Members from Academy branches participated in the voting across multiple categories, including animated short film, documentary feature, documentary short, international feature, live action short, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound, and visual effects. This year also marks the debut of two new shortlist categories: achievement in casting and best cinematography.

Netflix’s “Frankenstein” also made a strong showing, landing 6 mentions across casting, cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, original score, sound, and visual effects.

My Oscar Book:

The international feature category offered few surprises, distributor Neon secured a record five of the 15 available slots.

Switzerland’s “Late Shift” edged out the UK “My Father’s Shadow,” despite the latter’s recent Gotham Award win for lead actor Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù.

Other notable multi-category performers included “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value,” and the “Sirât,” each demonstrating technical strength across multiple categories.

Three Student Academy Award-winning films from 2025 were also shortlisted: “The Shyness of Trees” (animated short), “Butcher’s Stain” (live action short), and “Dad’s Not Home” (live action short).

Oscar voting opens Monday, Jan. 12, and closes Friday, Jan. 16. Nominations will be announced Thursday, Jan. 22

The complete list of films on the shortlist is below.

Casting

The lineup includes six of the top contenders for best picture: “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sinners.”

Alongside those are two international feature— Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” and Spain’s “Sirât” — as well as the horror hit “Weapons.”

Ten films will advance in the casting category for the 98th Oscars. Members of the Casting Directors Branch vote to determine both the shortlist and final nominees. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from the shortlisted films and pre-recorded interviews with the casting directors on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in LA and London, and on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in NY.

Cinematography

Marking the first year for the shortlist, the preliminary voting produced between 10 and 20 pictures. They opted for 16, which will be whittled down to 5 in the final nominations.

For a category that has yet to produce a female winner, we have 3 in the nominations — Alice Brooks for “Wicked: For Good,” coming one year after nabbing her first ASC nom, a surprise inclusion of Amy Vincent for “Song Sung Blue” and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who many deem as the early frontrunner for “Sinners.”

Among others are: “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “One Battle After Another” and “Train Dreams.”

Some of the other surprises was the Jennifer Lawrence starring-vehicle “Die My Love” with its DP Seamus McGarvey, and the thrilling “Sirât.”

Documentary Feature

The documentary shortlist included several expected entries: “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” “The Alabama Solution,” “Apocalypse in the Tropics” and “Come See Me in the Good Light” were all recognized by the Documentary Branch. But the list also delivered a few bold surprises that shifted the tone of the season.

Films such as “Cover-Up,” “My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow,” “Seeds” and “The Perfect Neighbor” signaled growing consensus around socially driven, topical storytelling. Meanwhile, the inclusion of more independently distributed titles like “Holding Liat” and “Yanuni” reflected a refreshing openness among voters to champion under-the-radar voices over more commercially backed campaigns.

Notable omissions from include Kahlil Joseph’s “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions,” Kim A. Snyder’s “The Librarians” and Raoul Peck’s political exploration “Orwell: 2+2=5.”

Fifteen films will advance to the next round out of the 201 eligible.

Documentary Short Film

Fifteen films will advance in the documentary short category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.

International Feature

The international feature shortlist is a geographically diverse slate, established auteurs with emerging voices, while Neon continues to dominate with five titles making the cut.

Switzerland’s “Late Shift” emerged as a notable surprise, securing a spot many expected would go to the United Kingdom’s “My Father’s Shadow” — particularly after its strong Gotham Award win for leading performer Sopé Dìrísù. Critical acclaim and festival momentum don’t always translate to Academy recognition, especially in a category known for its unpredictability.

Neon’s five-film presence (“The Secret Agent,” “Sirât,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “Sentimental Value,” and “No Other Choice”) shows the distributor’s strength. Will they nab all five slots? Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab” is in the running for a spot.

Streaming giants Netflix (“Left-Handed Girl”) and Amazon MGM Studios (“Belén”) maintain their competitive footing. Meanwhile, Watermelon Pictures’ dual representation with entries from Jordan (“All That’s Left of You”) and Palestine (“Palestine 36”) highlights the continued push for representation from Middle Eastern cinema on the global stage.

The international feature category drew 86 eligible submissions from countries and regions around the world. The Academy defines an international feature film as a feature-length picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the U.S. with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.

Makeup and Hairstyling

The makeup and hairstyling shortlist proved to be one of the season’s unpredictable categories, mixing expected blockbuster contenders with scrappier independent fare that managed to muscle its way into the conversation.

Also breaking through were Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” featuring Timothée Chalamet’s transformative unibrow work, and “Nuremberg,” anchored by Russell Crowe’s intense portrayal of a Nazi prisoner.

The race ahead looks remarkably wide open. While Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” appears to be the only lock for a nomination — given the branch’s historic affinity for creature features and period horror — the remaining four slots are genuinely anyone’s game.

