Vampire Film Smashes Oscar Record, Stuns Critics' Favorites

Ryan Coogler's vampire thriller "Sinners" dominated the 2026 Oscar nominations, earning a historic 16 nods. This total is the highest in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards. The film's success surprised many industry experts. They had predicted major recognition for critical favorites like Chloé Zhao's "Hamnet," Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another," and Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein." While those films did receive nominations, "Sinners" far surpassed them. The genre-defying drama is a violent, high-energy story about racism, music, and the Black experience in the American South. Its unprecedented nomination count guarantees that director Ryan Coogler has already made Oscar history, regardless of the final award results. • [Full list of nominees](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/22/oscar-nominations-2026-the-full-list) • [Sinners becomes first film in history to earn 16 Oscar nominations](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/22/sinners-becomes-first-film-in-history-to-earn-16-oscar-nominations) [Continue reading...](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/22/oscars-hamnet-sinners-culture-war-oscar-nominations)