The 2026 Academy Award nominations were announced on January 22, with major nominations across the biggest blockbusters to the smallest indie features. Leading the pack is Ryan Coogler’s vampire film Sinners, which received a record-breaking 16 nominations, the most in Oscar’s history. There were multiple films that scored a variety of nominations, with One Battle After Another scoring 13 nominations and Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, and Sentimental Value receiving nine each.

As in most years, there were tons of surprises and snubs in every category. From actors who seemed like locks for nominations to films receiving zero recognition across the board, the Academy made many unpredictable decisions about who they voted for.

Here are the biggest snubs and surprises at the 2026 Academy Awards.

Surprise: Delroy Lindo in “Sinners”

Sinners was expected to do well in a variety of categories, but Best Supporting Actor seemed too locked up for anyone from the film to sneak in. If there was one, most people assumed that it would be Miles Caton after scoring a nomination at the Actor Awards. Despite all the precursors snubbing Delroy Lindo, he managed to sneak in, beating his co-star, Paul Mescal, in Hamnet. Lindo’s mention is not only a delight because of the quality of his performance, but because he was brutally snubbed for Da 5 Bloods at the 2021 awards ceremony, making this year’s nomination act as an excellent redemption arc for the renowned actor.

Snub: “No Other Choice” in All Categories

Park Chan Wook has never been nominated for an Oscar, so it is no surprise he wasn’t recognized for his work on No Other Choice, but he had an excellent case this year. Not only was the film one of the most critically acclaimed of 2025, but it also had the backing of NEON, the studio that won Best Picture for Anora and Parasite. Its depiction of modern-day society and the dangers of technology was done in a comedic yet profound manner, offering sharp insight that is simultaneously entertaining. Although Chan Wook had never been nominated for an Academy Award prior to this year, the accessibility factor led many to believe it would be his year, but sadly, it was not, with the biggest blow being a snub in the Best International Feature category, which many thought was a lock.

Surprise: Best Costume Design for “Avatar: Fire and Ash”

The mixed reception of Avatar: Fire and Ash led many to believe the film would be a weak awards player, and for the most part, it was. Receiving only two nominations, it was easily the least liked film in the trilogy by the Academy. Despite this, the film surprised big time in the Best Costume Design category. Even though sci-fi films aren’t strangers to appearing in this category, what made it such a surprise is that neither of the other two films in the franchise received this nomination. According to Award Expert, 0.0004% predicted this film would be nominated in this category, making it one of the most shocking nominations of the 2026 Academy Awards.

Snub: “It Was Just an Accident” Missing Best Picture and Best Director

It Was Just an Accident had immense hype since its Cannes Film Festival premiere, where it won the coveted Palm d’Or. With writer/director Jafar Panahi making the film in secret and escaping his country to avoid arrest, it is beyond impressive that he was able to have it released in 2025, let alone be as good as it was. Its depiction of trauma and life under a military dictatorship, and the way it blended so many genres seamlessly, easily made it one of the highlights of the year. Other award bodies, such as the Golden Globes, shared the passion, nominating the film in Best Motion Picture – Drama over films like F1 and Train Dreams, which went on to receive a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. It may not have been the most-watched movie of the year, but the inspiring story behind the making of the film and its incredible direction from Jafar Panahi made it a must-needed nominee in Best Picture and Best Director, but sadly, it did not occur.

Surprise: “Wicked: For Good” Receiving Zero Nominations

The mixed reception of Wicked: For Good was bound to keep it from receiving as many nominations as its predecessor, but almost no one was expecting it to goose egg. Sequels have always had a hard time repeating the nominations of the preceding films, with Dune: Part Two and Gladiator 2 proving that point last year, but Wicked: For Good had the opportunity to score more nominations due to the new Best Casting category and the addition of multiple original songs. Despite all signs pointing to at least one nomination, Wicked: For Good received zero, not even getting recognized in the categories it won in this past year. The passion may not have been there for the second part of the stage play, but it was a shock to find it missing everywhere.

Snub: “Marty Supreme” in Best Original Score and Best Supporting Actress

Marty Supreme made a few surprise appearances in some categories, including Best Costume Design, but didn’t make it into others where it was widely expected to. Daniel Lopatin’s electronic score was one of the film’s driving forces, adding to its chaotic energy. In recent years, seeing films like Challengers and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse snubbed in the Best Original Score made it apparent that the Academy is less of a fan of electronic music, making Marty Supreme‘s exclusion in this category slightly less predictable, even though it deserved to be there.

Odessa A’zion had an incredible 2025, appearing in numerous films and starring in the acclaimed TV series I Love LA. Her work on Marty Supreme was easily her best, as evidenced by her nomination at the Actor Awards. Her ability to keep up with Timothée Chalamet, arguably one of the best actors of his generation, shows A’zion’s immense talent. With Monica Barbaro having a similar trajectory to last year’s A Complete Unknown after receiving just an Actor Awards nomination, many expected A’zion to receive that Oscar nomination, but that sadly did not come to fruition.