Mar 10, 2026 10:11am IST
Oscars 2026: A Deadlock Between ‘Sinners’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ for Best Picture
With the Oscars just a week away, the buzz around the major categories is growing louder by the day. As key guilds and industry bodies close out their awards season, the Best Picture race is beginning to take clearer shape. At this stage, the competition appears to have narrowed to a two-horse race between "Sinners", directed by Ryan Coogler, and "One Battle After Another" from Paul Thomas Anderson.
With momentum building through the awards season, "One Battle After Another" has emerged as a formidable contender. The film has secured a rare sweep across several major guild awards, winning the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film, and the ACE Eddie Award for Best Edited Feature Film.
Historically, that quartet of wins has been a powerful predictor of Oscar success. The only other films to achieve this combination are "Dances with Wolves", "Schindler’s List", "Forrest Gump", "Slumdog Millionaire", and "Argo." Each of these titles went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
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But there is another film tracing a similarly strong awards path this season. Coogler’s vampire thriller "Sinners" is quietly building formidable momentum of its own. The film has won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, and the ACE Eddie Award for Best Edited Feature Film.
Once again, the historical precedent is striking. The only films to previously secure the WGA, SAG Cast and ACE Eddie trio are "Crash", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Argo", "Parasite", and "Everything Everywhere All At Once." All of them ultimately went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
With both films building strong momentum through the guild awards, the Best Picture race now looks extremely close. One Battle After Another has support from producers, directors and writers, while Sinners has a big push from the actors branch through its SAG win. At this point, both films appear equally strong, and the final result could go either way when the Academy announces the winner.
Variety India’s choice for Best Picture win is Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another." Rarely has there been a film whose camera work, ensemble cast and edit team has come together to offer such an immersive emotional experience. Crafted with exceptional precision and anchored by gripping performances, this film carries the unmistakable authority of a seasoned filmmaker. Rather than offering escapism, it compels viewers to face a harsh truth: the world we inhabit is shaped by our own choices. The film is a testament to the fact that a film maker can stay uncompromising in his effort to tell a honest story from start to finish.
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