Hailee Steinfeld in the movie “Sinners”. Source: IMAGO / imago stock&people / Profimedia
“Sinners,” a film set in the segregationist South, scored a record number of nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards on Thursday and has a chance to set another first in Hollywood history.
With actor Michael B. Jordan doubling up to play both lead roles of twin delinquent brothers who return to their hometown where they're confronted by a “supernatural evil,” according to the feature's official description, Sinners it's basically a vampire movie.
Variety had been predicting since the beginning of the month that “Sinners” would not only be nominated for the best picture Oscar, but also the favorite to win it — something no horror film has accomplished in the nearly 100-year history of the Academy Awards.
Some pundits believe that “Silence of the Lambs” triumphed in this category in 1992, but the classification of the Sir Anthony Hopkins film as a horror is controversial and rejected by others.
“Sinners” was nominated Thursday for best picture, best actor in a leading role, best actor in a supporting role (Delroy Lindo), best actress in a supporting role (Wunmi Mosaku), best director (Ryan Coogler), best original screenplay and many of the so-called “technical” Oscars (picture, visual effects, editing, etc.).
The film can currently be seen streaming on HBO Max, with the title “Sinners” for those with Romanian language account settings.
“Sinners” was considered a risky film by many Hollywood studio executives
Setting his story in the segregated US South was considered such a risky gamble that many studios turned down director Ryan Coogler, known for directing 2015's “Creed” and the two subsequent “Black Panther” superhero films.
“I'm happy that we were able to find a home at Warner Bros. And because people really came [să îl vadă]which is something you can never control, can you? It's a risk. I'm willing to bet on a good story. I truly believe that there is no experience comparable to a movie seen in a movie theater (…),” he said in an interview published by Variety magazine on January 7.
The studio Warner Bros. not only gave him the green light to make the film, but also provided a budget of 90 million dollars. The amount is high even by Hollywood standards for a feature film that, as good as it is and as much as it crosses genre boundaries, starts from the premise that it's a vampire movie.
After its theatrical release last year, Coogler's feature film was widely praised by film critics, and in the US it even managed to overcome the ideological barriers that cause some feature films to be attacked with negative reviews for being considered “woke” or, on the contrary, for conservative sensibilities.
2026 Oscar Nominations, Another Hit for 'Sinners' and Warner Bros
Warner Bros. bet on the scenario proposed by Coogler, however, was an inspiring one. Released in cinemas on April 18 last year, Sinners grossed $279.65 million in North America, Hollywood's home market that often dictates whether a film is a financial success or failure for the studio that produced it.
“Sinners” ended 2025 as the 7th highest-grossing film at the North American box office and earned another $88.3 million in worldwide ticket sales.
At the Golden Globe Awards on January 11, which annually opens the film industry's award season, “Sinners” won only two awards – for cinematographic achievement and at the box office, respectively for best original score (awarded to Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson).
The big question mark that remains now is whether it will be able to confirm at the Oscars the large number of nominations, and for the award for the best picture it will compete with “One Battle After Another”, the big winner of the Golden Globes.
Like “Sinners,” the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a fugitive rebel can be seen streaming on HBO Max.
