Home Buzzing Celebrity Trends 10

The 5 Shocking New Rules And Frontrunners For The 98th Oscar Nominations Announcement On January 22, 2026

• minute read
Contents

The countdown to the 98th Academy Awards has officially begun, and the single most anticipated morning of the awards season—the Nominations Announcement—is set for Thursday, January 22, 2026. As of today, December 22, 2025, the film world is buzzing with intense speculation following the announcement of the shortlists, with prognosticators scrambling to adjust their predictions based on the final, crucial releases of the calendar year. This year’s race is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, fueled by significant new voting rules and a slate of critically acclaimed, powerful films vying for a coveted spot on the ballot.

The nominations for all 24 categories will be revealed in a global livestream event, marking the formal start of the final phase of the 98th Oscars race. With the ceremony itself scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026, the January 22 announcement will set the stage for a dramatic two-month sprint to the Dolby Theatre. Every film released between January 1 and December 31, 2025, that meets the strict theatrical eligibility requirements is in the running, and the competition is fierce.

The 98th Academy Awards: Key Dates and Eligibility Timeline

The journey to the gold statue is a long and meticulous one, governed by a precise calendar set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). For the 98th Oscars, the key dates leading up to and immediately following the nominations announcement are crucial for industry professionals and film fans alike. These dates define the window for campaigning, screening, and voting, ensuring that all eligible films receive due consideration. The Governors Awards, which honor career achievement, already took place in November, setting an early tone for the season.

  • Eligibility Period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 (Films must have a qualifying theatrical run within this window).
  • Governors Awards: Sunday, November 16, 2025.
  • Preliminary Voting Begins: Monday, December 8, 2025.
  • Shortlists Announced: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 (for 10 categories, including International Feature, Documentary Feature, and Original Song).
  • Nominations Voting Begins: Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
  • Nominations Voting Ends: Sunday, January 12, 2026.
  • Official Nominations Announcement: Thursday, January 22, 2026 (5:30 am PT / 8:30 am ET).
  • Oscars Nominees Luncheon: Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
  • Finals Voting Begins: Thursday, February 26, 2026.
  • Finals Voting Ends: Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
  • 98th Academy Awards Ceremony: Sunday, March 15, 2026.

The preliminary voting for categories like Best International Feature Film and the Documentary Feature Film category is already complete, with the shortlists having been announced earlier this month. The spotlight now shifts entirely to the main categories, where the nearly 10,000 members of the Academy cast their ballots to determine the final list of nominees.

New Academy Rules That Will Impact The 2026 Nominations

The Academy is constantly evolving its rules to ensure fairness, transparency, and relevance. For the 98th Oscars, two significant updates have been implemented, which could subtly—but profoundly—influence the final nominations list and the subsequent winners. These changes are a direct response to modern filmmaking practices and recent trends in member engagement.

1. The Mandatory Viewing Rule for Final Voting

In a major procedural change designed to combat 'lazy' voting, Academy members must now confirm they have watched all nominated films in a specific category to be eligible to cast a final vote for the winner in that category. This rule applies to all categories, forcing members to engage fully with the nominated works. The intention is to ensure that winners are chosen based on a complete understanding of the field, rather than reputation or studio campaigning alone. This means that lesser-known or smaller-budget nominees might have a fairer shot against blockbuster contenders, provided the membership commits to the required viewing.

2. Clarity on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Filmmaking

As the use of digital tools and Artificial Intelligence becomes more prevalent in cinema, the Academy has issued new language in its eligibility rules to address the technology. The clarification states that the use of AI and digital tools will neither help nor hinder a film’s chances of being nominated. This move aims to maintain a focus on artistic merit and storytelling, regardless of the tools used in production. It provides a neutral stance on the technology, allowing filmmakers to innovate without fear of disqualification, while preventing studios from leveraging AI as a primary campaign point.