Ten films will advance in the makeup and hairstyling category for the 98th Academy Awards. All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films in January before casting their final nomination ballots.

Original Score

Three women earned spots on the original score shortlist, including Music Branch governor Lesley Barber for “Diane Warren: Relentless,” Oscar nominee Laura Karpman for “Captain America: Brave New World,” and Academy Award winner Hildur Guðnadóttir for “Hedda.”

The list featured several inspired choices, notably Kangding Ray’s haunting work on “Sirât” and Nathan Johnson’s inventive score for “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” Among the more unexpected selections were Brian Tyler’s “Nuremberg,” signaling a strong overall showing for the film, and Aaron Zigman’s “Truth and Treason,” a historical drama from Angel Studios based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener.

Twenty films will advance in the original score category from an eligible field of 135 submissions—the lowest number in a decade. Members of the Music Branch will vote to determine both the shortlist and the final nominees. Among the scores that were either not submitted or deemed ineligible: “After the Hunt” (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), “Blue Moon” (Graham Reynolds), “Ella McCay” (Hans Zimmer), “KPop Demon Hunters” (Marcelo Zarvos), and “The Phoenician Scheme” (Alexandre Desplat).

Original Song

With only 68 songs eligible — marking the lowest tally in over a decade — the 15 advancing tracks represent a concentrated mix of prestige, star power and surprise.

Among the heavyweights: Nine Inch Nails’ brooding “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” from “Tron: Ares” electrifies the list alongside Miley Cyrus’ soaring “Dream As One” from “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

Stephen Schwartz pulls off a double placement with “The Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home” from “Wicked: For Good,” while perennial Oscar contender Diane Warren returns with yet another entry, “Dear Me.”

But it’s not all familiar faces. Indie charmers like “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” (from Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile) and “Train Dreams” (Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner) bring poetic intimacy.

“Sinners,” which storms in with two shortlisted songs, signaling the film’s ambitions aren’t just to get nominated.

Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

Animated Short Film

In the nominations round, Academy members from the Animation Branch and the Short Films Branch will vote. Eligible members must view all 15 shortlisted films to cast a vote.

Live Action Short Film

Fifteen films will advance in the live action short film category for the Oscars. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary voting round, provided they met the minimum viewing requirement. In the nominations round, members may opt in to vote and must view all 15 shortlisted films.

Sound

In the music-driven lane, “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” turns up the volume with soulful studio sessions and stadium-worthy acoustics that capture The Boss at his most intimate and anthemic. And it would have been foolish to count out “Wicked: For Good,” which enchants with a masterful blend of soaring vocals from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, lush orchestrations and magical effects that make Oz feel tactile and alive.

“Superman” flies in with thunderous heroics. You can hear every punch, crash, and sonic boom in a mix that makes you feel like you’re soaring alongside the Man of Steel. Then there’s “F1,” a full-throttle contender where sound practically becomes a character, immersing viewers in the roar of engines and the split-second tension of race day. “Frankenstein” takes a starkly different route, combining gothic atmosphere and eerie silence.

Action enthusiasts and Tom Cruise devotees can rest easy as “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” has landed on the list, a fitting recognition for what’s the franchise’s final chapter. And it’s no surprise to see “Avatar: Fire and Ash” here, with James Cameron once again demonstrating his unparalleled ability to make the soundscape of Pandora feel as immersive and alive as the world itself.

All eligible members of the Sound Branch will vote to determine the shortlist and the final nominees. In January, members will be invited to view excerpts from each shortlisted film. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for Oscar consideration.

Visual Effects

James Cameron’s VFX empire rolls on with another eye-popping Na’vi saga that seems destined to go deep into Oscar territory. But it won’t have the field to itself. Netflix’s “The Electric State” buzzes with post-apocalyptic charm and robot-powered spectacle, proving the streamer continues to push the envelope.

“F1” brings the roar of engines and digital precision to the track with photoreal race sequences that had audiences wondering what was real and what wasn’t. And speaking of lifelike illusions, “Frankenstein” blends practical effects and CGI.

Then there’s “Jurassic World Rebirth,” reminding us that you can’t keep a good dinosaur franchise extinct for long. Meanwhile, “The Lost Bus” takes a quieter, more emotionally resonant approach to VFX, using subtle digital work to elevate a grounded story. It’s a wildcard, but a worthy one.

Also in the field is “Sinners” and “Superman,” both flying high with explosive visuals and world-crushing stakes. “Sinners” surprised many by showing off VFX depth beyond genre expectations, while “Superman” swoops in with the kind of cape-flapping grandeur DC fans crave.

Rounding out the list are two stunners: “Tron: Ares,” with its neon-soaked cyber-dreamscapes and “Wicked: For Good,” which proves that musical magic can be just as technically impressive as space battles and superpowers.

The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the 10-film shortlist. In January, all members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and artist interviews from each shortlisted film. Branch members will then vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.