| | | | | | What's news: The long 2026 awards season is finally over! THR wraps up Hollywood's biggest night, an evening that saw WB dominate, Jordan pip Chalamet, Sean Penn no show, Conan try his best to save a sloppy telecast, and a host of first-time winners. — Abid Rahman
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🏆 Oscars 2026 🏆 ►Hollywood's biggest night. One Battle After Another was named best picture at the 98th Oscars, which were handed out Sunday. OBAA took home six Oscars in total, with director Paul Thomas Anderson winning best director and best adapted screenplay, marking his first-ever wins. Sean Penn, who wasn’t at the ceremony, won best supporting actor for OBAA, setting a record with his win. Sinners took home four Oscars, with star Michael B. Jordan named best actor, and Ryan Coogler winning best original screenplay. This year, the Oscars added a new category, the first since best animated feature was introduced in 2002, recognizing best casting: Cassandra Kulukundis won that Oscar for OBAA. The winners.
—Scott's take. THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg dissects the results of the 2026 Oscars and also wraps up the extremely long and winding awards season. Scott explains how One Battle After Another beat Sinners to best picture, how Michael B. Jordan overcame Timothée Chalamet and how Sean Penn won without doing anything. The analysis.
—Snubs, surprises and shutouts. It was another tough Oscar evening for Timothée Chalamet, as for the second consecutive year the actor and the film he starred in left the Dolby Theater empty-handed. Last year it was A Complete Unknown (0 from 8 noms), and on Sunday it was Chalamet's Marty Supreme (0 from 9 noms) that was shutout. Other multiple nominees that failed to win a single award include four-time nominees Bugonia, The Secret Agent and Train Dreams. Among the surprises, there was a rare tie in the live-action short category with both Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva winning the award. And Mr. Nobody Against Putin was a surprise winner in the best documentary feature category. The snubs.
—Mike and Pam supremacy. When the final trophy was handed out on Sunday, Warner Bros. emerged victorious with a total of 11 Academy Awards, tying a record for the most wins by a studio in a single night at the Oscars. Heading into this year’s ceremony, the most wins by a studio from years past included MGM’s 11 trophies for 1959’s Ben-Hur, Paramount’s 11 for 1997’s Titanic and New Line’s 11 for Peter Jackson’s 2003 franchise entry The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The studio scorecard.
—Where was Sean!? Sean Penn was not on hand to collect his Oscar for best supporting actor for OBAA, which meant he became the fourth man to win three acting Oscars. The actor did not given any statement regarding his absence from Hollywood’s big night, but the NYT, citing two sources close to Penn, reported that he was in Ukraine on Sunday. Though it is unclear why he traveled to the war-torn country. The story.
—Big night for first-timers! Sunday's Oscars was notable for the number of first time winners. As well as Paul Thomas Anderson, incredibly, picking up his first statuette (ending the night with 3), the likes of Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Jessie Buckley, Amy Madigan, Cassandra Kulukundis and Autumn Durald Arkapaw all became Oscar winners for the first time. The story. |
Review: Conan Saves Sloppy Telecast ►"There were sincere speeches and emotional speeches and good luck hearing any of it." In his review of the telecast of the 98th Academy Awards, THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg writes that the positives of the night were host Conan O'Brien delivering his second consecutive strong hosting job, and the stirring history-making wins — but glitchy sound (why would you drown out Matt Berry!), confusing cutaways and erratic direction marred the night. The review.
—"Security is extremely tight tonight. I’m told there are concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet community." Conan took the Oscars stage at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night and launched into a rapid-fire monologue that verged into more political territory than the host had predicted it would in interviews leading up to the event. He dished out jokes ranging from mocking Timothée Chalamet’s ballet and opera controversy, making cracks about Sean Penn and Ted Sarandos and taking aim at the lack of arrests over the Jeffrey Epstein files. The monologue.
