Who Is Leading The Oscar Race? Inside Early Favourites And Rising Stars Of 2026
The 2026 Oscars season is officially underway, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences releasing its early shortlists across 12 major filmmaking categories.
Leading the buzz are Sinners and Wicked: For Good, each appearing on eight different shortlists.
Netflix’s Frankenstein is also generating strong early Oscar talk, landing on six shortlists for casting, cinematography, makeup and hair, music, sound, and visual effects.
The Academy’s preliminary voting runs from January 12–16, 2026, with nominations announced on January 22. The 98th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.
Female filmmakers are making a major impact this year.
Nearly half of the 15 films on the International Feature shortlist were directed by women, including Dolores Fonzi (Belén), Mascha Schilinski (Sound of Falling), and Cherien Dabis (All That’s Left of You).
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The Documentary Feature shortlist is even more impressive, with women directing 10 of the 15 contenders, including Geeta Gandbhir (The Perfect Neighbor), Elizabeth Lo (Mistress Dispeller), and Laura Poitras (Cover-Up).
Top 5 shortlisted films by category
Casting
Sinners (Warner Bros.) — Francine Maisler
Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures) — Tiffany Little Canfield & Bernard Telsey
Frankenstein (Netflix) — Robin D. Cook
Marty Supreme (A24) — Jennifer Venditti
Hamnet (Focus Features) — Nina Gold
Cinematography
Sinners (Warner Bros.) — Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures) — Alice Brooks
Frankenstein (Netflix) — Dan Laustsen
Marty Supreme (A24) — Darius Khondji
F1 (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.) — Claudio Miranda
Documentary Feature
Cover-Up (Netflix)
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
Mistress Dispeller (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple Original Films)
Apocalypse in the Tropics (Netflix)
Makeup and Hairstyling
Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Frankenstein (Netflix)
Marty Supreme (A24)
The Alto Knights (Warner Bros.)
Music (Original Score)
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
Music (Original Song)
“I Lied To You” – Sinners
“Last Time (I Seen The Sun)” – Sinners
“The Girl In The Bubble” – Wicked: For Good
“No Place Like Home” – Wicked: For Good
“Drive” – F1
Visual Effects
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Frankenstein
F1
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sound
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Frankenstein
One Battle after Another
