Oscars 2026 LIVE: Where to watch, nominees, cheapest ways to stream the 98th Academy Awards

It would be a shame to give an Oscar to someone else

The eagle-eyed will have seen that I predicted a winner of Sinner Best Picture and Paul Thomas Anderson Best Director. Am I predicting the rare beast of a split for the top prizes or am I blowing my chances? Both.

But let’s not forget Sinner’s leads with an incredible 16 nominations. Sixteen!

To put that into perspective, that’s the most in Oscar history with not one but two nominations, although this includes a new category for Best Casting, but it’s incredible. A movie that didn’t come out near the typical awards season window towards the end of the year and about bloody vampires is the FRONTRUNNER for the Academy Awards.

But despite that, and perhaps because of the unstoppable juggernaut that One Battle After Another has been for most of the awards season with 13 nominations, it has also managed to position itself as the tough underdog.

It would be a shame for any other film to win, wouldn’t it?

Cards on the table

In full transparency, this amateur film writer has been trying to predict the categories of what is being called the most unpredictable Oscars for years (they always say that, though).

Here are my predictions so you can hold me accountable later…

Best Film – Sinners

Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Actor – Timothée Chalamet

Best Actress – Jessie Buckley

Best Supporting Actor – Sean Penn

Best Supporting Actress – Teyana Taylor

Best Original Screenplay – Sinners

Best Adapted Script – One Battle After Another

Best Animated Feature – KPop Demon Hunters

Best International Feature – Sentimental Value

Best Documentary – The Perfect Neighbor

Best Documentary – All the Empty Spaces

Best Live Action Short – Two people exchange spit

Best Animated Short – Butterfly

Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson

Best Original Song – Golden

Best Sound – F1

Best Casting – Sinners

Best Production Design – Frankenstein

Best Cinematography – Sinners

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Frankenstein

Best Costume Design – Frankenstein

Best Editing – One match after another

Best Visual Effects – Avatar: Fire and Ash

One Sin after another

Not since the Barbenheimer years have two films completely dominated the Oscar conversation. A fight for a sinner? One sin after another? Hmmmm there isn’t really a good portmanteau for them…

It’s pretty much the conventional wisdom that either Sinners or One Battle After Another will take home the big prizes, namely Picture, Director, Writing and some of the other acting categories.

But who will win?

How to watch the Oscars wherever you are…

Whether you’re tuning in as we approach midnight with a strong coffee in Europe… or you’re watching the sunset with a strong coffee in Asia (that’s where this writer is), or you’re watching a sane time with a strong coffee in America… how do you watch the ceremony?

Well, luckily, we’ve got you covered! Find out how to watch it wherever you are with our handy guide here.

What does the ceremony look like?

For those new to Hollywood’s hallowed annual ritual, here’s what the night looks like…

24 categories will be featured, including the newest, best casting of the year, just to boost playtime a little more.

You have the widely covered acting categories – with Actor, Supporting Actor, Actress and Best Actress – the more technical awards – Production Design, Sound, etc. – and then the big ones: Screenplay, Direction and Picture.

Who will take home the most Oscars, stay tuned…

Welcome to the Oscars!

Hello, wherever you are in the world, and welcome to the biggest night in Hollywood!

Buckle up for what will most likely be – if we’re being conservative judging by the ‘shortest’ ceremonies – an hour of cover-up and four hours of Oscar drama. And I will be with you through it all.

Tune in wherever you are as the action starts in less than an hour…