(Prior to tonight, we decided to share our predictions for Oscars 2026. Please note that we omitted categories in which we had no information about.)

Actor in a Leading Role

Marlene:
The Actor in a Leading Role award for the Oscars is tight this year, as five talented actors are up for the award. The most likely winners in this category, for me, are Wagner Moura of The Secret Agent or Michael B. Jordan of Sinners.

Emirhan:
A few months prior, I would have thought DiCaprio would be one of the front runners of the race. However at this point of time, he seems to be an afterthought. Michael B. Jordan managed to gain significant momentum due to his win at SAG awards, but I still find Chalamet a favorable pick over him.

Actress in a Leading Role

Marlene:
The Actress in a Leading Role award this year seems to have a pretty clear winner — Jessie Buckley of Hamnet — and I don’t disagree. Buckley has swept this season, and for good reason. Hamnet in theaters was a magical experience, which Buckley made every time she was on screen. Her emotions moved the audience and made the experience so much more impactful.

Emirhan:
Perhaps the most locked in award of the whole ceremony. It would be the upset of the decade if it results in anybody but Jessie Buckley.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Marlene:
The award for Actor in a Supporting Role is tricky. As much as I want Jacob Elordi to win, as I love his portrayal of the Creature in Frankenstein, lately Sean Penn of One Battle After Another seems to be winning the recent awards in the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.

Emirhan:
Perhaps this might be the most difficult one. I would very much like to see a win for Sentimental Value, therefore my vote is for Skarsgard. However, if I had to make an unbiased and educated guess, Sean Penn seems to be the one who will win it all.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Marlene:
The Actress in a Supporting Role seems to be clear too, with Amy Madigan from Weapons set to win as she’s won most of the other awards this season. As horror isn’t a genre I tend to seek out, I can’t say much about it, but I can speak on Teyana Taylor — another big contender for this award. Taylor, though a short screen time, stood out in her role in OBAA. I would also enjoy seeing Wunmi Mosaku from Sinners win as she also stood out in a star-studded film.

Emirhan:
While I was saddened to witness Fanning’s performance going under the academy’s radar, the prospect of Amy Madigan winning an Oscar with a film like Weapons would be incredible. Historically, horror movies have always been underrepresented and it would be great to witness tides starting to turn.

Directing

Marlene:
This award has two main contenders — Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson. Both great directors, but for me it’s a 50/50 chance. I’d also love to see Chloé Zhao win (again), but it’ll most likely go to either of the latter.

Emirhan:
Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler seem to stand above other nominees. Even though the award will be awarded based on their last project respectively, their body of work will be a significant factor in determining the winner and Anderson’s filmography is almost unrivaled by any other current filmmakers of his generation. So, Anderson is my pick.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Marlene:
The top contender is One Battle After Another, no questions asked.

Emirhan:
I was a bit surprised to find OBAA’s name in this shortlist. While it is inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s acclaimed novel Vineland, Anderson takes excessive amounts of creative liberties. Anyhow, it is very much hard but not to give it to OBAA, as it’s perhaps bound to be the defining movie of the 2020’s political landscape.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Marlene:
Sinners is definitely the main contender for this award, as it’s had more recognition than the others.

Emirhan:
Ryan Coogler managed to put his twist into a regular vampire story and truly made something special. Perhaps this might be a bold claim, but a Coogler win seems to be very likely.

Film Editing

Marlene:
One Battle After Another had an intense flow to the film, which editing contributed to, and I think this is where the award will land.

Emirhan:
This category seems to be a car chase between OBAA and F-1, no pun intended. I would be satisfied with both taking the award but in my opinion OBAA slightly takes the edge.

Cinematography

Marlene:
For cinematography, the award will most likely be Sinners as well. It could also be Hamnet, and I hope it could also be Frankenstein but I know it probably won’t.

Emirhan:
Even though my favorite in this category is Train Dreams, I wouldn’t mind Sinners winning it all.

Visual Effects

Marlene:
Haven’t seen it, but it’ll most likely go to Avatar: Fire and Ash, as these big movies have won consistently for this award year after year.

Emirhan:
Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Production Design

Marlene:
Frankenstein will most likely take this award.

Emirhan:

Frankenstein.

Costume Design

Marlene:
Frankenstein most likely has this award in its bag. The costume design for this film is impeccable, and super original compared to the other films this year (of what the films I’ve seen).

Emirhan:
Frankenstein had incredible costumes and Del Toro’s labour of love should take the award home.

Makeup and Hairstyling

Marlene:
That’s going to Frankenstein, too.

Emirhan:
Frankenstein. No question about it.

Sound

Marlene:
This award will go to the shockingly best-picture-nominated film F-1, and it’s the only award it will most likely win.

Emirhan:
Along with Buckley’s very likely win, F-1 seems to have one of the most locked-in wins going into the ceremony.

Music (Original Score)

Marlene:
As a big Childish Gambino fan, Sinners’ Ludwig Goransson definitely deserves this award — and also his big background in films like Oppenheimer and Black Panther.

Emirhan:
In the last few years, Goransson has been putting up an incredible body of work and Sinners is the last cornerstone of it. Sinners’soundtrack is nothing but transformative and clear favorite.

Music (Original Song)

Marlene:
As much as I want “I Lied To You” from Sinners to win, “Golden” from K-Pop Demon Hunters has won the other big awards this season and is probably going to win this one.

Emirhan:
It’s hard to name anything but “I Lied To You.”

Casting

Marlene:
The newest category yet! For the first year, the award will most likely go to Sinners, as the ensemble is unbeatable.

Emirhan:
I would have gone with Sentimental Value, however somehow it wasn’t even nominated. I believe Marty Supreme should take the award.

Animated Feature Film

Marlene:
Haven’t seen any of them, to be real frank. My guess would be either Zootopia 2 (as it won a BAFTA) or K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Emirhan:
I must confess that I am very much uninformed in this category, so make sure to take my guess with a grain of salt. I have heard many great things about K-Pop Demon Hunters, it would be a reasonable guess I suppose.

International Feature Film

Marlene:
No question about it — The Secret Agent will win this award. So much history and social issues of Brazil are presented.

Emirhan:
One of the hardest categories to form an opinion as it has such a stacked list. My vote is for Sentimental Value.

Best Picture

Marlene:
This award has three main contenders: One Battle After Another, Sinners, or Hamnet. My likely guess is OBAA because it seems to be a favorite, but Sinners also have a big chance of winning. Hamnet also has a big chance of winning, however, not as strong as the others — though it did come as a surprise at the Globes.

Emirhan:
While I was contemplating choosing between One Battle After Anotherand Hamnet, due to its absolute domination during the awards season, OBAA seems to be the favorite.