Ryan Coogler’s genre-blending drama Sinners has made Oscar history, earning a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations—the most ever for a single film.
This surpasses the previous record of 14 nominations, held jointly by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016), marking a major milestone for the spring theatrical sensation.
Sinners received nods in top categories, including Best Picture, Best Director and Original Screenplay for Coogler, Lead Actor for Michael B. Jordan, Supporting Actor for Delroy Lindo, and Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku.
The film is now a strong competitor against presumed frontrunner One Battle After Another, which entered the race with double-digit nominations and recent wins at the Critics Choice and Golden Globes.
Released last April, Sinners also set box office records as the highest-grossing original domestic release in 15 years, rivaling non-franchise hits like Christopher Nolan’s Inception. The movie overcame early skepticism and controversy to achieve both critical and commercial acclaim.
Coogler, receiving his first Oscar nods for directing and writing, became only the seventh Black filmmaker ever nominated for Best Director, following Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman seven years ago.
For Jordan, the nomination marks his first Oscar recognition, celebrating his dual performance as twins Smoke and Stack Moore—a full-circle moment after his breakout lead in Coogler’s Fruitvale Station 12 years ago.
With first-time nominees Mosaku and Lindo, strong behind-the-scenes support, and a new Best Casting nomination for veteran Francine Maisler, Sinners is now seen as a frontrunner for Original Screenplay and a serious contender across multiple categories as the Oscars approach.