—"Fortunately for all of us, there is an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth." While most winners and presenters at the Academy Awards kept their speeches apolitical, there were a few who used their opportunity with the microphone to call out politicians, gun violence and wars happening around the globe. Before revealing that Sentimental Value won the Oscar for best international feature film, Javier Bardem — who was also wearing a 2003 Iraq War protest pin — began with, “No to war and free Palestine.” Joachim Trier, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien and the winners in the documentary categories also all used their time on stage to share some political commentary. The story.
—A tie! Misty Copeland! Captain America and Iron Man! Bridesmaids! From Anna Wintour channeling The Devil Wears Prada to Jimmy Kimmel taking digs at Trump and CBS, THR has gathered together some of Sunday night's biggest scene-stealers. The most memorable moments.
—Timmy's eventful night. Whether he wanted it or not, Timothée Chalamet was arguably Sunday night's main character. THR has a full roundup of Chalamet's evening. The story. |
Oscars Pay Tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner ►"Rob’s movies will last for lifetimes because they were about what makes us laugh and cry and what we aspire to be far better in his eyes, far kinder, far funnier and far more human." Billy Crystal appeared at the Oscars to pay tribute to his longtime friend, and When Harry Met Sally director, Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. Crystal talked about many of Reiner’s films, including This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, Misery, A Few Good Men and An American President. In a touching moment, the curtain behind Crystal lifted to reveal several stars of Reiner’s movies including Meg Ryan, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, Demi Moore, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Fred Savage, Kathy Bates, Jerry O’Connell, Wil Wheaton, Annette Bening and John Cusack. The tribute.
—"There isn’t an actress of my generation who is not inspired by and enthralled with her absolute singularity." In another tearjerking moment from Sunday night, Rachel McAdams shared a beautiful tribute in honor of Diane Keaton, where she reflected on her relationship with the late Hollywood icon, whom she starred alongside in 2005’s The Family Stone. During her speech McAdams also acknowledged the influence and impact of the late Claudia Cardinale, Diane Ladd and her fellow Canadian, Catherine O’Hara. The tribute.
—"He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail." Barbra Streisand brought yet another poignant moment to the Oscars on Sunday, taking the stage during the In Memoriam section to deliver an emotional tribute to her late friend and collaborator, Robert Redford. The legendary singer performed a section of “The Way We Were,” the title track of Sydney Pollack’s 1973 romantic drama, in which she co-starred opposite Redford. The tribute.
—Glaring omissions. The Oscars producers revealed before the ceremony that the In Memoriam portion of the telecast would be longer than in previous years due to the number of Hollywood icons that had died over the past year. Despite the extended segment, there were some notable omissions that were quickly pointed out on social media. Brigitte Bardot, James Van Der Beek, Julian McMahon, Bud Cort, Tom Noonan, David Keighley, Héctor Alterio and Eric Dane were some of the big names missing from the telecast. The story. |
Best Dressed Stars at the Oscars ►Feathers, frock coats and fantastic brooches! THR's Laurie Brookins once again picks out the stars that caught the eye with their sartorial choices on Sunday. Laurie writes, "the evening’s best-dressed stars easily could have doubled beyond the 15 seen here; that’s how strong the red carpet was in both style and substance." The looks.
—More looks! THR has a larger roundup of all the most significant looks captured on the Oscars red carpet. The gallery.
More from the 2026 Oscars...
—Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw makes history
—Cassandra Kulukundis wins first-ever casting Oscar
—Miles Caton joined by Misty Copeland, Shaboozey for "I Lied to You" performance
—KPop Demon Hunters trio dazzle with "Golden" performance
—Bridesmaids reunion brings big laughs |
SAG-AFTRA and Studios Fail to Reach Deal ►✊ Negotiations to continue. ✊ Hollywood’s waiting game isn’t over yet as SAG-AFTRA and studios failed to reach a deal on Sunday, the final day of their primary negotiations period. The negotiations over the union’s next three-year deal covering film and TV work are now set to continue later this spring ahead of the contract’s June 30 expiration. SAG-AFTRA had previously scheduled this backup period for additional talks in case their first didn’t yield an agreement, which now seems prescient. The announcement arrived just before the Writers Guild of America is set to begin its own negotiations with the AMPTP on Monday. The story.
