If you try hard enough, all seasons are awards season, and even though the 2026 Oscars won't air until March 2026, we're already pondering who will win. While most of next year's Academy Awards nominees have yet to reveal themselves, we've already got one massive Best Picture contender and a number of movies that could be up for other prizes.
Every movie released theatrically between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025, is eligible for a little gold man. Massive blockbusters are on the hunt for Sound and Visual Effects Oscars, indie documentaries are hoping to gain momentum, and actors are already schmoozing voters and building Oscar buzz. Nominations morning (Jan. 22, 2026) will be here before you know it, and the statuettes will be passed out on March 15, 2026.
Parade will be updating this post as we progress through the season.
Predicting the Top Oscar Contenders for 2026
Diane Warren RelentlessGreenwich Entertainment
1. Diane Warren: Relentless
Why it has buzz: Warren has been nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar 16 times and lost every single one of them. The music branch of the Academy seem hell-bent on getting Warren an Oscar, as she's been nominated every year since 2017, but the larger Academy have consistently overlooked her work when it comes to choosing a winner.
How to watch: Video on demand
Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in 'Eddington'a
2. Eddington
Why it has buzz: While Ari Aster's movies have never really connected with the Academy, Eddington is perhaps his most straight-forward film, and with Oscar darlings like Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone in the cast, it has potential.
How to watch: In theaters
Related: Dylan O’Brien Had 1 Stipulation Before Agreeing to Play Twins in ‘Twinless’ (Exclusive)
Disney/Pixar
3. Elio
Why it has buzz: While Elio performed rather abysmally at the box office (especially for a kids' movie), it does have the weight of Disney/Pixar behind it. The only eligible, original Pixar movie not to be nominated for Best Animated Feature to date is The Good Dinosaur, so it would be odd for the critically well-regarded movie to miss out.
How to watch: In theaters
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.Dan Mullan/Getty Images
4. F1
Why it has buzz: It's Joseph Kosinski's follow-up to Oscar juggernaut Top Gun: Maverick and features both Brad Pitt and some spectacular big-budget action sequences.
How to watch: In theaters
Grand Theft HamletMubi
5. Grand Theft Hamlet
Why it has buzz: It's one of the buzziest documentaries of 2025 to date, which makes it a contender for the notoriously picky and eccentric documentary branch of the Academy.
How to watch: Mubi
How to Train Your DragonUniversal Pictures
6. How to Train Your Dragon
Why it has buzz: The film did extremely well at the box office, and Disney's live-action remakes have managed to nab some Oscar noms.
How to watch: In theaters
Jurassic World RebirthUniversal Pictures
7. Jurassic World Rebirth
Why it has buzz: The original Jurassic Park won three Oscars, and the dinosaurs here look cool.
How to watch: In theaters
KPop Demon HuntersNetflix
8. KPop Demon Hunters
Why it has buzz: With Elio underperforming, Netflix's animated musical is currently the season's frontrunner. Especially after Flow won last year, this category seems primed for another non-Disney/Pixar winner.
How to watch: Netflix
The Life of ChuckTIFF
9. The Life of Chuck
Why it has buzz: The Life of Chuck won the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award in 2024, and every winner of that prize since 2011 has gone on to snag a Best Picture nomination. While The Life of Chuck's release was delayed a year, you shouldn't count it out.
How to watch: In theaters
Related: The 15 Best Movies of 2025 (So Far)
MaterialistsA24
10. Materialists
Why it has buzz: Celine Song's previous film Past Lives scooped up Best Picture and Original Screenplay nominations. While Materialists is more commercial, it's equally as well written.
How to watch: In theaters
Robert Pattinson stars alongside Robert Pattinson in director Bong Joon Ho's new sci-fi black comedy movie 'Mickey 17.'Warner Bros. Pictures
11. Mickey 17
Why it has buzz: It's Bong Joon Ho's follow up to Parasite, one of the best films in recent memory and a Best Picture winner.
How to watch: HBO Max
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, Pom Klementieff plays Paris, Greg Tarzan Davis plays Degas, Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn and Hayley Atwell plays Grace in 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.'Paramount Pictures
12. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Why it has buzz: Its predecessor Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning landed nominations in both Visual Effects and Sound, so those seem well within grasp again this year.
How to watch: Video on demand
Related: Hayley Atwell Learned to Pickpocket for ‘Mission: Impossible’ and Then Robbed Tom Cruise (Exclusive)
On Becoming a Guinea FowlNYFF
13. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Why it has buzz: It earned rave reviews during the 2024 festival season, but was held over for release in 2025.
How to watch: HBO Max
Sony Pictures Releasing
14. One of Them Days
Why it has buzz: While it performed extremely well at the box office, it's not your usual Oscar fare. However, the movie does boast an original song from DivaGurl and Keke Palmer.
How to watch: Netflix
John Malkovich in a scene from 'Opus.'15. Opus
Why it has buzz: A movie about a fictional musician with hit music produced by Nile Rodgers and The-Dream is always going to be in consideration for Best Original Song.
How to watch: HBO Max
Benicio del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme.'Focus Features
16. The Phoenician Scheme
Why it has buzz: Six of Wes Anderson's previous films have racked up an impressive 16 nominations and five wins (including one for Anderson himself in Best Live Action Short).
How to watch: Video on demand
Related: Michael Cera Explains How He Crafted His Norwegian Accent in ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ (Exclusive)
SinnersWarner Bros.
17. Sinners
Why it has buzz: Sinners is far and away the most critically loved and financially successful film of 2025, and therefore is sitting pretty as the Oscar frontrunner heading into the fall festivals. We could see a Everything Everywhere All at Once-level sweep if more strong contenders don't emerge.
How to watch: HBO Max
Jacob Tremblay and Nick Offerman in SovereignBriarcliff Entertainment
18. Sovereign
Why it has buzz: Nick Offerman delivers a career-best performance in this dramatic true crime narrative.
How to watch: In theaters
Related: Nick Offerman Reveals His Acting Bucket List and How ‘Sovereign’ Gave Him Another Dream Role (Exclusive)
SupermanWarner Bros.
19. Superman
Why it has buzz: James Gunn's reboot of the DC comic book universe received rave reviews from critics and is a box-office success.
How to watch: In theaters
ThunderboltsMarvel/Disney
20. Thunderbolts*
Why it has buzz: The Marvel Cinematic Universe has racked up 27 Oscar nominations over the years, and Thunderbolts* was extremely well-regarded. Especially if The Fantastic Four fails to gain mass appeal, Thunderbolts* could be Marvel's horse in the race.
How to watch: Video on demand
Related: ‘Thunderbolts*’ Is the First Great Marvel Movie in Years (Review)
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