One Battle After Another Dominates 2026 Oscars Race

The Paul Thomas Anderson film sweeps the BAFTAs, cementing its status as the Best Picture frontrunner.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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After a competitive start to the 2026 awards season, the race for Best Picture at the Oscars has become a one-sided affair. Paul Thomas Anderson's film One Battle After Another emerged victorious at the BAFTAs, winning a total of six awards including Best Film, Director, and Adapted Screenplay. This commanding performance suggests the Academy's international voters are strongly inclined to support the film, effectively closing the door on potential upsets from competitors like Sinners and Hamnet.

Why it matters

The BAFTAs have become an increasingly important Oscars precursor in recent years, providing insight into how the Academy's expanding international voting body may be leaning. One Battle After Another's dominance at the BAFTAs signals that it is likely to be the clear favorite for the Best Picture Oscar, barring any unexpected late surges from other contenders.

The details

One Battle After Another won a total of six BAFTAs, including the top prize of Best Film, as well as awards for Director, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Supporting Actor (Sean Penn), and Cinematography. This was a commanding performance that overshadowed its closest competitors, Sinners and Hamnet. While those films did pick up some key wins - Sinners for Original Screenplay and Supporting Actress, Hamnet for Outstanding British Film - they were unable to mount a serious challenge to One Battle After Another's momentum.

  • The 2026 Academy Award nominations were announced in early 2026.
  • The BAFTAs ceremony took place on February 22, 2026.

The players

One Battle After Another

A critically acclaimed film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar.

Sinners

A film that had been considered a potential Best Picture contender, but was unable to match the dominance of One Battle After Another at the BAFTAs.

Hamnet

A British film that won the Golden Globe for Best Drama, but fell short of a Best Film victory at the more Oscar-predictive BAFTAs.

Paul Thomas Anderson

The director of One Battle After Another, whose film swept the BAFTAs and is now the clear favorite for the Best Picture Oscar.

Wunmi Mosaku

The British-Nigerian actress who won the BAFTA for Supporting Actress for her work in Sinners.

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What’s next

The 2026 Academy Awards ceremony will take place in March, where One Battle After Another is expected to be the heavy favorite to win the Best Picture Oscar.

The takeaway

The BAFTAs have solidified One Battle After Another's status as the clear frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar, as the film's dominant performance suggests the Academy's expanding international voting body is strongly inclined to support it. This effectively closes the door on potential upsets from other contenders like Sinners and Hamnet, barring any unexpected late surges.