- The 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards longlist has been revealed
- One match after another leads with 16 initial nominations
- There is one glaring omission from this year’s longlist
The 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards longlist has been revealed – and in news that will shock fans, Kpop Demon Hunters has not received a single nomination.
Netflix’s pop culture phenomenon, which was one of the most talked about films of 2025, has been completely overlooked by the British Film Academy. The wildly popular animated musical – it has been viewed over 325 million times since it debuted on one of the world’s top streaming services – is not up for consideration in notable categories including ‘Children’s and Family Film’, ‘Animated Film’ and ‘Original Score’.
Given that Kpop Demon Hunters is the most-watched Netflix original of all time and dominated the film news cycle in the latter half of 2025, fans will be absolutely amazed that it hasn’t made this year’s BAFTAs longlist.
However, there is a valid reason why the Sony Pictures Animation film was excluded from contention.
per deadline, Kpop Demon Hunters did not qualify because it did not meet the British Film Academy’s strict criteria. In fact, according to the BAFTA rulebook, films must have “at least 10 commercial screenings in the UK for at least seven days in total.”
Kpop Demon Hunters was released in UK cinemas after it blew up on Netflix – the powerhouse film landing in 264 cinemas over the weekend of 23/24 August, and then 568 more last Halloween.
Despite Netflix’s attempt to secure an exemption under the ruling that “a film which has been available to the UK public through other patterns or forms of distribution (eg event cinema) may be considered”, BAFTA’s film committee rejected the streaming giant’s request. The committee also rejected Netflix’s subsequent appeal.
Deadline added that if Kpop Demon Hunters had been given a day-and-date release – ie. it had been released simultaneously in cinemas and on Netflix on launch day – that would have been justified. As it stands, however, one of the 33 best films of 2025 will sit on the sidelines while its peers compete for this year’s awards.
Which films are part of the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards longlist?
Kpop Demon HuntersDespite the omission, plenty of other critically acclaimed, money-spinning and fan-favorite films have made the year’s longlist.
The leading charge is One match after anotherthe Paul Thomas Anderson-directed action thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which has been nominated 16 times. The port and Sinners following close behind with 14 nominations each, Marty Supreme has landed 13, and Bugonia and Frankenstein each chalk 12.
It would be unforgivable of me to point out that this isn’t it the official nominee list. A second round of voting, which will whittle down the aforementioned list to the final candidates, will now run between today (January 9) and January 20. The official nomination list will be published on January 27, before the actual ceremony takes place on February 6.
In the meantime, here’s the full longlist for the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026:
Best movie
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- The port
- I swear
- Marty Supreme
- Nuremberg
- One match after another
- Sentimental value
- Sinners
Excellent British film
- 28 years later
- Ballad of a small player
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
- The choir
- Die my love
- goodbye June
- H is for Hawk
- The port
- I swear
- Mr. Burton
- Pillion
- The roses
- Steve
- Warfare
Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer
- The ceremony
- The man in my basement
- Mother Vera
- My father’s shadow
- Pillion
- Ocean with David Attenborough
- The Shadow Scholars
- Urchin
- A desire in her
- Waste man
Children’s and family films
- Arco
- Boon
- Elio
- Cultivate
- How to train your dragon
- Lilo & Stitch
- Little Amelie
- Zootropolis 2
Film not in English
- It was just an accident
- La Grazia
- Left handed girl
- No other choice
- Nouvelle Vague
- Rental family
- The secret agent
- Sentimental value
- Sirat
- Hind Rajab’s voice
Documentary
- 2000 meters to Andriivka
- Apocalypse in the tropics
- Becoming Led Zeppelin
- Covering up
- The librarians
- No one against Putin
- Ocean with David Attenborough
- One to One: John & Yoko
- The perfect neighbor
- Riefenstahl
Animated film
- Arco
- The Bad Guys 2
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
- Elio
- Little Amelie
- Zootropolis 2
Director
- A house of dynamite (Kathryn Bigelow)
- Bugonia (Yorgos Lanthimos)
- Die my love (Lynne Ramsay)
- The port (Chloe Zhao)
- Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)
- One match after another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Rental family (Hikari)
- Sentimental value (Joachim Trier)
- Sinners (Ryan Cooler)
- Hind Rajab’s voice (Kouther Ben Hania)
Original script
- A house of dynamite
- Blue Moon
- I swear
- Is this thing on?
- It was just an accident
- Marty Supreme
- The secret agent
- Sentimental value
- Sinners
- Arms
Adapted script
- 28 years later
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Nuremberg
- One match after another
- Pillion
- Train dreams
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Lead actress
- Jessie Buckley, The port
- Rose Byrne, If I had legs, I’d kick you
- Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: Too Good
- kate hudson, The song sung blue
- Chase Infiniti, One match after another
- Jennifer Lawrence, Die my love
- Renate Reinsve, Sentimental value
- Andrea Riseborough, Jeweler
- Emma Stone, Bugonia
- Tessa Thompson, Hedda
Main actor
- Robert Aramayo, I swear
- Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Russell Crowe, Nuremberg
- Leonardo DiCaprio, One match after another
- Joel Edgerton, Train dreams
- Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
- Harry Melling, Pillion
- Cillian Murphy, Steve
- Jesse Plemons, Bugonia
Supporting role
- Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
- Brenda Blethyn, Jeweler
- Ariana Grande, Wicked: Too Good
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental value
- Amy Madigan, Arms
- Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
- Carey Mulligan, The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Marty Supreme
- Teyana Taylor, One match after another
- Emily Watson, The port
Supporting actor
- Benicio Del Toro, One match after another
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Delroy Lindo, Sinners
- Paul Mescal, The port
- Peter Mullan, I swear
- Sean Penn, One match after another
- Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly
- Andrew Scott, Blue Moon
- Alexander Skarsgård, Pillion
- Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental value
Casting
- Frankenstein
- The port
- A house of dynamite
- I swear
- Marty Supreme
- One match after another
- Pillion
- Sentimental value
- Sinners
- Sirat
Cinematography
- Ballad of a small player
- Bugonia
- Die my love
- F1
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Marty Supreme
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Train dreams
Costume design
- Bugonia
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Marty Supreme
- Nouvelle Vague
- Nuremberg
- One match after another
- Sinners
Editing
- 28 years later
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- The port
- A house of dynamite
- Marty Supreme
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Arms
Makeup and hair
- Bugonia
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Marty Supreme
- Nuremberg
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Smash Machine
- Wicked: Too Good
Original score
- 28 years later
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Marty Supreme
- Nuremberg
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Wicked: Too Good
Production design
- Ballad of a small player
- Bugonia
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Frankenstein
- The port
- Marty Supreme
- Mickey 17
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Wicked: Too Good
Special visual effects
- Avatar: Fire and Ashes
- F1
- Frankenstein
- How to train your dragon
- Jurassic World Rebirth
- The missing bus
- Mickey 17
- Superman
- Throne: Ares
- Wicked: Too Good
Healthy
- Avatar: Fire and Ashes
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- The missing bus
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- One match after another
- Sinners
- Warfare
- Wicked: Too Good
British short animation
- The brain space
- Cardboard
- Death’s Peak
- Ovary-acting
- Solstice
- Two black boys in paradise
British short film
- 22+1
- Blonde
- Magid / Zafar
- Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites
- Nostalgia
- The pearl comb
- Terence
- This is endometriosis
- Welcome home Freckles
- Wonderwall
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