Picture this: the 2026 Oscars ceremony has passed by without a hitch or a slap, and it’s the last award of the night. “And the Oscar goes to…” – there is a rip of an envelope seal – “One Battle After Another.” Cue polite applause and gentlemanly backslaps as Paul Thomas Anderson graces the stage and delivers another version of the same speech he gave moments before, having just won Best Director. Credits roll – a predictable end to a sedate event. Now picture this: the same setup, but after that envelope is opened, the award presenter gasps, their eyes go wide, they look up at the expectant crowd before them, and bellow a single word: “Sinners!” In the blink of an eye, Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre becomes a real-life “crowd goes wild” meme; a classic Oscars moment delivered at the apotheosis of the biggest night in filmland. This simply must happen.
There are those out there who believe it will. After all, Sinners received a record-breaking 16 nominations – more than any film in Oscar history – which positions it as a frontrunner. But this is a classic case of wishful thinking: it’s all but certain that One Battle After Another is reigning supreme. But if I had my way, the majority of votes would go to Ryan Coogler’s vampire blockbuster. This isn’t just based on how good the reaction would be, but for what it would represent at a crucial moment for cinema, at a time when studios are handing their keys over to streaming conglomerates, leaving the future of the industry feeling worryingly uncertain.
