When I wrote my review of Ryan Coogler’s popular vampire horror film Sinners last year, I said that he should be getting all the awards. The film is phenomenal and unlike anything I have ever watched before. And as it turns out, critics seem to agree. The 2026 Oscar nominations are out, and Coogler’s film made history in a big way.
Since its release, Sinners has done well for itself. From grossing over $368 million worldwide to 433 nominations and 217 wins across film awards. Fans, including myself, had hoped the film would be nominated for the highest honor of them all when it comes to film: an Oscar. And when the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were finally announced, we were left stunned in a good way. Because Sinners didn’t just receive one Oscar nomination; it received 16!
With those 16 nominations, Sinners broke a record by receiving the most nominations ever for a single film in Oscar history. La La Land was the last film to do this, with a total of 14 nominations. Considering Sinners is a film written and directed by a Black man and has a majority-Black cast, it’s a big deal that it nabbed so many nominations. That’s especially true when we all know that the Academy Awards have always been lacking in diversity (Hello #Oscarssowhite).
The question on the minds of Black people, as a Black critic myself, is probably “What does this mean for Black representation in entertainment?” For a very long time, Black people in the entertainment industry have not felt seen by their peers. Delroy Lindo, for instance, was nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role in Sinners. But he’s been in the business for decades.
Delroy has quite the resume under his belt with some amazing films like Da 5 Bloods, yet at the age of 73, this is his very first Academy Award nomination. I’m truly hoping he wins this one because he deserves it. If you saw his performance as Delta Slim, particularly the moment he relives the trauma of witnessing a friend’s lynching, and the way he disappears into that scene, I can’t see anyone but him taking it.
Black women are no strangers to being overlooked during awards season as well. Which is not to say they have not ever won before. But there is a conversation to be had when Halle Berry is the only Black woman to have ever won for Best Actress. And there’s an even bigger conversation to be had that when Black women do get nominated at the Oscars it’s predominantly for supporting roles, with only nine Black women having won for Best Supporting Actress.
Wunmi Mosaku, who plays one of our favorites, Annie, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This marks her very first nomination. And it was more than deserved. The way that she showcased Annie’s resilience and her chemistry with Michael B. Jordan made her a standout and an immediate favorite for moviegoers. But this isn’t her first or second stand out role.
And speaking of Jordan, this is also his very first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Personally, we think that he should have been nominated sooner for his work in the 2013 film Fruitvale Station, which was also written and directed by Coogler as well. But as the saying goes, better late than never. That’s not to say there aren’t some talented people also vying for Best Actor. But considering Jordan essentially played three characters: twin brothers Smoke and Stack, and then the vampiric Stack (spoiler alert), the win should go to him.
MORE: Will there Be a Sinners 2? Here’s what we know about it.
Ruth E. Carter, the costume designer who has previously won Oscars for her work on Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also just received her fifth nomination. With that fifth nomination, she is now one of the most-nominated Black women in Oscar history. And let’s not forget Sinners DP Autumn Durald Arkapaw is the first woman of color nominated for Best Cinematography.
Then there’s Coogler himself, who is the third Black filmmaker to earn a nomination for Best Director, alongside nominations for Original Screenplay and Producer categories after Spike Lee and Jordan Peele. Coogler did something incredibly unique with Sinners. Not only did he prove to the world that horror films can and should be considered when Oscar season rolls around. He also delivered a visual and auditory feast that wasn’t afraid to go there.
Sinners tackled heavy subjects, including the Jim Crow era racism, that forever changed Black America. But it also told a story where we’re not the victims. It showcased family loyalty and what it means to survive, especially through community. And it feels like in this day and age, Sinners is just the right film we need to show why representation matters and how showcasing Black culture isn’t something that only the Black community can consume or understand. Sinners is an experience for everyone. And it should be celebrated with Oscar wins.
So, what does Sinners continued success mean for Black representation in entertainment?
Sinners isn’t going to change the system in Hollywood overnight. But what it will do for Black entertainment is signal (once again) to studios that audiences don’t want to keep the status quo. We want meatier, more diverse stories. We want to be the leads. We want to be the heroes. And we want to be the ones to change the world and reach the sort of heights that our white counterparts have done over and over again with no hesitation from studios. And Sinners proves that investing in Black representation, culture, and entertainment will bring in the money, the awards, and the accolades from the industry.
Coogler’s vision isn’t a fluke. Jordan’s acting isn’t a fluke. Neither is Delroy’s nor Mosaku’s. These are established creatives who know the power of storytelling. And they have proved it time and time again. Sinners wasn’t just a film meant to entertain us; it was a call to action. Black entertainment deserves investment. True investment. Because that investment is what will bring us our next Black director, actor, writer, or cinematographer.
Sinners is the catalyst for change. We have always known that our stories are award-worthy. We have 16 Oscar nominations to prove it.
Other nominations for Sinners
- Casting: Francine Maisler
- Film Editing: Michael P. Shawver
- Makeup and Hairstyling: Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry
- Music (Original Score): Ludwig Goransson
- Music (Original Song): “I Lied To You” Music and Lyric by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson
- Best Picture: Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Ryan Coogler, Producers
- Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Monique Champagne
- Sound: Chris Welcker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor, and Steve Boeddeker
- Visual Effects: Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, and Donnie Dean
The Oscars air live on March 15th at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT on ABC and Hulu.