—Banana republic latest. FCC chair Brendan Carr said broadcasters could lose their licenses if they do not “operate in the public interest,” reiterating Donald Trump‘s criticism of media coverage of his Iran War. "Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news — have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up," Carr wrote on X Saturday as he reshared a post Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not." The story.
—The end is nigh. Streaming service BET+ is shutting down, and its programming will be folded into Paramount+. Paramount Skydance has bought out Tyler Perry Studios’ equity stake in BET+, which will help facilitate the move. BET Networks president Louis Carr said in a memo to staff that the move will "ensure the stories we champion, the creators we support and the culture we represent [will] go further than ever before." The changeover will happen in June, when about 1,000 hours of BET+ programming will become part of Paramount+, including the Perry-produced All the Queen’s Men and Zatima, The Ms. Pat Show and Diarra From Detroit. The story. |
'Reminders of Him' Opens to Stellar $18.3M ►Hoover, damn! Hollywood studios — and specifically Universal — making movie adaptations of Colleen Hoover‘s novels received good news as Reminders of Him came in ahead of expectations with $18.3m this weekend, thanks to successfully romancing females of all ages. More than 60 percent of ticket buyers were under the age of 35, while females bought up more than 80 percent of all tickets. While the film received a B Cinemascore, the audience score on RT is a far more promising 89 percent. PostTrak’s exit polls are also strong. Overseas, Reminders of Him opened to $10m in its first raft of markets for an early global total of $28.1m.
THR's Pamela McClintock writes that Pixar looks to have an original hit on its hands as Hoppers easily stayed No. 1 at the domestic box office, declining a narrow 37 percent to $28.5m in its second outing. The news was also good overseas, where it gathered up another $31m for an early foreign total of $77.5m and $164.7m globally to become the top-grossing animated film of the year so far. The box office report. |
NBCU Ends Syndicated Production, Cancels 'Access Hollywood' ►End of an era. NBCUniversal will no longer produce first-run syndicated TV programming, ending production of shows like Access Hollywood, Access Live, Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show in a major strategic shift for the company. Karamo and Steve Wilkos have both completed production, with the new episodes that have been taped airing through the summer. Access Hollywood and Access Live will continue production through the summer before ending their run. The story.
—No dice. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is dead at Hulu. The series star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, took to Instagram Saturday morning to share that Hulu is no longer moving forward with the project, which was revealed to be in the works in February 2025. Buffy: New Sunnydale came from 20th Television and Searchlight TV. Sources close to the show tell THR that Hulu is still mulling over next steps and is leaving the door open. Oscar winner Chloé Zhao was set to direct with a script penned by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. The reboot was supposed to follow a younger Slayer, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, with Gellar’s Buffy Summers returning to star, and the actress was set to executive produce. The story.
—Script must be fixin' to be shiny. Nathan Fillion has revealed that a Firefly animated series is in early development at 20th Television Animation. Fillion shared the news in an Instagram video, where he was joined by his Firefly costars, and at Awesome Con in Washington. The animated reboot is being developed through Fillion’s production banner Collision33 in partnership with 20th Television Animation, which controls the rights to the franchise. Married writer-producers Tara Butters and Marc Guggenheim are set to serve as showrunners, in their first professional collaboration together, on the series, for which a script has already been written. Fillion said that he received the blessing of Firefly creator Joss Whedon to embark upon this new iteration. The story.
