The biggest night in Hollywood delivered drama, surprises, and historic wins as the 98th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, celebrating the best films released in 2025. The ceremony was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien and featured major victories for some of the year’s most talked-about movies.
According to reports from Reuters and the Associated Press, the political drama One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner of the night, taking home six awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
The film also earned awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actor, and the newly introduced Best Casting category, cementing its dominance at the 2026 ceremony.
Meanwhile, the horror-drama Sinners followed closely with four awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler.
Major Acting Winners
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance in the historical drama Hamnet, while veteran actor Sean Penn picked up Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another.
Amy Madigan also claimed Best Supporting Actress for her role in Weapons.
Other Notable Winners
Several films also made strong showings across other categories:
- KPop Demon Hunters – Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Golden”)
- Sentimental Value – Best International Feature Film
- Mr. Nobody Against Putin – Best Documentary Feature
- Frankenstein – Wins in Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup & Hairstyling
- Avatar: Fire and Ash – Best Visual Effects
- F1 – Best Sound
A Night of Milestones
The ceremony celebrated a diverse mix of storytelling across genres, from political dramas and horror films to animated hits and documentaries. Industry observers also noted that Sinners entered the night with a record 16 nominations, making it one of the most nominated films of the year.
With One Battle After Another leading the winners’ board and strong performances from Sinners and Frankenstein, the 2026 Oscars highlighted a year where bold filmmaking and standout performances defined the global movie industry.
