The Yay Nay Or Meh Podcast

A list of predictions for what will be nominated for best picture at the 98th Academy awards in 2026. In some kind of order for what will win, but mostly what I think will get nominated.

The rankings are based entirely on what I think might get into the Best Picture discussion and ignore any other categories. There are films near the bottom of this list which I firmly expect to be in the running for acting awards.

This list is in three tiers: 10 nominees, 15 contenders and 15 maybes?

Most of these will look foolish in a few months, but if I hit I’ll look like a genius.

1. After the Hunt Luca Guadagnino (Amazon-MGM)
2. Wicked: For Good Jon M. Chu (Universal)
3. Avatar: Fire and Ash James Cameron (20th Century)
4. Marty Supreme Josh Safdie (A24)
5. Deliver Me From Nowhere Scott Cooper (20th Century)
6. Jay Kelly Noah Baumbach (Netflix)
7. Frankenstein Guillermo del Toro (Netflix)
8. Bugonia Yorgos Lanthimos (Focus)
9. Eddington Ari Aster (A24)
10. Sound of Falling Mascha Schilinski (TBD)
11. Sentimental Value Joachim Trier (Neon)
12. One Battle After Another Paul Thomas Anderson (Warner Bros)
13. The Smashing Machine Benny Safdie (A24)
14. Hamnet Chloé Zhao (Focus)
15. The Phoenician Scheme Wes Anderson (Focus)
16. The Rivals of Amziah King Andrew Patterson (TBD)
17. Hedda Nia DaCosta (Amazon-MGM)
18. The Life of Chuck Mike Flanagan (Neon)
19. Ann Lee Mona Fastvold (TBD)
20. F1 Joseph Kosinski (Warner Bros/Apple)
21. Rental Family Hikari (Searchlight)
22. Eleanor the Great Scarlett Johansson (Sony Classics)
23. Untitled White House Thriller Kathryn Bigelow (Netflix)
24. Sinners Ryan Coogler (Warner Bros)
25. Splitsville Michael Angelo Covino (Neon)
26. Michael Antoine Fuqua (Lionsgate)
27. Kiss of the Spider Woman Bill Condon (Lionsgate)
28. Ballad of a Small Player Edward Berger (Netflix)
29. Die, My Love Lynne Ramsay (TBD)
30. Polaris Lynne Ramsay (TBD)
31. No Other Choice Park Chan-Wook (TBD)
32. Highest 2 Lowest Spike Lee (A24/Apple)
33. Nouvelle Vague Richard Linklater (TBD)
34. Blue Moon Richard Linklater (Sony)
35. Caught Stealing Darren Aronofsky (Sony)
36. The History of Sound Oliver Hermanus (MUBI)
37. Roofman Derek Cianfrance (Paramount)
38. Materialists Celine Song (A24)
39. The Running Man Edgar Wright (Paramount)
40. The Way of the Wind Terrence Malick (TBD)