Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" was crowned Best Picture at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, 15 March 2026, as the director finally secured his first Oscar on a record-breaking night for Warner Bros.
The sprawling drama secured a total of six Oscars, finally ending Anderson’s long wait for Academy recognition. The filmmaker walked away with trophies for both Best Directing and Best Adapted Screenplay.
While the director celebrated his first win, veteran star Sean Penn made history from afar.
Despite his absence from the ceremony, Penn was named Best Supporting Actor, setting a new Academy record for his performance in the film.
The production’s technical prowess was also rewarded, with Andy Jurgensen taking Best Film Editing and Cassandra Kulukundis winning the inaugural award for Best Casting, the first new Oscar category established since 2002.
A Night of History and 'Sinners'
It was a important evening for Warner Bros, which saw its slate dominate the podium. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners followed closely behind the Best Picture winner, nabbing four awards.
Michael B Jordan was named Best Actor for his powerhouse performance in the film, while Coogler himself took home Best Original Screenplay.
The film’s technical team also broke barriers; Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman in Oscar history to win Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson added to the film's tally with a win for Best Original Score.
The acting categories provided some of the night’s most emotional moments:
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan for Weapons
K-Pop and Horror Make Their Mark
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters danced away with Best Animated Feature. The film’s anthem, “Golden,” made history as the first K-pop track to win Best Original Song.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein proved to be a visual juggernaut, "scooping" a trio of craft awards for Costume Design, Production Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling.
Meanwhile, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash continued the franchise's dominance in the Visual Effects category.
READ ALSO: Motörhead Guitarist Phil Campbell Dies Aged 64
| Key Category | Winner |
| Best Picture | One Battle After Another |
| Best Director | Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) |
| Best Actor | Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) |
| Best Actress | Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) |
| Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters |
| Best International Feature | Sentimental Value (Norway) |
Tributes and Reunions
Hosted for the second consecutive year by Conan O’Brien, the ceremony leaned heavily into nostalgia.
The stage saw a series of high-profile reunions, most notably a Bridesmaids gathering featuring Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, and a Marvel moment shared by Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans.
The evening turned somber during the In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to industry titans lost over the past year, including Rob Reiner, Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and Catherine O’Hara.
In a bid to tighten the broadcast's runtime, the Academy limited live musical performances to just two nominees: the history-making "Golden" and Sinners’ "I Lied to You."
The night concluded with a rare occurrence in the Live-Action Short category, where a tie was declared between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
0 Comments