Early Frontrunners: The Films Dominating Best Picture Buzz

As the nomination voting window closes, the race for Best Picture has tightened considerably. The preferential ballot system used for this top category means that a film must generate broad, enthusiastic support, not just passionate first-place votes. While the shortlists for categories like International Feature have been released, the major categories are still a wide-open field. Here are the films and performances currently generating the strongest buzz and topical authority among awards prognosticators:

The Top Contenders for Best Picture Nomination

The final weeks of the year have seen a handful of prestige pictures solidify their positions as likely nominees. The current top three, according to most pundits, are films that blend critical acclaim with powerful, timely themes:

  • One Battle After Another (Warner Bros): This film, often cited as a frontrunner, is a massive prestige picture that has been dominating the early awards circuit, securing mentions across multiple critics' groups. Its sweep across the CCA and Golden Globe predictions suggests a strong likelihood of a high nomination count on January 22.
  • Sinners (Warner Bros): A late-breaking entry that has surged in the predictions, *Sinners* is a character-driven drama that has resonated deeply with reviewers. The film’s late momentum is a classic awards play, reminiscent of past winners that peaked just as voting began.
  • Hamnet (Focus Features): While it has seen a slight dip in recent weeks, *Hamnet* remains a powerful contender, especially in the craft categories and for Best Director. Its strong historical and literary pedigree gives it a solid foundation of respect among the older Academy guard.
  • It Was Just an: A dark horse that has steadily climbed the prediction charts, this film represents the kind of smaller, deeply felt independent cinema that often surprises with a Best Picture nod.

The Key Acting Races and LSI Entities

The acting categories are always the most personal and star-driven part of the nominations. This year, the focus is on a mix of established veterans and breakout performances. The buzz around the musical adaptation Wicked: For Good is particularly strong, with a lead actor in the film being heavily tipped for a Best Actor nomination, following strong early wins at precursor awards like the Golden Globes.

Other major entities and LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords that are dominating the discussion and are expected to feature heavily in the nominations include:

  • Best Director: The race is highly competitive, with the directors of *One Battle After Another* and *Sinners* being the current favorites, alongside the director of the international feature Emilia Pérez, which had a remarkable run in the previous awards cycle.
  • International Feature Film: Following the shortlist announcement, films from countries like France, Germany, and South Korea are being closely watched, with one submission already generating significant buzz for a potential crossover nomination in a major category.
  • Best Original Screenplay: The originality and sharp dialogue of It Was Just an make it a strong contender here, often a category where smaller, writer-centric films can shine.

The January 22, 2026, announcement will not only reveal the nominees but also provide the final, definitive narrative for the 98th Academy Awards. With new rules in place and a slate of powerful, diverse films in contention, the morning promises to be full of the usual snubs and surprises that define the Oscar race.

The 5 Shocking New Rules and Frontrunners for the 98th Oscar Nominations Announcement on January 22, 2026
oscar nominations 2025 announcement
oscar nominations 2025 announcement

Detail Author:

  • Name : Kyra Reichert
  • Username : herzog.hildegard
  • Email : bwilderman@hotmail.com
  • Birthdate : 1975-01-20
  • Address : 18024 Boyle Lights Apt. 321 Mckennafort, NV 75667-0457
  • Phone : (872) 673-3110
  • Company : Shanahan Inc
  • Job : Heavy Equipment Mechanic
  • Bio : Et ratione reiciendis et distinctio et eligendi odit et. Deserunt perferendis aliquam est nihil expedita. Et sint saepe error.

Socials

linkedin:

facebook:

  • url : https://facebook.com/blandad
  • username : blandad
  • bio : Doloremque vero ex aut quia aliquid nemo. Assumenda provident natus sequi et.
  • followers : 1608
  • following : 812

tiktok:

instagram:

  • url : https://instagram.com/dewayne499
  • username : dewayne499
  • bio : Tenetur incidunt sit repellendus quia eaque et. Facere reiciendis voluptates qui est aut.
  • followers : 6818
  • following : 2462

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/blanda2003
  • username : blanda2003
  • bio : Sunt amet saepe cum dicta quaerat. Aut reiciendis voluptas temporibus ratione qui. Natus magni sed quo aut.
  • followers : 4668
  • following : 995

Random Posts