It turns out that the best way to get Hollywood’s attention is to mix 1930s Mississippi with a load of blood sucking monsters. The vampire horror flick Sinners has just absolutely smashed the record for Oscar nominations, bagging a whopping 16 nods. That beats the old record of 14 held by legends like Titanic and La La Land. Who knew that all the Academy really wanted was Michael B. Jordan playing twins fighting off the undead in a juke joint?
The film is the clear favourite for the ceremony on 15 March, leaving Leonardo DiCaprio’s thriller One Battle After Another trailing behind with 13 nominations. It is quite a result for a genre that usually gets ignored by the tuxedo wearing crowd. Normally, horror films are lucky if they get a nod for best makeup, but Sinners is up for Best Picture, Best Director, and just about everything else.
British Hopes and Shakespearean Snubs
While the film is set in the American South, it is carrying some heavy British hopes. Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo are both up for awards, which means we might actually have something to cheer about this year. Elsewhere in the list, Irish actress Jessie Buckley is the bookies’ favourite to win Best Actress for her role in Hamnet.
| Category | Frontrunner | The Competition |
| Best Picture | Sinners | One Battle After Another |
| Best Actor | Michael B. Jordan | Leonardo DiCaprio |
| Best Actress | Jessie Buckley | Wunmi Mosaku |
| Total Nominations | 16 (New Record) | 13 |
However, the Academy wouldn’t be the Academy without a bit of drama. Poor Paul Mescal got completely snubbed for his role as William Shakespeare, leaving Jessie Buckley to carry the Hamnet torch alone. Even more shocking was the total disappearance of Wicked: For Good. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were nowhere to be found, proving that even a massive budget and a green face won’t always buy you a golden statue.
Why Sinners is Winning
Director Ryan Coogler has managed to do the impossible by making a horror film that people take seriously. By setting the story in the Jim Crow era, he has added enough “important” subtext to make the Academy feel clever while they watch vampires get dusted. It is a brilliant bit of branding.
Whether Michael B. Jordan can win Best Actor for playing two people at once is the big question. Usually, that kind of showy acting is catnip for voters. If he wins, he can thank the vampires for the career boost. If he loses, well, at least he still has 15 other chances to see his film win something.
We will find out on 15 March if the vampires can actually go the distance or if they will crumble when the lights come up.
If you are a fan of Wicked, you might want to avoid the internet for a few weeks to dodge the gloating.
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