The 98th Oscars ballot drops at 8:30 a.m. ET—expect a historic haul for “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” while a brand-new Best Casting category opens the door to break Titanic’s 14-nomination ceiling.
What Time Are the Nominations Revealed?
Actors Danielle Brooks (2024 nominee for The Color Purple) and Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick) step to the podium at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater at 5:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. ET. The Academy will split the reveal—half the categories straight out of the gate, the remainder after a brief commercial break—so keep the coffee hot.
The Films That Could Tie—or Top—Titanic
Five movies enter today with realistic shots at double-digit mentions:
- One Battle After Another – war-epic juggernaut that swept the Golden Globes.
- Sinners – period crime saga that dominated critics’ prizes.
- Marty Supreme – A24’s tennis biopic trending in every craft guild.
- Frankenstein – Universal’s gothic blockbuster with below-the-line heat.
- Hamnet – Brit literary drama poised for acting, design and score slots.
The magic number is 14, shared by Titanic, All About Eve and La La Land. This year, however, the Academy adds Best Casting, creating a 24th category and an extra lane for those films to cruise past the record.
International Wild Cards Ready to Crash the Party
Neon’s Cannes haul could translate into best-picture crossover nods. Look for:
- It Was Just an Accident – Palme d’Or winner from Iran’s Jafar Panahi.
- The Secret Agent – Golden Globe foreign-language victor.
- Sentimental Value – Norwegian family drama with dual acting buzz.
- No Other Choice – Park Chan-wook’s South Korean thriller on the shortlist.
- Sirāt – Oliver Laxe’s Spain-Morocco co-production that landed on five December shortlists.
The December shortlists for documentary, international, song and other down-ballot races already signaled the Academy’s global push; today we learn how many make the leap into prime categories.
New Category, New Rules, New Chaos
Best Casting arrives after decades of lobbying by casting directors. Eligibility requires the principal casting director(s) to be named on the film’s official Academy submission form—good news for ensemble powerhouses like Sinners and One Battle After that relied on sprawling, period-accurate casts.
Calendar Snapshot: What’s Next
- Today: Nominations announced (Jan. 22).
- Final voting: Feb. 10–17.
- 98th Oscars ceremony: March 15, Dolby Theatre, hosted by Conan O’Brien.
O’Brien returns after last year’s ratings uptick when Anora scooped five wins including Best Picture.
Why This Morning Matters
Studios reset Oscar budgets the second the read-out ends. Streamers green-light awards campaigns overnight. Agents re-price clients before lunch. And movie buffs gain a six-week water-cooler playbook culminating on Hollywood’s biggest night. Stay locked on onlytrustedinfo.com for instant nominee lists, snubs-surprises analysis and fastest updates as the race to March 15 begins now.
