Sinners Breaks Oscar Records With Michael B. Jordan

Hollywood’s awards season has seen its fair share of surprises, but nothing quite like the tidal wave created by Sinners, the historical horror epic starring Michael B. Jordan. On January 22, 2026, the film set an all-time record with 16 Academy Award nominations, the most ever for a single movie, as reported by Deadline. The achievement marks a historic moment not just for the film itself, but also for Jordan, who secured his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor thanks to his electrifying performance as twin brothers in the film.

Directed, written, and produced by Ryan Coogler, Sinners is set in the 1930s Mississippi Delta and follows the saga of twin gangsters, Smoke and Stack, who return to their rural roots with dreams of opening a nightclub. The twist? The film is laced with vampires, adding a supernatural bite to its already rich historical setting. According to E! News, Coogler and Jordan’s creative partnership—previously showcased in films like Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther—has matured into one of the most dynamic duos in modern cinema, and their latest collaboration is being hailed as their most ambitious yet.

“It’s one of those things where you all get on set, and everybody is collectively doing the work together and everybody’s vibing off one another,” Jordan told E! News’ Daryn Carp at the Critics Choice Awards on January 4. The camaraderie on set, he added, made for a “family environment,” a sentiment echoed by the film’s ensemble, including Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Miles Caton, Francine Maisler, Wunmi Mosaku, and Omar Benson Miller. Their collective chemistry translated into critical acclaim, with the cast picking up four trophies at the Critics Choice Awards and two more at the Golden Globes.

Jordan’s portrayal of both Smoke and Stack—two brothers with diverging destinies—has drawn praise from critics and audiences alike. The role demanded not just technical finesse but also emotional depth, as Jordan navigated the fraught relationship between the twins while embodying their individual struggles. The buzz around his performance was so strong that at the Critics’ Choice Awards earlier this month, he went head-to-head with Timothée Chalamet for Best Actor. Though Chalamet ultimately took home the Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, Jordan’s achievement as a first-time Oscar nominee is no less significant.

The recognition for Sinners extends well beyond its leading man. Wunmi Mosaku is nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Delroy Lindo for Best Supporting Actor, and Coogler himself for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. The film’s haunting track “I Lied To You” is up for Best Score, and the movie also nabbed Golden Globes for Best Original Score and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. According to Deadline, the film’s awards momentum has made it the talk of Hollywood, with many industry insiders predicting it could sweep at the Oscars.

The 98th Academy Awards, set to air live on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday, March 15, 2026, will see comedian Conan O’Brien take on hosting duties. The event promises to be a star-studded affair, with much of the Sinners cast expected to attend in force. As Jordan told E! News, “We’ll be showing up en masse for the remainder of the season, including at the Oscars, where I’ll be hoping to hear my name called in the best actor category.”

Offscreen, the cast of Sinners boasts a tapestry of personal stories and partnerships that have also captured the public’s imagination. Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Stack’s ex-girlfriend Mary, recently married Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. “That inner peace that you have, that rock, that solid, consistent part of your life is indescribable,” Steinfeld told Bustle in November 2025, six months after their wedding. She announced her pregnancy in December, sharing, “I feel like I am stepping into the version that I’ve always dreamed of being, having so much to do with being with him.”

Wunmi Mosaku, who portrays Annie—Smoke’s estranged wife mourning their lost child—brought her own maternal experiences to the role. Mosaku, who debuted her second pregnancy on the Golden Globes red carpet, told W Magazine, “Being a mom is an integral part of Annie, and it’s an integral part of me, now. I was like, 'I can learn from her as a mother.'” The English-Nigerian actress, who won a BAFTA in 2016 and moved to the U.S. with her husband, has said that her life “would have been different” had she not pursued acting. Instead, her journey led her to one of the year’s most acclaimed films.

Delroy Lindo, who plays the enigmatic Delta Slim, has been married to artist and educator Neshormeh Lindo for over three decades. “I try to separate my work from my personal life, but sometimes the lines blur a bit,” Lindo admitted to Denver Urban Spectrum in November 2025. When asked if he ever brings his characters home, he joked, “My wife would say yes.” His focus, he says, is on “finding the humanity in every character I play. Maybe that humanity reads as charm.”

The film’s supporting cast includes Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay Goldstein, partners both in life and in their Canadian alt-rock band July Talk. Dreimanis, who plays a local KKK member in Sinners, described their creative partnership to the Toronto Star as one where “we push each other pretty hard.” Lola Kirke, who appears as Bert’s wife Joan, shares a similar musical bond with her partner Wyndham Boylan-Garnett. As she told Relix, their romance began with late-night jam sessions and has since blossomed into collaborative albums. “We’re both big lovers of the music of yesteryear,” Boylan-Garnett told Newsweek.

As the Oscar ceremony approaches, speculation is swirling not just about which awards Sinners will claim, but also about the impact the film has already made. Some fans have even mused about what the film might have looked like with other actors—such as Jonathon Majors or the late Chadwick Boseman—in the dual lead, but most agree that Jordan’s performance is nothing short of career-defining.

With its record-breaking nominations, powerhouse performances, and the creative synergy of Jordan and Coogler at its core, Sinners has already cemented its place in cinematic history. Whether it sweeps the Oscars or not, its legacy is assured—and the world will be watching on March 15 to see just how high this film can soar.