Fez — “Sinners” has rewritten Oscar history by becoming the most-nominated film of all time with 16 nominations ahead of the 98th Academy Awards, set for March 15 in Los Angeles.
Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, the 2025 American feature surged past expectations when nominations were announced, eclipsing the long-standing benchmark of 14 nods previously held by “All About Eve” (1950) and later matched by “Titanic” (1997) and “La La Land” (2016).
A historic record at the Oscars
The 16-nomination haul places Sinners alone at the top of Oscar history. Industry analysts had largely projected a strong showing, but few anticipated the film would break the all-time record — especially with additional acting citations that pushed the total beyond earlier forecasts.
The milestone underscores the Academy’s broad embrace of a film that challenges conventional categories while excelling across artistic and technical disciplines.
A Prohibition-era story with a dark turn
Set in the 1930s during Prohibition, “Sinners” follows twin brothers Elijah and Elias, both portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in a demanding dual role. After leaving Chicago behind, the brothers return to their hometown in Mississippi, hoping to rebuild their lives. Their homecoming, however, takes a sinister turn as they are drawn into a spiral of violent, supernatural events that upend their fragile stability.
The film grounds its narrative in the social tensions of the era — race, faith, music, and survival — before veering into darker, unsettling territory that blends realism with myth.
A bold fusion of genres
One of the defining traits of “Sinners” is its refusal to fit neatly into a single genre. Coogler merges period drama, musical elements, and horror — a combination rarely attempted in mainstream Hollywood cinema. The musical sequences are woven into the story rather than staged as spectacle, while the horror elements build slowly, amplifying dread rather than relying on shock.
Critics have pointed to this hybrid approach as a key reason the film resonated so strongly with Academy voters, rewarding ambition as much as execution.
Dominance in major categories
“Sinners” is nominated for Best Picture, Best Director for Coogler, and Best Actor for Jordan. The film also earned recognition for Best Original Screenplay, as well as Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku.
Its presence extends across all major technical fields, including cinematography, editing, production design, costumes, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound, and visual effects. A nomination in the Academy’s newly introduced Best Casting category brings the final tally to sixteen.
A front-runner heading into Oscar night
The unprecedented nominations have cemented “Sinners” as a leading contender heading into the ceremony. While the final outcome remains uncertain, the film’s sweep across creative, performance, and technical categories positions it as one of the most formidable Oscar players of the decade.
Beyond trophies, Sinners has already secured its place in cinema history — standing as a testament to the Academy’s evolving tastes and to the power of ambitious storytelling that dares to cross boundaries.
