98th Academy Awards
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States. During the gala, the AMPAS will present Academy Awards in 24 categories, honoring films released in 2025. The ceremony will be televised in the United States by ABC and streamed on Hulu. Comedian Conan O'Brien is set to host the show for the second consecutive time, after receiving universal acclaim for hosting the previous year, with Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan returning as executive producers for the third consecutive year.
In related events, the Academy held its 16th Governors Awards ceremony at the Ray Dolby Ballroom of the Ovation Hollywood complex in Hollywood on November 16, 2025. The Academy Scientific and Technical Awards will be presented on April 28, 2026, in a ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
This year, Best Casting will be presented as a new category, bringing the total number of competitive Oscar categories to 24.
Winners and nominees
The nominees for the 98th Academy Awards were announced on January 22, 2026, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, by actress Danielle Brooks and actor Lewis Pullman.The sixteen nominations received by Sinners are the most in Oscar history, surpassing the previous record of fourteen shared by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. It also broke the record for most Black individuals nominated for a single film at ten. The film's studio, Warner Bros., earned thirty nominations, tying its own record set in 2005.
At the age of 30, Timothée Chalamet became the youngest actor to earn three acting nominations since Marlon Brando. At the age of 37, Emma Stone, nominated for Best Picture and Best Actress in a Leading Role, became the second-youngest person in Oscar history to garner seven career nominations since Walt Disney. Wagner Moura became the first Brazilian nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Stellan Skarsgård became the first actor nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for a non-English-language international film.
The 40-year span between Amy Madigan's first nomination, for her supporting role in Twice in a Lifetime, and her second, for Weapons, set the record for the longest gap between Oscar nominations for an actress. Ruth E. Carter became the most-nominated Black woman, across any category, with her fifth nomination for Best Costume Design. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman of color nominated for Best Cinematography. Chloé Zhao became the second woman, following Jane Campion, and the first woman of color to be nominated for Best Directing twice. With nine nominations for Best Picture, Dede Gardner became the most nominated female producer, breaking a tie with Kathleen Kennedy.
Awards
Winners will be listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger.Governors Awards
The Academy held its 16th annual Governors Awards ceremony on November 16, 2025, during which the following awards were presented:Academy Honorary Awards
- Debbie Allen – "A trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres".
- Tom Cruise – For his "incredible commitment to filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community".
- Wynn Thomas – "Production designer has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft".
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- Dolly Parton – A "beloved performer exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts".
Films with multiple nominations
Performers
| Name | Role | Performance | |
| TBA | TBA | "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters | |
| TBA | TBA | "I Lied to You" from Sinners |
Ceremony information
Beginning with this ceremony, the Academy will begin enforcing rules ensuring that all members have watched every nominated film in each category before voting in the final round.In March 2025, the Academy hired television producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, for the third year in a row, to oversee production of the 2026 ceremony, with comedian and former talk show host Conan O'Brien as host of the event for the second consecutive year. Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney, long-time collaborators of O'Brien, will also return as producers for a second time; Sweeney will also serve as a writer. "We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff, and Mike for the 98th Oscars," said AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer and AMPAS President Janet Yang in a press release. " year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again." In response, Kapoor and Mullan stated in a press release, "We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars. We can't wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year's nominees and the impact of film around the world."
For the third year in a row, comedian and journalist Amelia Dimoldenberg will serve as the social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent for the Oscars' online outlets. Dimoldenberg will participate in multiple key events throughout the awards season, culminating in interviews with nominees and talent on the Oscars red carpet.
Due to time constraints and broader structural changes to the telecast, only two of the five nominees for Best Original Song will be performed live during the gala, those being "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters and "I Lied to You" from Sinners. In a letter sent to all music nominees and obtained exclusively by Variety, the Academy emphasized that the category will remain fully integrated into the broadcast, even as live performances are limited to "Golden" and "I Lied to You". The letter was signed by Kapoor and Mullan, along with producer Taryn Hurd; the Academy declined to comment. According to the Academy, each nominated song will be introduced through a custom-produced segment built from footage of the film it was written for, with the goal of grounding each song in its cinematic context. Those packages may also incorporate behind-the-scenes material offering insight into the songwriting process and creative intent. The producing team also noted that nominees will receive additional promotional support across its official social media platforms, pointing to recent Spotify collaborations and the nominations announcement as examples of that outreach. The performances will be framed as segments designed to honor how music helped those stories resonate worldwide while the remaining nominees will be recognized through the bespoke film-based packages rather than live musical numbers. This decision was condemned by nominee Diane Warren, nominated for her original song "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless, stating, "It is unfair to me and my fellow nominees because you just excluded three songs and chose two. It is my fellow artists who deserve the respect which comes from a nomination It is all of us or none of us and that is what it should be."