of her story, that her anger and grief when lashing out felt like a gut punch to the other characters along with the viewers. I don’t think anyone could have played this role with as much heart as she did.

The 2026 Oscars will air live on Hulu Sunday night at 6 p.m. on March 15. Tune in if you want to see if my, or your, predictions are correct. Who do you think will win?