Hollywood’s grandest night returned in full force as the 98th Academy Awards unfolded at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, drawing the world’s attention to a celebration of cinematic excellence on March 15, 2026. The ceremony, hosted with characteristic wit by Conan O’Brien for the second consecutive year, brought together a constellation of stars, filmmakers, and industry insiders eager to see which films and artists would claim the year’s top honors. As the night progressed, it became clear that Paul Thomas Anderson and his epic film One Battle After Another would dominate headlines, but the ceremony also delivered its fair share of surprises, heartfelt moments, and a few controversies that will have Oscar watchers talking for months to come.
At the heart of the evening was One Battle After Another, Anderson’s sprawling three-hour opus, which swept six major categories. The film walked away with the coveted Best Picture Oscar, cementing its place in cinematic history. Anderson himself was recognized with Best Director, a career milestone that, according to AwardsWatch, felt like a "long overdue coronation" for a filmmaker whose work has long inspired passionate debate. The film’s momentum didn’t stop there; it also picked up awards for Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, and the inaugural Best Casting award, making it the most decorated film of the night, as confirmed by Mashable.
This year’s Oscars marked a significant evolution for the Academy. For the first time since the introduction of Best Animated Feature in 2001, a new competitive category was added: Best Casting. The award, designed to honor the art of assembling a film’s ensemble, was handed out to Cassandra Kulukundis for her work on One Battle After Another. The decision to recognize casting as a unique discipline reflects Hollywood’s growing appreciation for the complex process of selecting the right mix of talent—a move that industry insiders and critics have long advocated.
In the acting categories, the Academy recognized a diverse array of talent. Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his performance in Sinners, a film that also made history as the most nominated in Oscar history, earning an astonishing 16 nominations. Jessie Buckley’s turn in Hamnet brought her the Best Actress trophy, marking her first Oscar win. Amy Madigan’s moving portrayal in Weapons earned her the Best Supporting Actress award, while Sean Penn, though absent from the ceremony, secured his third Oscar with a win for Best Supporting Actor in One Battle After Another—a feat that few in Hollywood have matched.
The night was not without its moments of history-making and reflection. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Cinematography, a milestone that was lauded by critics and audiences alike. Meanwhile, the Documentary Feature category continued the Academy’s recent trend of honoring internationally focused, politically resonant works. Mr. Nobody Against Putin took home the Oscar, aligning with what AwardsWatch described as the Academy’s "pattern of rewarding internationally focused documentaries with strong political themes." This shift reflects the increasingly global makeup of the Academy’s voting body and its willingness to engage with urgent issues on the world stage.
Animation had its own moment in the spotlight as KPop Demon Hunters was crowned Best Animated Feature, living up to its status as a near certainty among awards prognosticators. The Animated Short Film category saw The Girl Who Cried Pearls emerge victorious, while the Live Action Short Film category ended in a rare tie, with both The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the honors—a twist that broke a five-year losing streak for some Oscar predictors, as noted by AwardsWatch.
The ceremony itself was a mix of celebration, nostalgia, and the occasional misstep. Conan O’Brien’s opening segment, themed around Weapons, set a playful tone, and musical performances, including a standout rendition of the Original Song nominee “I Lied to You” by Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq, energized the crowd. The five presenters for the first-ever Best Casting Oscar were met with enthusiastic applause, and the in-memoriam segment, while heartfelt, drew some criticism for omitting legendary actor Robert Duvall from a special tribute—an oversight that did not go unnoticed by longtime fans and industry veterans.
Other notable wins included Frankenstein picking up Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design, while F1 roared to victory in the Best Sound and Best Film Editing categories, and Avatar: Fire and Ash claimed Best Visual Effects. The international feature film race was won by Norway’s Sentimental Value, continuing Europe’s strong showing in recent years.
Behind the scenes, the Oscars’ prediction game remained as competitive as ever. As detailed by AwardsWatch, industry experts faced a particularly challenging season, with most pundit boards aligning around the same frontrunners. The real test, it seemed, was in identifying the moments when the race might defy consensus. For some, the decision to back Mr. Nobody Against Putin in Documentary Feature proved prescient, while others saw their fortunes hinge on the unpredictable short film categories. In the end, five experts tied with 21 correct predictions, but the margin for error was razor-thin—a testament to the ever-shifting dynamics of awards season.
Of course, not every moment was met with universal acclaim. The Bridesmaids skit, intended as comic relief, fell flat for many, and the relegation of some Original Song nominees to a QR code—rather than live performances—drew groans from traditionalists. The ceremony also faced criticism for cutting short acceptance speeches, a perennial complaint that has some insiders calling for a move to streaming platforms, where time constraints are less rigid. As one pundit quipped, "I can’t wait for the Oscars to go to YouTube in 2029 for this reason alone."
Yet for all the ups and downs, the 98th Academy Awards managed to capture what makes the Oscars a perennial fixture in the cultural calendar: the thrill of competition, the celebration of artistry, and the sense that, for one night at least, the world is united in its love of movies. As the lights dimmed and the credits rolled, filmmakers and fans alike turned their eyes to the future, already speculating about which stories and talents will define the next chapter of Hollywood’s ongoing saga.