Oscars 2026 starts tonight at 7 p.m. ET—here’s what to expect

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• 🔥 Quick Facts
• Conan O’Brien Returns to Host Hollywood’s Biggest Night
• Sinners Shatters Oscar Records with 16 Nominations
• The Best Picture Race Tightens Between Two Titans
• How to Watch the Oscars 2026 Live Tonight
• Will the Oscars 2026 Deliver the Surprises Everyone Is Anticipating?
  • Sources

The Oscars 2026 kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. ET with Conan O’Brien hosting for a historic second consecutive year. The 98th Academy Awards arrives with the tightest race in decades, as Sinners makes history with 16 nominations, the most ever for any film.

Conan O’Brien Returns to Host Hollywood’s Biggest Night

Conan O’Brien brings his signature comedy style back to the Oscars stage for a second year running. The talk show host and comedian has been preparing for tonight’s show, strategizing how to balance humor with the gravity of cinema’s most prestigious awards. O’Brien previously hosted the 97th Academy Awards, earning praise for his ability to engage both the ceremony audience and viewers at home.

The returning host faces what many have called one of the most unpredictable races in recent memory. With multiple frontrunners competing across all major categories, O’Brien’s wit and timing will be tested as he guides audiences through wins that could surprise even the most seasoned Oscar predictors.

Sinners Shatters Oscar Records with 16 Nominations

Sinners has already made history before tonight even begins. The ambitious film earned 16 Oscar nominations, breaking the all-time record for most nominations in a single year. This achievement positions Sinners as a major frontrunner for Best Picture, though predicting the winner remains nearly impossible given how closely competitors trail in voting patterns.

The film’s 16 nominations span multiple categories, including acting, directing, cinematography, and technical awards. Lead actor Michael B. Jordan headlines the slate of contenders, and the film’s success signals the Academy’s appetite for bold, original storytelling that dominated this year’s race.

The Best Picture Race Tightens Between Two Titans

While Sinners leads in nomination count, the actual Best Picture race heavily favors two distinct frontrunners. Sinners competes neck and neck with One Battle After Another, a film backed by celebrated director Paul Thomas Anderson. Both films represent different visions of cinema, yet both have resonated strongly with Academy voters.

Film Title	Nominations	Key Contenders
Sinners	16	Michael B. Jordan, Best Picture frontrunner
One Battle After Another	TBA	Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Paul Thomas Anderson
Marty Supreme	Multiple nominations	Timothée Chalamet, Fresh voice in acting
Hamnet	Multiple nominations	Strong ensemble, prestige drama

Other strong contenders include Hamnet, a prestige drama with broad appeal, Marty Supreme, which features Timothée Chalamet in a breakout leading role, and Frankenstein, which brings a fresh perspective to classic material. This diversity of nominees demonstrates the Academy’s widening embrace of different genres and storytelling approaches.

“What’s wild about the two front-runners for best picture, Sinners and One Battle After Another, is that neither took the traditional Oscar pathway.”

According to Vanity Fair, awards analyst and Oscar predictor

How to Watch the Oscars 2026 Live Tonight

Viewers everywhere can tune in to the 98th Academy Awards on multiple platforms starting at 7 p.m. ET on ABC, Hulu, or ABC.com. The ceremony will broadcast live in more than 200 territories worldwide, making this a truly global celebration of cinema. The official red carpet coverage begins earlier at 6:30 p.m. ET, giving viewers a chance to see Hollywood’s biggest stars arrive in their most stunning looks.

For those unable to watch live, Hulu offers the option to stream the entire ceremony with all subscription tiers, including the ad-supported version. Fans are expected to gather around TVs and devices for what promises to be an evening full of surprises, emotional speeches, and unexpected winners in what insiders are calling the most unpredictable Oscars in years.

Will the Oscars 2026 Deliver the Surprises Everyone Is Anticipating?

Predictions abound, yet experts universally admit that calling tonight’s major categories feels nearly impossible. The Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress races all show genuine uncertainty. Some analysts believe voters chose based on film quality, while others suggest the Academy is rewarding emotional resonance and career achievements.

Sean Penn leads Best Supporting Actor predictions after wins at BAFTA and SAG, yet competitors like Delroy Lindo and Stellan Skarsgård remain formidable challengers. Similarly, races in virtually every significant category could surprise viewers tonight. The tightness of these competitions means that nearly every winner will feel both inevitable and shocking simultaneously, which is precisely what makes tonight unmissable.

Sources

• The Walt Disney Company: Official Oscars 2026 ceremony guide with times, streaming details, and broadcast information
• Vanity Fair: Best Picture predictions and analysis of the tightest race in Academy Awards history
• NBC News: Live updates and expert predictions for major acting and technical categories