‘Sinners’ Claims Four Oscars as ‘One Battle After Another’ Sweeps Best Picture
History Made at the 98th Academy Awards: ‘Sinners’ Claims Four Oscars as ‘One Battle After Another’ Sweeps Best Picture
HOLLYWOOD, CA — The 98th Academy Awards concluded Sunday night with a mix of historic milestones and expected triumphs. While Paul Thomas Anderson’s political epic One Battle After Another took home the evening’s top prize for Best Picture, Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller Sinners solidified its place in cinema history with four major wins from a record-breaking 16 nominations.
The night’s biggest headline belonged to Michael B. Jordan, who secured his first-ever Oscar for Best Actor for his dual role in Sinners. The victory came after one of the most competitive races in years, with Jordan edging out heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.
Breaking the Glass Lens
The technical categories provided one of the ceremony's most emotional moments when Autumn Durald Arkapaw won for Best Cinematography. Arkapaw became the first woman in the history of the Academy Awards to win the category, a long-awaited breakthrough that brought the Dolby Theatre to its feet.
Director Ryan Coogler also notched a career-first, taking home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. In his acceptance speech, Coogler thanked his cast for "bringing the juke joint to life" and celebrated the film's unique blend of genre-bending horror and historical depth.
‘One Battle After Another’ Dominates
Despite the momentum behind Sinners, it was Paul Thomas Anderson’s night to sweep. One Battle After Another led the total medal count with six wins, marking a career peak for the director.
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Best Picture: Paul Thomas Anderson & Sara Murphy
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Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
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Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn (his third Oscar win)
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Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson
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Inaugural Best Casting Award: Cassandra Kulukundis
The 98th Academy Awards: Major Winners
| Category | Winner | Film |
| Best Picture | Paul Thomas Anderson | One Battle After Another |
| Best Actor | Michael B. Jordan | Sinners |
| Best Actress | Jessie Buckley | Hamnet |
| Best Supporting Actor | Sean Penn | One Battle After Another |
| Best Supporting Actress | Amy Madigan | Weapons |
| Original Screenplay | Ryan Coogler | Sinners |
| Cinematography | Autumn Durald Arkapaw | Sinners |
| Original Score | Ludwig Göransson | Sinners |
| Animated Feature | K-Pop: Demon Hunters | Netflix |
A Night of Firsts and Surprises
Beyond the Sinners vs. One Battle showdown, the 2026 Oscars delivered several viral moments. The Best Original Song category saw "Golden" from K-Pop: Demon Hunters become the first K-pop track to win an Academy Award, punctuated by a high-energy live performance that bridged the gap between Seoul and Hollywood.
The technical awards also saw a "hat trick" for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which swept Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling, proving that the Academy still has a massive appetite for meticulously crafted literary adaptations.
In a rare occurrence, the Live-Action Short Film category resulted in a tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, the first such deadlock at the Oscars since 2013.
As the curtain falls on the 2026 awards season, the narrative is clear: while Paul Thomas Anderson finally claimed his Best Picture crown, the "Supernatural Summer" of Sinners has officially changed the rules for what kind of stories can dominate the Academy's stage.