—Sounds good. VisionQuest has uploaded a composer for Marvel’s show starring Paul Bettany as the erstwhile Avenger. Mick Giacchino is the maestro on the series, which bows later this year and completes a TV trilogy that began with 2021’s WandaVision and also includes 2024’s Agatha All Along. Giacchino is no stranger to the comic book space. He won an Emmy for his work on DC and HBO’s The Penguin after working on additional music for The Batman, scored by his father, Marvel mainstay Michael Giacchino. The story. |
Film Review: 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' ►"Less fun, but not no fun." THR's Angie Han reviews Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Samara Weaving and Sarah Michelle Gellar lead an action-horror-comedy follow-up that picks up just minutes after the 2019 feature. Also starring Kathryn Newton, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood, Néstor Carbonell and David Cronenberg. Written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. The review.
—"On again and off again, on and on again." Angie reviews Joe Swanberg's The Sun Never Sets. Debuting at SXSW, the latest film from the Drinking Buddies director centers on a young woman in Alaska who reconnects with her ex while on a break from a long-term relationship. Starring Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Cory Michael Smith, Debby Ryan, Anna Konkle, Lamorne Morris and Karley Sciortino. Written by Joe Swanberg. The review.
—"Spins a wild yarn with heart, and some flaws." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel's I Got Bombed at Harvey's. The SXSW bowing-doc focuses on Jim Birges, son of the Harvey's casino bomber. The review.
—"Sad and poignant, but not very deep." Daniel reviews Marina Zenovich's The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson. In this SXSW Netflix doc, the filmmakers chronicles the case of Moriah Wilson, who was killed in 2022, prompting sensationalistic press coverage of a love triangle. The review.
—"More than a classic cold case." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Rachel Mason's My Brother's Killer. The documentary filmmaker behind Circus of Books unlocks the case of Billy London, whose gruesome killing was set against a backdrop of homophobia and AIDS. Featuring Marc Rabins, John Lamberti, Clark Williams, Sabin Grey, Christopher Rice and Rachel Mason. The review.
What else we're reading...
—Jeremy Barr talks to CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen about being one of the few western journalists reporting from Iran [Guardian]
—Melanie Zanona, Scott Wong and Kyle Stewart report on the multiple Republicans in Congress who post openly anti-Muslim and hateful statements on social media [NBC News]
—Benjamin Mullin, Erik Wemple and Katie Robertson have an indepth look at how billionaire oligarch Jeff Bezos upended the once prestigious Washington Post [NYT]
—It's almost uncanny (and funny) how the Forbes 30 Under 30 is a harbinger of bad things and criminality. Matt Stieb reports on the latest gutsy Forbes 30 Under 30 start-up founder who is in trouble with the Feds [Intelligencer]
—Max Tani has a troubling story on Trump's free and easy phone buddy relationships with political reporters amid the Iran War [Semafor]
Today...
Today's birthdays: Isabelle Huppert (73), Gore Verbinski (62), Alan Tudyk (55), Alexandra Daddario (40), Lauren Graham (59), Sienna Guillory (51), Victor Garber (77), Tim Kang (53), Diego Calva (34), Jerome Flynn (63), Paul Schneider (50), Jon-Michael Ecker (43), Jung So-min (37), Brooke Burns (48), Aisling Bea (42), Clifton Powell (70), Erik Estrada (77), Rupert Sanders (55), Joe Mande (43), Tyrel Jackson Williams (29), Kate Nelligan (76), Madison Riley (36), Ted Sutherland (29), Fernando Lindez (26), Felisha Terrell (47), Judah Friedlander (57), Sophie Hunter (48), Sierra Aylina McClain (32), Jules Willcox (46), Tara Buck (51), Belén Rueda (61), Paul Forman (32), Gary Basaraba (67), Christian Hillborg (48), Alvin Sanders (74) |
| Judy Pace, who portrayed strong-willed characters on the ABC series Peyton Place and The Young Lawyers and in the Ossie Davis-directed action film Cotton Comes to Harlem, has died. She was 83. The obituary. |
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