Vampire thriller ‘Sinners’ made Oscars history on Thursday after securing a record 16 nominations, overtaking the previous benchmark of 14 set by ‘All About Eve,’ ‘Titanic’ and ‘La La Land.’
The Warner Bros film now emerges as the frontrunner for best picture, competing against titles including ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘Hamnet,’ ‘Marty Supreme,’ ‘Bugonia,’ ‘F1,’ ‘The Secret Agent,’ ‘Sentimental Value’ and ‘Train Dreams.’
‘Sinners,’ a celebration of blues music and Black culture in the segregation era US South, earned best actor recognition for Michael B Jordan, who plays twin brothers running a juke joint in 1930s Mississippi. The story unfolds into a violent clash between gangsters and vampires, serving as an allegory for segregation and racism.
The film also received nominations for director Ryan Coogler, supporting actor Delroy Lindo, supporting actress Wunmi Mosaku, cinematography, costume design, original screenplay and visual effects.
Jordan will compete in the best actor category against Leonardo DiCaprio for “One Battle After Another,” which earned 13 nominations, and Timothee Chalamet for table tennis drama “Marty Supreme.”
Paul Thomas Anderson was nominated for directing “One Battle After Another,” which stars DiCaprio as a former radical turned weed smoking father. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Teyana Taylor received supporting nominations for their roles in the film.
“My career has been filled with battles, doubts, and moments of deep uncertainty,” Taylor said in a statement. “It has felt like one long fight for space, for respect, and for opportunity. But today feels like a gentle reminder that dreams really do survive.”
In the best actress category, Jessie Buckley earned a nomination for portraying Agnes Hathaway in “Hamnet,” while Kate Hudson was recognised for “Song Sung Blue,” which follows a Neil Diamond tribute band.
Chloe Zhao, one of only 3 women to have won best director in the ceremony’s 97 year history, received a directing nomination for “Hamnet.” The film imagines how William Shakespeare’s family coped with the death of their 11 year old son, Hamnet, a tragedy historians believe inspired “Hamlet.” Paul Mescal, praised for his portrayal of Shakespeare, was not nominated.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, made up of about 10,000 industry professionals, will vote to determine the winners. The Oscars ceremony will be held on March 15 and broadcast by ABC, with streaming available on Hulu. Comedian Conan O’Brien will host for the second consecutive year.
Warner Bros Discovery led all studios with 30 nominations, amid an ongoing bidding war involving Netflix and Paramount Skydance.
Netflix, which has never won best picture, remains in contention this year with Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” which earned 9 nominations, and “Train Dreams.” The streamer also received nominations for global hit “KPop Demon Hunters” in best animated feature and original song categories.
Two non English language films, Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” and Brazilian political thriller “The Secret Agent,” were nominated for best picture.
“We are depending on the awards and festivals to get it out, so I’m glad it will get out there,” said “Sentimental Value” star Stellan Skarsgard, noting the film’s modest marketing budget.
At the global box office, “Sinners” has earned $368 million, compared with $206 million for “One Battle After Another” and $16 million for “Sentimental Value.” The highest grossing best picture nominee is Brad Pitt racing drama “F1,” with nearly $632 million in worldwide ticket sales.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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