Critics Choice Awards 2026: ‘Sinners’ leads, Leonardo’s ‘One Battle After Another’ follows

Warner Bros, set for a Netflix takeover, topped the 31st Critics Choice film nominations with Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Coogler’s Sinners.Warner Bros, soon to be acquired by Netflix, led the 31st Critics Choice Awards nominations on the film side with Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ and Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ reported Variety.

‘Sinners’ emerged as the clear heavyweight leading all films with 17 nominations, including best picture, director for Ryan Coogler, actor for Michael B Jordan, supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku, and a raft of craft mentions across cinematography, production design, costume, editing, visual effects, sound and hair and makeup, reported Variety.

Close behind is Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ with 14 nods, including four acting mentions. At the same time, ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Hamnet’ scored 11 nominations apiece, solidifying the top tier of contenders that blend studio muscle with auteur prestige. But the strong showing for ‘Wicked: For Good,’ which earned seven nominations, including best picture, supporting actress for Ariana Grande and key craft races, also throws one of the morning’s most notable omissions into sharp disbelief: the absence of Cynthia Erivo in best actress. According to the outlet, the organization unveiled four new competitive categories this year: sound, stunt design, casting and ensemble for film, along with variety series for television. Chelsea Handler returns as host for the fourth consecutive year.

Selected by roughly 575 voting members, the Critics Choice Awards tend to reflect broader industry consensus, offering a temperature check on which films have captured critical hearts and minds. The Critics Choice Awards are presented annually to honour outstanding achievements in film and television. Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment will serve as executive producers. The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will air live on E! on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (ANI)

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