All The Snubs And The Biggest Records Of The 2026 Oscar Nominations

The unpredictable dark comedy about a desperate man who sets out to eliminate all other potential contenders for his dream job, makes for a perfect double-bill with last year’s elegantly plotted Hedda, animated by the barely restrained tension between a scheming woman (Tessa Thompson) and her former lover (Nina Hoss), whom she must prevent from securing a university position that her husband is also vying for.

Unlike her fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe alumni Coogler and Zhao, however, director Nia DaCosta had no luck at the Oscars this year. While The Bone Temple, her new instalment of the 28 Days Later apocalyptic horror series, opened to largely positive reviews this month, it’s her visually playful, queer reworking of Henrik Ibsen’s 19th century play Hedda Gabler that deserves more attention.

Similarly absent from the Oscar buzz is Wake Up Dead Man, writer-director Rian Johnson’s mystery about a sleuth investigating a murder in a quiet church community, the most moving of his Knives Out series so far.

Also surprising—though less so upon reflection—is the fantasy Wicked: For Good’s complete Oscar shutout. Part one of the film, loosely based on the stage musical, netted 10 nominations (including Best Picture) in 2025, winning Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. This year’s competitive tally of zero is a massive decline, but poor reviews and a box-office drop of more than $200 million in comparison to the first half couldn’t have helped its prospects.

Sundance breakout Sorry, Baby, a warm, tender attempt to make sense of life in the aftermath of a sexual assault, received a shoutout from Julia Roberts at this year’s Golden Globes ceremony—an endorsement many were hopeful would help first-time director Eva Victor (who also wrote and starred in the film) gather enough momentum to secure an Original Screenplay nomination. Victor may have lost out on the nomination, but has established herself as a major independent film talent to watch for. Heed Roberts’ words and watch Sorry, Baby (available for rent on Prime Video).

(Gayle Sequeira is a film critic and reporter whose work has appeared in The Guardian, Sight and Sound, Vulture, GQ, and more.)