Oscar Nominations List: The Latest Nominees

Oscar nominations are the films and filmmakers selected by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters as contenders for that year’s Academy Awards. The latest completed nominations list is for the 98th Oscars, announced on January 22, 2026; because the list changes every year, check the Academy’s official nominations page for the complete current-year names and category details.

Where to find the complete Oscar nominations list

The Academy’s official website publishes the nominations by award year and category. Its list is the best source when you need exact nominee names, film titles, category placement, or a correction. Reputable news organizations also publish searchable lists and summaries, but headlines often focus on a few notable contenders rather than every nomination.

When checking a list, make sure the year refers to the ceremony or the eligible film year. These are not always the same: a ceremony held in one calendar year generally honors films released during the preceding eligibility period. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026, recognizing achievements in films released in 2025.

For the full list, look for all competitive categories rather than only the most publicized awards. Depending on the year, the Oscar program includes awards for acting, directing, writing, production and technical crafts, animation, documentary, international feature, and music. The Academy’s page also identifies nominees in categories where the credit belongs to individuals or teams, not simply to a film as a whole.

What an Oscar nomination means

A nomination means a work or credited person has been selected as a finalist in a particular Academy Awards category. It is not the same as winning: nominees compete for the award, and the winner is announced at the ceremony. A film can receive nominations in several categories, while an individual may be nominated for a specific contribution such as directing, acting, writing, editing, or music.

Nomination counts are useful shorthand, but they do not tell the whole story. A movie with many nominations may be recognized across several crafts; another may have fewer nominations but win a prominent award. Counts can also be reported differently if a summary combines a film’s nominations with individual credits, so use category-by-category results when precision matters.

How Oscar nominations are selected

The Academy is a membership organization whose eligible members vote in the awards process. In most categories, members of the relevant branch nominate candidates in their field: for example, actors participate in nominations for acting awards, and film editors nominate in the editing category. The Academy’s rules set eligibility requirements and explain how each year’s voting is conducted.

Best Picture is a major exception to the branch-based pattern: eligible Academy members participate in its nomination voting. Some categories also have special procedures, eligibility rules, or committees. International Feature Film, for example, has an entry process involving countries or regions and a staged selection process. Those distinctions mean there is no single simple ballot that every member uses to nominate every award.

After nominations are announced, final voting determines the winners. The voting electorate and rules may differ by stage or category, and the Academy publishes the applicable rules for each awards season. A nomination therefore reflects a formal selection process, not a public popularity poll or a box-office ranking.

Categories readers often look for

Many people start with the headline awards, but the complete list covers a broad range of filmmaking. Common categories include:

• Best Picture, directing, and the leading and supporting acting awards.
• Original and adapted screenplay, recognizing different kinds of writing.
• Film editing, cinematography, production design, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, and sound.
• Original score and original song, which recognize distinct musical contributions.
• Animated feature, documentary feature, and international feature film.
• Short-film awards, including animated, documentary, and live-action shorts.

Category names and the total number of awards can change over time as the Academy revises its rules or adds a category. For instance, the Academy introduced the casting award for the 98th Oscars, the first new competitive category since the sound award was added for the 7th ceremony. Always use the list for the specific year rather than assuming the categories are identical to those from an earlier ceremony.

How to read nominations and counts

Each nomination should be read in its category context. Acting nominations name performers and the films for which they were recognized; writing nominations distinguish original from adapted screenplay; and some craft categories list credited artists or teams. The film title alone may not identify every person formally nominated, so consult the complete entry when reporting individual credits.

Similarly, a nomination is not automatically shared by every person associated with a production. Eligibility and credit rules determine who is named. A producer, performer, or department member may be closely involved in a nominated film without being an individual nominee in that category.

For comparisons, use the same measure throughout: total nominations, nominations in selected categories, or wins. “Most nominated” means the highest number of nominations, not necessarily the most awards won. Tie counts are possible, and a single film may accumulate several nominations in a single category only where the rules allow multiple credited nominees.

Common misconceptions about the list

• Nominees are not winners. The nominations announcement identifies contenders; winners are revealed later at the ceremony.
• More nominations do not guarantee Best Picture. The award is decided by its own voting process, and nomination totals alone do not determine the winner.
• Every release is not eligible automatically. Films must satisfy the relevant year’s eligibility and submission rules, which vary by category.
• “Oscar nominee” does not always mean an individual nomination. A person may be associated with a nominated film without being listed as a nominee.
• Lists from different years cannot be compared without care. Categories, rules, eligibility periods, and the number of awards can change.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are Oscar nominations announced?
The date changes each awards season. The Academy announces the schedule in advance and publishes the nominations when voting and tabulation are complete. Check its official awards calendar for the next announcement date.

Where can I see the full Oscar nominations list?
Use the Academy’s official website and select the relevant awards year. It lists nominees by category and is more reliable for exact credits than a brief news roundup.

Are Oscar nominees the same as Oscar winners?
No. Nominees are the finalists in a category. The winner is chosen in the final voting stage and announced at the ceremony.

How many Oscar categories are there?
The total depends on the year because categories and rules can change. Consult that year’s official list instead of relying on a fixed number from an older ceremony.

Can one movie receive nominations in several categories?
Yes. A film can be nominated for multiple aspects of its production, such as picture, acting, writing, editing, and sound. Each nomination is counted separately in the film’s total.

Do Oscar nominations reflect audience voting?
No. Nominations are determined through the Academy’s voting process under its rules. Box-office performance and public opinion do not directly select the nominees.

Related

• Data Center Water Use: Cooling, AI and Local Impacts
• Best Alternatives to AI SOC Platforms for Small Teams
• Run Open WebUI and Ollama Locally in Docker