Every Oscar season has the film—the one that stops being just a movie and starts becoming a movement. This year, that film is Sinners.
As the 98th Academy Awards approach this Sunday, Sinners has already made history, earning a record-breaking 16 nominations across virtually every branch of the Academy. With major nods for Best Picture, Best Director and multiple acting categories, the film has emerged as the most widely celebrated film and the most dominant contender heading into Oscar night.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners brilliantly blends powerful performances, music, symbolism, cultural storytelling and drama with the horror genre. The result is a feature film that feels bold, ambitious, stylish and emotionally resonant. What makes it such a strong Best Picture contender is not just its cinematic craftsmanship, but the way it has resonated across the industry—from media outlets and critics to guilds and Academy voters themselves.
“Sinners:” Michael B. Jordan & Ryan Coogler Deliver Stylish History, Horror & Drama …
In addition to the major categories, Sinners has also earned nominations across numerous craft and technical races: Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, Best Original Song for “I Lied to You,”and the Academy’s newly introduced Best Casting category. The sheer depth of recognition demonstrates how broadly the film has been embraced and reinforces its status as both a cultural and cinematic powerhouse.
Despite its many accolades, Sinners faces formidable competition, particularly from One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson’s film has long been viewed as a prestige contender, praised for its scale, ambition, performances and timely storytelling. Earlier in the season, it was widely considered the frontrunner for Best Picture. However, recent awards wins and the growing discourse around Sinners have shifted the momentum, making Coogler’s film the favorite heading into Oscar night.
Outside of the Best Picture showdown, the Best Director race is equally compelling. While Paul Thomas Anderson—who has received 14 Academy nominations without a win—has long been viewed as overdue, Coogler’s masterful direction of Sinners has become impossible for many insiders to ignore. Although this is only his fifth feature film, Coogler expertly balances horror, musical elements, historical themes and character-driven drama while maintaining a cohesive and visually striking narrative. Should he win Sunday, Coogler would become the first African American filmmaker to win Best Director in the Academy’s 98-year history.
“Sinners” Crushes NAACP Image Awards Competition
Sinners has also made a profound impact in the acting categories. Michael B. Jordan earned his very first Best Actor nomination for his dual performance as Smoke and Stack. Following his recent Actors Award (formerly SAG) win and strong industry support, he is now considered a serious favorite to take home his first Oscar. The film also earned Best Supporting Actress recognition for Wunmi Mosaku and a Best Supporting Actor nomination for veteran actor Delroy Lindo. Altogether, the three acting nominations reflect just how deeply the performances connected with Academy voters.
Sinners was my favorite film of 2025, and I wholeheartedly believe it deserves to win many of the major and technical categories in which it is nominated. However, as always, I try to keep my expectations grounded, especially considering the Academy’s often unpredictable voting history. Perhaps I’ll be surprised Sunday night, but if I had to honestly break down where I believe Sinners has its strongest chances—and where the races may be tighter—it would look something like this:
Strong Contender Categories
Best Picture — Sinners
Best Original Screenplay — Ryan Coogler
Best Actor — Michael B. Jordan
Best Cinematography — Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Best Original Score — Ludwig Göransson
Best Original Song — Miles Caton / Raphael Saadiq
Best Costume Design — Ruth E. Carter
Best Casting — Francine Maisler
Moderate Contender Categories
Best Director — Ryan Coogler
Best Supporting Actress — Wunmi Mosaku
Final Thoughts
As the 98th Academy Awards draw near, the excitement and anticipation couldn’t be higher. With its record-breaking nominations, critical acclaim, cultural resonance and late-season momentum, Sinners is not just another contender—it’s a monumental achievement that has positioned itself for a lasting place in cinematic history.
On Sunday night, I already know what I’ll be rooting for.
May the best film win. ✌🏾
Chris “Boogie” Brown is AllHipHop’s resident movie buff, critic and all-around lover of cinema. Check more of his content here.