Ryan Coogler’s horror film Sinners has officially broken the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences record. Released in 2025, the movie secured 16 nominations for the 2026 ceremony. This shatters the long-standing ceiling set by Hollywood’s past giants. The previous benchmark stood at 14 nominations for three decades. Now, Sinners sits alone at the top of the all-time list for most Academy Award nominations.
The sweep included critical categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Coogler claimed nods for both directing and writing. The acting categories saw major players recognized as well. Michael B. Jordan received a Best Actor nomination. Delroy Lindo earned a Best Supporting Actor nod. Wunmi Mosaku secured a spot in Best Supporting Actress. These specific recognitions highlight the depth of the film’s critical reception.
Which Movies Previously Held the Record for Most Oscar Nominations?
Before 2026, the title for most nominations was a three-way tie. All About Eve (1950) set the standard at 14 nominations. For nearly half a century, nothing surpassed that count. Then Titanic (1997) arrived and matched the 1950 classic exactly. Decades later, La La Land (2016) joined the club. Those three films shared the top spot until Sinners pushed the number to 16.
All About Eve remains a cultural touchstone for its layered drama. Titanic was a box office phenomenon that dominated the awards season. La La Land brought a musical revival to the stage. All three received 14 nods. Sinners is the first film to go beyond that number.
Full List of Films With the Most Academy Award Nominations
The gap between the first and second place is significant. No other film in history has reached 16 nominations. The following list ranks films by their total number of nominations, starting with the new record holder.
- Sinners (2025): 16 nominations
- All About Eve (1950): 14 nominations
- Titanic (1997): 14 nominations
- La La Land (2016): 14 nominations
- Gone with the Wind (1939): 13 nominations
- From Here to Eternity (1953): 13 nominations
- Mary Poppins (1964): 13 nominations
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966): 13 nominations
- Forrest Gump (1994): 13 nominations
- Shakespeare in Love (1998): 13 nominations
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001): 13 nominations
- Chicago (2002): 13 nominations
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