One Battle After Another And Sinners Dominate BAFTA Nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) unveiled its 2026 Film Award nominations on January 27, and this year’s list is making waves for its strong parallels with the recent U.S. Academy Awards, while still shining a light on homegrown British talent and a handful of unexpected choices. The announcement, which sets the stage for the ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall on February 22, has ignited excitement—and a fair bit of debate—across the film industry.

At the top of the leaderboard sits Paul Thomas Anderson’s political satire, One Battle After Another, which racked up 14 nominations—just two shy of the all-time BAFTA record set by Gandhi and matching the tallies of heavyweights like All Quiet on the Western Front and The King’s Speech. Not far behind is Ryan Coogler’s historical horror Sinners, with 13 nods, making it the most-nominated film by a Black director in BAFTA history, according to Variety. Both films are Warner Bros. productions, and their duel for top honors is shaping up to be one of awards season’s most closely watched showdowns.

Meanwhile, Hamnet and Marty Supreme each scored 11 nominations, cementing their status as critical darlings. Timothée Chalamet, who stars in Marty Supreme, returns to the BAFTA leading actor race for the second year running, while Chloé Zhao’s direction of Hamnet earned her the distinction of being the only woman nominated for Best Director this year. Notably, Hamnet now boasts the highest number of BAFTA nominations ever for a female-directed film, as reported by Deadline.

The Best Film category is packed with heavy hitters: One Battle After Another, Sinners, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and Sentimental Value all made the cut. The latter also earned Stellan Skarsgård his first-ever BAFTA nomination at the age of 74—a milestone that hasn’t gone unnoticed in industry circles.

Yet the BAFTAs wouldn’t be the BAFTAs without a healthy dose of British flavor. This year, local indie films like I Swear, Pillion, and The Ballad of Wallis Island managed to break out beyond the Outstanding British Film category, snagging nominations in major races such as screenplay and acting. I Swear, a drama centered on Tourette syndrome from Studiocanal, was shortlisted in six categories and ultimately landed five nominations, including a Leading Actor nod for Robert Aramayo. As Deadline notes, Aramayo’s performance has “continued to punch above its weight,” making him both a Best Actor and Rising Star nominee.

Odessa A’Zion, who missed out on an Oscar nomination despite her breakout role in Marty Supreme, found redemption at the BAFTAs with a Supporting Actress nomination. Emily Watson, a revered screen veteran, returned to the BAFTA spotlight for the first time in 25 years with her Supporting Actress nomination for Hamnet. Jesse Plemons, who drew raves at the Venice Film Festival for Bugonia but was left off the Oscar list, is back in the awards conversation thanks to a BAFTA nomination.

Distribution houses also had their moments in the sun. Mubi, despite recent setbacks—including the disappointing performance of Die My Love and an Oscar shutout for No Other Choice—managed an impressive 13 nominations. This haul included nods for Die My Love, The Secret Agent, and especially Sentimental Value, which alone garnered eight nominations. Mubi’s tally put it just behind Netflix and helped restore some luster to the distributor’s reputation.

Universal/Focus Films also had a strong showing, collecting 24 nominations, just three fewer than industry leader Warner Bros. Discovery. Their films Hamnet and Bugonia actually performed better at the BAFTAs than at the Oscars, a fact that’s likely to be a point of pride for the studio.

Of course, no awards season is complete without its share of surprises and snubs. Wicked: For Good, which had been longlisted in eight categories including acting, score, and sound, only received two nominations—costume and hair & makeup—continuing a disappointing awards run that began with its Oscar shutout. Nuremberg, starring Russell Crowe, also came up empty-handed despite five longlist mentions, leaving its UK distributor Sky Cinema “disappointed,” as reported by Deadline. Similarly, Urchin and Wasteman failed to convert their longlist appearances into nominations, with the latter being beaten out in the Outstanding British Debut category by films with less public exposure.

Another talking point is the nomination of The Voice Of Hind Rajab in both the BAFTA and Oscar races, despite being overlooked by leading U.S. distributors. According to Deadline, this ongoing snub has been difficult for the film’s backers to understand, especially given its critical recognition on both sides of the Atlantic.

Looking at the acting categories, the BAFTAs’ decision to have six nominees in each category helped avoid some of the more glaring snubs seen at the Oscars. The lists feature an eclectic mix of established stars and rising talent, including Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Chase Infiniti, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, and Jesse Plemons. The supporting categories are equally competitive, with nominees such as Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Peter Mullan, Sean Penn, Stellan Skarsgård, and more.

Screenplay categories also reflect the BAFTAs’ blend of international and British voices. I Swear, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Sinners are all up for Original Screenplay, while Adapted Screenplay contenders include The Ballad of Wallis Island, Bugonia, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Pillion. This cross-pollination of talent underscores the global reach of the British film industry, even as it champions its own stories.

The ceremony, set for February 22 and hosted by Alan Cumming, promises to be a lively affair, with the British industry eager to celebrate both its international successes and its homegrown achievements. As the race heats up, all eyes will be on whether the BAFTAs will stick closely to Oscar trends or chart a distinctly British course.

With a blend of Oscar frontrunners, British indie breakthroughs, and a few eyebrow-raising omissions, this year’s BAFTA nominations offer a snapshot of an industry at a fascinating crossroads—balancing global acclaim with local pride, and tradition with the promise of new voices. The final results, whatever they may be, are sure to spark conversation well beyond awards night.