Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz/Film Magic/Poster/Warner Bros.
When the 2026 Oscar nominations were announced in late January, one film dominated the categories: Sinners. Directed, produced and written by alumnus Ryan Coogler MFA ’11, the genre-blending “vampire fantasia” received a record-breaking 16 nominations — the most for a single film in Academy Award history, surpassing previous record holders All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land, with 14 each.
Although Coogler’s no stranger to the Academy Awards — having earned nominations for Judas and the Black Messiah and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Sinners’ nomination haul is “pretty crazy” for the Oakland native. He’s up for consideration in three categories: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
The 98th Academy Awards will air live on Sunday, March 15, on ABC.