.jpg)
BAFTA Film Awards Nominations 2026: From Paul Thomas Anderson’s Historic Dominance to the Shocking Wicked Snub, Here Is Everything You Need to Know About the UK’s Biggest Night in Film.
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards nominations have officially dropped, and let’s just say the British Academy chose violence this year at least for some of our favorite A listers. While Paul Thomas Anderson’s political satire One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s vampire-infused Sinners are leading the pack with a staggering 14 and 13 nods respectively, the real tea lies in who got left in the cold. From Timothée Chalamet’s triumphant return to the Best Actor race to the musical Wicked: For Good being virtually erased from the major categories, this list is a wild ride of "deserved it" and "wait, what?"
Story Insight
- Paul Thomas Anderson’s Sweep: One Battle After Another leads with 14 nominations, nearly breaking the all-time record set by Gandhi.
- Historic Nods for Sinners: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners secures 13 nominations, making it the most-nominated film by a Black director in BAFTA history.
- The Wicked Cold Shoulder: Despite its box office power, Wicked: For Good was completely shut out of the Best Film and acting categories.
- Homegrown Love: British indie I Swear and the Manipuri film Boong (backed by Farhan Akhtar) pulled off major surprise nominations.
If you thought the Oscar nominations were a rollercoaster, hold onto your tea. The BAFTA Film Awards Nominations for 2026 have arrived, and they’ve brought the kind of flair only London can provide. Whether you’re a die-hard cinephile or just here for the red-carpet glam, this year’s list is a fascinating mix of Hollywood heavyweights and "blink-and-you’ll-miss-them" indie darlings.
But as the dust settles, everyone is asking the same thing: How did the year's biggest musical get ghosted? And is Leo finally heading for a British coronation?
The Heavy Hitters: A Battle for the Ages
Variety has confirmed that One Battle After Another is officially the "movie to beat" this season. Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted a political satire that hit the Brits right in the funny (and serious) bone, racking up 14 nominations. Right on its heels is Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which isn't just a horror hit; it's a history-maker. With 13 nods, Coogler has secured the highest nomination count for a Black director in the Academy's history.
The Breakdown:
- The Big Winners: Hamnet (Chloé Zhao) and Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie) both snagged 11 nominations. Zhao’s Hamnet also broke the record for the most nominations for a female-directed film.
- The Acting Duel: We’ve got Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) facing off against Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) for Leading Actor. It’s a heavyweight fight, people!
- The Snub Heard ‘Round the World: While Wicked: For Good dominated the box office, it only managed two technical nods at the BAFTAs. No Cynthia Erivo? No Ariana Grande? The "Ozmopolitan" crowd is not happy.
BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip noted that this year’s list reflects a "truly global and diverse" year for cinema. Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler shared that the recognition for Sinners a film that uses vampires as a metaphor for social struggle feels particularly poignant in 2026. On the flip side, industry insiders are whispering that the Wicked snub might be due to the BAFTAs' notorious "high-brow" leanings, often favoring gritty indies over neon-colored blockbusters.
Fan Reactions: The Internet Has Thoughts
As always, X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit exploded the moment the livestream ended.
"Paul Mescal getting a Supporting Actor nod for Hamnet after the Oscar snub? THE BRITISH ACADEMY KNOWS CINEMA." @FilmFanatic99
"No Cynthia Erivo in Leading Actress is actually a crime. I’m calling the police. #BAFTAs #Wicked" @BroadwayBound
The BAFTA Film Awards Nominations are often seen as the "final dress rehearsal" for the Oscars. Because of the heavy overlap in voting members, a win in London on February 22 could provide the momentum needed to seal the deal in Hollywood. Moreover, the inclusion of films like Boong (a Manipuri-language film) and the Scottish indie I Swear shows that the BAFTAs are trying to move away from being just "Oscar-lite" and more toward being a platform for global discovery.
As we look toward the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall, the big question remains: Will the momentum of One Battle After Another carry it to a Best Film victory, or will the emotional weight of Hamnet pull off an upset? One thing is for sure with Alan Cumming hosting, we’re in for a night of wit, style, and maybe a few more surprises.
.jpg)