The 16 Academy Award Nominations for Sinners

Film Feature by Chris Olson

I have a confession to make, and it feels somewhat appropriate given the title of the film currently dominating every headline in Hollywood. I have not yet seen Sinners. As the editor of UK Film Review, I usually pride myself on being at the front of the queue, but life—and perhaps a subconscious fear of Ryan Coogler’s vampire-infested Mississippi Delta—got in the way.

However, after my UK Film Club Podcast co-host Brian Penn declared it his absolute favourite film of 2025, I’ve found myself in a state of frantic anticipation. Brian is not a man given to easy hyperbole; if he says a supernatural thriller set in the Jim Crow era is a masterpiece, you book the IMAX ticket immediately. The Academy clearly agrees, as Sinners has just made history by racking up a staggering 16 nominations. Here is a breakdown of the nods for the film that has me feeling like the only person left in the dark.

Best Picture

This is the big one. Sinners joins an elite club of films that define their era. By securing 16 nominations, it has surpassed the record of 14 held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). For a horror-inflected drama to be the frontrunner for the night's top prize suggests Coogler has crafted something far more profound than a mere genre piece.

Best Director - Ryan Coogler

It is almost hard to believe this is Coogler's first nomination in this category. After being arguably overlooked for Black Panther, he has finally forced the Academy’s hand. He follows in the footsteps of legends like William Friedkin and Jordan Peele, who proved that "genre" films can be high art.

Sinners Official Film Trailer 2

Best Actor - Michael B. Jordan

Jordan pulls double duty here as the Smokestack twins, Elijah and Elias. To be nominated for playing two characters in one film is a rare feat, reminiscent of Nicolas Cage in Adaptation or Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers. Brian tells me the distinction between the two brothers is so seamless you forget you’re watching the same actor.

Best Supporting Actor - Delroy Lindo

Lindo plays Delta Slim, and his inclusion was one of the morning's most celebrated surprises. Lindo has long been a titan of the screen, and seeing him nominated brings to mind the late-career recognition of actors like Christopher Plummer for Beginners.

Best Supporting Actress - Wunmi Mosaku

As Annie, a Hoodoo practitioner, Mosaku has supposedly delivered the performance of her career. The Academy has a history of rewarding powerful supporting turns in atmospheric dramas, much like Mo’Nique in Precious.

Mo’Nique in Precious

Best Original Screenplay - Ryan Coogler

Coogler didn’t just direct; he wrote this haunting tale of twins returning to a hometown that holds more than just human monsters. This nomination puts him in the company of storytellers like Quentin Tarantino, who often blend historical tension with explosive fiction.

Best Casting - Francine Maisler

This is a historic nomination, as it marks the inaugural year for the Best Casting category. Sinners is a fitting first nominee, given the ensemble that ranges from veterans like Lindo to the film debut of Miles Caton.

Best Cinematography - Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Arkapaw is only the fourth woman ever nominated in this category. Her work on Sinners is being compared to the lush, terrifying visuals of Robert Richardson’s work. Seeing the 1930s South through her lens is, apparently, a transformative experience.

Best Original Score - Ludwig Göransson

Göransson is quickly becoming the most decorated composer of his generation. Having already won for Oppenheimer, his work here blends Delta blues with supernatural dread. It’s a sonic landscape that follows the trail blazed by Ennio Morricone.

Oppenheimer Official Film Trailer

Best Original Song - "I Lied To You"

The music is central to Sinners, and this nomination highlights the film’s "musical-adjacent" soul. It sits in the tradition of haunting cinematic songs like Bruce Springsteen’s "Streets of Philadelphia."

Best Film Editing - Michael P. Shawver

Cutting a film where the lead actor plays twins requires surgical precision. Shawver’s nomination reflects the technical mastery required to make the "Smokestack Twins" a reality, much like the seamless editing in The Social Network.

Best Production Design - Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne

Beachler already made history with Black Panther, and her recreation of a 1930s Mississippi "juke joint" is said to be a character in its own right. It’s the kind of world-building that won The Great Gatsby its Oscars.

The Great Gatsby Official Film Trailer

Best Costume Design - Ruth E. Carter

With this fifth nomination, Carter becomes the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history. Her ability to tell stories through fabric is legendary, following the path of great designers like Edith Head.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Transforming Michael B. Jordan into two distinct men—and presumably dealing with the more "vampiric" elements of the plot—earned the team this nod. This category has previously honoured the transformative work in films like An American Werewolf in London.

Best Sound

In a film where music and supernatural horror collide, the soundscape is vital. This nomination acknowledges the intricate balance between the foot-stomping blues and the chilling whispers of the night.

Best Visual Effects

Rounding out the 16 is a nod for the effects that bring Coogler’s "music-loving vampires" to life. It’s a testament to the film’s scale that it can compete here alongside the biggest blockbusters of the year.

I feel like a sinner myself for having missed this cinematic event during its initial run. Brian’s relentless praise was the first spark, but these 16 nominations have turned that spark into a bonfire.

It is time for me to catch up, and luckily, Sinners is currently available to watch in the UK on Sky Cinema/NowTV.